Vesterbro / opposite Tivoli

Radisson Collection Royal Hotel Copenhagen

★★★★★

The Royal Hotel is a pilgrimage site for anyone who loves Danish design. It was designed by Arne Jacobsen, the most famous Danish architect and designer of the twentieth century, as a total work of art for the airline SAS, and it opened on 1 July 1960 in the presence of King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid. Jacobsen designed everything, from the facade of the twenty-storey tower, about seventy metres tall and the first skyscraper in Copenhagen, to the furniture, lamps, textiles and even the cutlery, and two of the most famous chairs in the world, the Egg and the Swan, were created for the hotel's lobby, where they can still be seen. Over the decades most of the original interiors were replaced, and today the hotel, renamed Radisson Collection Royal in 2018, combines Jacobsen's architecture and classic pieces with contemporary design. One room was preserved exactly as Jacobsen designed it: Room 606, with its original blue-green furniture and wood-panelled walls. It is no longer let to guests, but the hotel can arrange a viewing on request, and for design lovers it is one of the most fascinating rooms in the city. The hotel has 261 rooms, and the higher floors have sweeping views over Tivoli, the old town and the harbour, which are the best reason to request an upper floor. Dining centres on ISSEI Copenhagen, a Nikkei restaurant fusing Japanese and Peruvian cooking, and guests have a fitness centre with direct access to a large SATS gym next door. The location is about as central as it gets: Tivoli Gardens is across the street, Central Station a couple of minutes' walk, the City Hall Square and Stroget five minutes away, and the airport about a quarter of an hour by train. Rates sit in the upper range for Copenhagen, below the city's top luxury hotels, and for a design-minded traveller the chance to stay in Jacobsen's landmark is worth the premium over a standard business hotel.

Why it matters: the Royal Hotel was the building that announced Danish modernism to the world, and Jacobsen's attention to every detail, from the door handles to the lamps, became a model for the idea of total design. The Egg and the Swan, made for the hotel, went on to become icons, and you can see them, and many other Jacobsen pieces, at Designmuseum Danmark, which is a natural pairing with a stay here.

Room advice: request a high floor for the views, ideally facing Tivoli or the old town, which are especially beautiful in the evening and during the Christmas season, when the Gardens are lit. Ask at reception about a viewing of Room 606 early in your stay, as it depends on availability. The hotel is popular for conferences, so book early in busy periods.

Who it suits: design lovers, business travellers and anyone who wants to be next to Tivoli and the station, with views from a historic tower. Families can stay comfortably, but those wanting a pool should choose the Tivoli Hotel. For more intimate luxury in the same area, Nimb Hotel inside Tivoli is the alternative.