City Centre / near Tivoli

Cabinn City

★★★★★

Cabinn City is the no-frills budget hotel for travellers who want a private room with its own bathroom in the centre of Copenhagen at one of the lowest prices in the city. It belongs to Cabinn, a Danish chain built on a simple idea taken from ships: rooms designed like a ferry cabin, small and cleverly laid out, with built-in beds, some of them bunks, a compact bathroom and just enough space for luggage and a desk. The approach keeps costs down, and the savings are passed on in the room rate. Cabinn City is the chain's big central hotel, with 352 rooms and more than a thousand beds, on Mitchellsgade, a quiet street between the City Hall Square and the harbour. The location is the main selling point: Central Station is about 300 metres away, Tivoli about 400 metres, and the City Hall Square, Stroget, the Glyptotek and the National Museum are all within ten minutes' walk, while Islands Brygge and the harbour are just across the Langebro bridge. There is a 24-hour reception, which sells food and drinks around the clock, and breakfast is available for an extra charge. The cabin rooms come in several sizes, from single cabins and doubles to larger rooms with bunk beds that can sleep three or four, which makes the hotel an option for budget families and groups of friends who do not mind close quarters. Everything is clean, functional and modern, and the beds are comfortable, but there are no extras: no restaurant to speak of, no spa or pool, and the smallest rooms are genuinely small, with little room to unpack. For travellers who plan to be out sightseeing all day and only need somewhere to sleep, that is exactly the point, and the savings can go towards Tivoli, the Copenhagen Card and good meals.

Room advice: check the size and bed layout before you book, as the cheapest cabins are very compact and some rooms have bunk beds rather than a double bed. Couples should choose a room with a double bed, and families should look at the larger cabins for three or four. Breakfast is optional; it is convenient, but there are bakeries and cafes nearby if you prefer to eat out.

Location logic: staying here, you can walk to almost everything in the centre, and Central Station puts the airport, Louisiana, Kronborg and Frederiksborg within easy reach by train. The streets around the hotel are quiet at night compared with the busier areas around the station and Stroget. In summer, the harbour bath at Islands Brygge, across the Langebro bridge, is one of the best free ways to cool off, and the waterfront there is lined with lawns where locals picnic.

Who it suits: budget travellers, solo visitors, sports fans and groups who want a private room near Tivoli at a low price. Those who want more space, design or facilities should compare Steel House, which has a pool, or the Wakeup hotels; families who want a pool and play areas will be happier at the Tivoli Hotel.