Inner City West / near the Lakes

Steel House Copenhagen

★★★★★

Steel House Copenhagen is the answer for travellers who want to spend as little as possible on a bed in one of Europe's most expensive cities without giving up comfort or location. It opened in 2017 as a self-styled luxury hostel, part of the Danish Arp-Hansen hotel group, in an industrial-chic building of glass and rust-red frames on Herholdtsgade, in the western edge of the inner city near the lakes, a few minutes' walk from Central Station, Tivoli and the City Hall Square. The name nods to the building's industrial character and its past. The accommodation ranges from beds in four-bed and six-bed dorms to private single and double rooms with their own bathrooms, so it works for backpackers, friends travelling together and couples on a budget alike. What sets it apart from an ordinary hostel are the facilities. There is an indoor swimming pool, rare at this price level in Copenhagen, a fitness centre with treadmills and weights, a bar for snacks and drinks, a TV lounge and a home-cinema room for film nights, and a fully equipped guest kitchen and dining area where you can cook your own meals, which saves a great deal of money in a city where eating out is expensive. The design is clean and modern throughout, with an urban, Scandinavian look in the shared spaces and simple, well-kept rooms. Booking directly with the hostel carries a price guarantee. The location is excellent for sightseeing on foot: Tivoli and the City Hall Square are about ten minutes away, the Glyptotek and the National Museum a little further, Stroget and the old town fifteen to twenty minutes, and the lakes, with their walking and running paths, are on the doorstep. Norreport and Torvehallerne are an easy walk to the north, and Vesterbro's bars and restaurants are just across the railway.

Room advice: private rooms sell out first, especially at weekends and in summer, so book early if you want one. Dorm beds are the cheapest option in central Copenhagen, and the four-bed dorms are quieter than the larger ones. Bring a padlock or check the locker arrangements, and bring swimwear for the pool. The guest kitchen is one of the best money-savers: buy breakfast and picnic supplies in a supermarket or at Torvehallerne and eat in.

Atmosphere: it is a hostel, so expect a sociable, younger crowd in the bar and lounge, and some noise in the evenings. Light sleepers should choose a private room. Families with older children can use the private rooms, but younger children may be happier at the Tivoli Hotel or Urban House, which have family rooms.

Who it suits: budget travellers, solo travellers, students and friends sharing, and anyone who would rather spend their money on Tivoli, museums and smorrebrod than on a room. For a little more privacy at a budget price, compare Cabinn City near Tivoli and the Wakeup hotels.