Kalvebod Brygge / Vesterbro

Tivoli Hotel

★★★★★

The Tivoli Hotel is the easiest recommendation in Copenhagen for families, and a good-value choice for anyone who wants a full-service hotel with a pool. It stands on Kalvebod Brygge, the modern harbourfront south-west of the old city, and it is part of the Danish Arp-Hansen group, which also runs 71 Nyhavn and the Wakeup hotels. The hotel is large, with 679 rooms spread over two towers, and its design takes its cue from Tivoli Gardens, with colourful, playful touches in the public areas and the rooms. The room categories include proper family rooms of around 24 to 48 square metres, so parents and children can share without squeezing in extra beds, and the upper floors have wide views over the harbour and the city. For children, the big draw is the indoor pool, with cascading water features and a large water spout, along with a playroom, indoor and outdoor play areas and seasonal holiday programmes. Adults get a fitness centre and a choice of places to eat and drink. Tivoli Brasserie serves all-day meals and the breakfast buffet is served in dedicated breakfast restaurants, while at the top of the hotel a sky bar has two restaurants with views over the city: Sticks'n'Sushi, the popular Danish Japanese chain, and MASH Penthouse, a steakhouse. A green roof garden links the hotel with the neighbouring Tivoli Congress Center and the hotel offers Tivoli packages, combining a stay with entry to the Gardens, which are about fifteen minutes away on foot. Central Station is also around fifteen minutes' walk, the Fisketorvet shopping centre is next door, the Meatpacking District is a short walk, and the harbour bath at Kalvebod is about 600 metres away for a summer swim. Rates sit in the middle of the Copenhagen market, which, with a pool and family rooms, makes it one of the best-value family hotels in the city.

Location logic: the hotel is not in the old town, and that is both its weakness and its strength. You will walk fifteen minutes to Tivoli and Central Station, and about half an hour to Nyhavn, or take a short bus or metro ride, but in return you get more space, a pool and harbour views at a lower price than the central hotels. The harbourfront promenade runs right past the door, and the walk along the water to Islands Brygge and the city centre is pleasant in good weather.

Room advice: families should book a family room rather than adding beds to a standard double, and ask for a high floor on the harbour side for the view. Look at the Tivoli packages, which can save money if you plan to visit the Gardens, especially during the Halloween and Christmas seasons. Book a table at the sky bar restaurants in advance for a dinner with a view.

Who it suits: families above all, and travellers who prefer a modern full-service hotel with a pool to a small boutique hotel. Couples looking for old-town charm should look at 71 Nyhavn or Hotel SP34 instead. For a lower price with a smaller room, the Wakeup hotels from the same group are an alternative.