Copenhagen Travel Guide
Where to Stay in Copenhagen
A neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood guide to Copenhagen: Nyhavn and Kongens Nytorv, the Latin Quarter, Tivoli and Central Station, Vesterbro, the Lakes, Christianshavn and Norrebro, with the right hotel for each.
Copenhagen is compact, flat and easy to walk, so almost anywhere central is a good base. But the neighbourhoods have very different personalities, from the royal elegance around Kongens Nytorv to the bars of Vesterbro and the canals of Christianshavn, and the right choice depends on what you want from your trip. Here is a guide to the best areas for visitors, with the hotels we recommend in each.
Nyhavn and Kongens Nytorv: for the classic first visit. The area around Kongens Nytorv, the city's grandest square, with the Royal Danish Theatre, Charlottenborg and the start of Stroget, is the most central base for sightseeing. Nyhavn is a few steps away, Amalienborg and the Marble Church are ten minutes on foot, Rosenborg is a short walk, and the metro at Kongens Nytorv runs directly to the airport. It is lively and elegant, with many restaurants, though prices are high and Nyhavn is busy in summer. Our picks: 71 Nyhavn Hotel, in two historic warehouses at the harbour end of the canal, for the view; Hotel Sanders, behind the Royal Theatre, for style and a great bar; and Wakeup Copenhagen Borgergade, a few minutes away, for a smart budget base.
The Latin Quarter and Indre By: for character and walking. The old town, Indre By, is the medieval heart of the city, and its most atmospheric corner is the Latin Quarter around the university and the cathedral, with narrow streets, cafes, bookshops, vintage stores and wine bars. The Round Tower, Torvehallerne, Rosenborg and Stroget are all close, and staying here, you feel part of the city. Our pick: Hotel SP34, a design hotel on Sankt Peders Straede with a free Wine Hour every day.
Tivoli and Central Station: for convenience and families. The area around Central Station and City Hall Square is the transport hub of the city, with direct trains to the airport and to Kronborg and Louisiana, and Tivoli Gardens right in the middle. It is practical rather than charming, but the hotels are often larger and better value, and it is a few minutes' walk from the Glyptotek and Stroget. Our picks: Nimb Hotel, inside Tivoli itself, for a fairy-tale stay; and Villa Copenhagen, in the grand former post office next to the station, with a rooftop pool, for families and travellers who want space.
Vesterbro and the Meatpacking District: for nightlife and food. West of Central Station, Vesterbro was once the city's working-class and red-light district and is now one of its liveliest neighbourhoods, with the restaurants, bars and clubs of the Meatpacking District, Kodbyen, the independent shops of Vaernedamsvej and Istedgade, and a young, creative crowd. It is walking distance from Tivoli and the station. Our pick: Villa Copenhagen is on the edge of Vesterbro, and Manon Les Suites is close by.
The Lakes: for a calm, local base. The chain of lakes that curves around the west of the centre is where Copenhageners walk, run and sit by the water, and the streets around them are residential and calm, between the centre, Vesterbro and Norrebro. Our pick: Manon Les Suites, a bohemian all-suite hotel with an indoor jungle pool, near Orstedsparken and Torvehallerne.
Christianshavn: for canals and a village feel. Across the inner harbour, Christianshavn is a seventeenth-century district of canals, houseboats, warehouses and cobbled streets, with the spiral spire of the Church of Our Saviour, Freetown Christiania and some of the city's best restaurants. It feels like a village but is connected to the centre by bridges and the metro. Hotels here are few, so many visitors stay in Nyhavn and walk over the bridge.
Norrebro and Osterbro: for a local experience. Norrebro, north-west of the lakes, is the city's most diverse and creative neighbourhood, with Jaegersborggade's small shops and cafes and Assistens Cemetery, where Hans Christian Andersen is buried. Osterbro, to the north-east, is elegant and family-friendly, close to the Little Mermaid and Kastellet. Both are pleasant places to stay in apartments, and a short bike or metro ride from the centre.
How to choose. For a first visit of two or three days, stay around Kongens Nytorv, Nyhavn or the Latin Quarter, where you can walk to almost everything. For families and travellers arriving by train, the station area is the most convenient, and Villa Copenhagen and Nimb are two of the city's best hotels. For a return visit, or if you love food and nightlife, consider Vesterbro or the Lakes. Wherever you stay, the metro, which runs around the clock, and the city's bikes make it easy to get around.
When to book. Copenhagen hotels are expensive and fill up for summer, for major events and conferences, and for the Christmas season, when Tivoli and the markets bring visitors from all over Europe. Book early for those periods, and look for packages that include breakfast, Tivoli tickets or longer-stay discounts. Remember that hotel breakfast in Copenhagen is often expensive if not included, and that rooms in the centre, especially in budget and historic hotels, are often compact.
Our quick recommendations. For a romantic splurge, Nimb inside Tivoli. For style near Nyhavn, Hotel Sanders. For the view of the famous quay, 71 Nyhavn Hotel. For families and a rooftop pool, Villa Copenhagen. For character and value in the old town, Hotel SP34. For a playful wellness stay, Manon Les Suites. For the best budget base in the centre, Wakeup Copenhagen Borgergade. All of them are within walking distance or a short metro ride of the main sights, and each suits a different kind of trip, so choose the neighbourhood first and the hotel second.