The best luxury hotels in Copenhagen for stylish interior design and excellent service

For quiet decadence and sophistication, these Copenhagen hotels do luxury in a stylish and elegant way. In Copenhagen, the term ‘luxury’ has a different definition. Denmark is an extremely equality-driven place, where people find privilege a bit distasteful and open displays of wealth in bad form. There’s even an unofficial cultural rule about it, called Janteloven, which criticises anyone who thinks that they’re better than anyone else. So, when it comes to swanky hotels, don’t expect too much in the obvious glitz and glam category: luxury in these parts is understated rather than showy.

The very best of the city’s luxury hotels are supremely tasteful, with excellent service, and an approach that prioritises your comfort, making you feel at home. They focus on the little things that Danes hold dear: minimalist style (so no gold taps), a thoughtful approach, exquisite details and a sense of hygge. The best of the city’s luxury hotels make you feel special and are set in locations where you’re in the heart of the action and able to experience the very best of the city.

The best of the best that the city has to offer is at Nimb, the fairytale-like faux castle in Tivoli Gardens whose 38 divine rooms and suites include behind the scenes and out of hours access to the historic theme park. Nothing is too much trouble here; rooms and suites are exquisitely designed with antiques and the best of the best Danish design, and service is the best in town. A rooftop pool, underground spa and tea room serving lavish cream teas in the afternoon and excellent champagne in the evening rounds it off.

Address: Bernstorffsgade 5, Copenhagen. Read more: I took a family of four on a Copenhagen city break for under £1,000 – here’s how we managed it. Comfort is a watchword at Sanders, an intimate boutique hotel just off the city centre where comfy sofas and an excellent bar attract the best of the city’s well heeled locals. There’s an exclusive air to the hotel, whose 54 luxurious rooms are decked out in muted browns, golds and creams with rattan and bamboo touches, and were inspired by the golden age of train travel. The hotel is owned by a former ballet dancer, Alexander Kølpin, and it’s renowned as one of the classiest joints in town. Its bar, Tata, was inspired by theatre bars and regularly wins awards for its cocktails.

Address: Tordenskjoldsgade 15, Copenhagen. Read more: How to spend a day in Carlsberg City District, the industrial-chic area of Copenhagen with a brewing past. In the city’s former music academy, this beautifully-restored building is full of culture and history. Rooms are huge with high ceilings, four poster beds and marble bathrooms; there’s a spa in the basement and apartments to rent on the upper floors for anyone staying longer in the city. Being close to Tivoli Gardens, where international touring musicians play in the summer, it’s hosted a fair few celebrity guests. All the furniture is hand-picked with a heritage feel; expect buttery sofas in the lounges, beautifully handcrafted desks in the bedrooms and an organic bath bomb beside your egg-shaped tub in the bathroom. A compact spa in the basement offers a Danish-style cold water plunge without having to go to the harbour; the courtyard garden hosts summer drinks events and there’s a Nordic restaurant in the basement. The vast breakfast buffet is fantastic.

Address: Niels Brocks Gade 1, Copenhagen. Read more: The ultimate foodie guide to Copenhagen. The northern Copenhagen harbourside district of Nordhavn is becoming renowned for its modern architecture and liveability. On Århusgade, the area’s buzziest street, The Audo is part design and furniture showroom, part exhibition space and part hotel. Its suites and double rooms are tastefully, romantically designed, at least by Copenhagen standards, and feel like a retreat. All of them have a fridge, mini bar and coffee machine, as well as the most beautiful curated art and furniture collections, terracotta walls, sloping ceilings reflecting the historic building, and collections of art books to browse. Bike rental is on offer and there’s a cafe on the ground floor but there’s little else in terms of services (though they do provide a curated city guide); it’s sold as a home-from-home style apartment stay.

Address: Århusgade 130, Copenhagen. Price: From £312. Read more: Best cheap hotels in Copenhagen – where to stay on a budget. You can’t talk about luxury in Copenhagen without mentioning d’Angleterre, the grande dame of the city’s hotels. Dominating one side of Kongens Nytorv, one of the city’s main squares, it wouldn’t look out of place in Paris with its neoclassical architecture and in many ways, looks more like a palace than the King’s residence at Amalienborg. Inside, it is a classic five star hotel, very upmarket and rather formal. Rooms have chandeliers, sumptuous fabrics and an elevated, exclusive air; the Royal Suite has one of the largest balconies in the city, overlooking the square. Marchal, the hotel restaurant, serves modern French with a Nordic touch and has a Michelin star; the hotel also has an exclusive spa with an Asia-meets-Nordic charm.