The Best Boutique Hotels in Copenhagen

Hotel Sanders is a family-friendly hotel down a quiet street just behind the Royal Danish Theatre off the humming Kongens Nytorv. The cosy curated spaces at this Copenhagen boutique hotel will make you feel at home, whether you’re having coffee by the fireplace in the warm living room lobby or enjoying a cocktail on the lush rooftop terrace. There’s a mix of colonial details, rich colours and mid-century modern Danish design in the comfortable but elegant rooms. Larger suites offer sitting areas, some with fireplaces and others with soaking tubs.

Fairy-tale charm meets Scandinavian elegance at the historic Nimb Hotel inside Copenhagen’s beautiful Tivoli Gardens, a renowned pleasure garden and amusement park founded in 1843. Guests enjoy free entry to the park and each room and suite offers a window to the gardens. At this boutique hotel in Copenhagen you’ve access to a sleek infinity pool and bar area that offers incredible views over the city. With several well-regarded restaurants on-site, Nimb retains its legacy as a 19th-century dining destination. Step into the former ballroom-turned-open bar for tea or cocktails and admire the orchids hanging from the ceiling and the huge fireplace.

Set in a reclaimed neoclassical building from 1903, the Nobis Hotel Copenhagen is a contemporary boutique hotel close to everything you’d want to see in the city, from Tivoli Gardens to the Grand Tour of Copenhagen guided boat tours. The Little Mermaid herself would feel right at home in this hotel, with its nautical blue and green tones. Enjoy seasonal dishes, such as pork shank or red prawns with chilli, garlic and parsley, at the hotel’s restaurant, NOI. You can rejuvenate in the fitness centre and finish off in the sauna or hot stone hammam, exclusively for the use of guests.

Hotel Kong Arthur is off the regular tourist track and close to the Lakes, three rectangular, man-made bodies of water great for a shoreside stroll on their walking paths. The classic 19th-century building offers quiet, upscale rooms with modern decor. Warm yourself by the fire in winter, or soak up the sun in the private courtyard during summer. Book a spa room and you gain access to the Water Temple, complete with a hot tub, sauna and aroma steam bath. Massages, treatments and other services are available at the in-house spa. Nearby, you’ll find foodie paradise Torvehallerne Market, as well as top attractions Botanical Garden and Rosenborg Castle.

In the historic brewery buildings of Carlsberg City District, Hotel Ottilia is a great place to experience a contemporary take on stylish luxury. This Copenhagen boutique hotel blends original features, such as the brewery grain silos, with luxe, modern furniture. Named after Ottilia, the Scottish wife of Carl Jacobsen, the founder of Carlsberg brewery, the hotel is full of homages to her, from the thistle-themed carpets to the local ceramics embellishing the walls. The rooms fit within the existing structure while the suites, which feature sitting rooms and a minibar, are in a different tower. Step out onto the rooftop restaurant and terrace in the morning for an organic breakfast, or stop by at night for tasty Italian cuisine.

Set between the Amalienborg Palace and Nyhavn canal on a quiet green boulevard, Hotel Skt Annæ is a 17th-century boutique hotel steeped in Copenhagen history. Influenced by the classic tones of Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi, the interior is dark and rich in greys and browns. SPACE Copenhagen designed the rooms, focussing on Danish brands, including bedding from Hay and lighting by Gubi. You can enjoy classic old-school cocktails and food at exclusive in-house bar the Club, or dine at the casual, nautically inspired the Shrimp.

A carefully curated collection of Danish design fills every floor at Hotel Alexandra. You can choose a room that features furniture by Danish greats, such as Finn Juhl, Hans J Wegner and Nanna Ditzel, some of whose pieces are even for sale. Each of the 61 rooms is decorated with period pieces and vintage memorabilia from the ’50s and ’60s. You’re handy for Copenhagen City Hall and Tivoli Gardens and can enjoy the complimentary wine hour in the library and a Scandinavian breakfast each morning.

Copenhagen is known for its waterfront, but did you know you can sleep on the water as well as by it? Welcome to Hotel CPH Living, a floating hotel with 12 rooms overlooking the canal and city centre on the edge of trendy Christianshavn. Rooms are sleek in style with showers facing the water but don’t worry, passers-by can’t see in. Help yourself to the free breakfast and coffee each morning in the lobby, or enjoy sundowners on the rooftop terrace in the evening.

Manon Les Suites brings Bali chic to Copenhagen, thanks to its pool surrounded by sun beds and greenery. Each apartment at this boutique hotel features a four-poster bed and kitchenette and you’re well placed for exploring both the historic centre and some of Copenhagen’s coolest neighbourhoods, such as Nørrebro and the Meatpacking District, Kødbyen. The hotel is Green Globe-certified and pet-friendly. Nearby attractions include the Tycho Brahe Planetarium, Tivoli Gardens and 17th-century Rosenborg Castle.