Hotel Kong Arthur review: A home away from home in a Copenhagen wonderland

Last November, my housemates suggested on getting some winter sun and going on a quick trip to warmer climes. I’ve never been a beach gal, and my cold blooded-ness (ask my work colleagues) made me think, do I want winter sun?

I don’t even like the heat in the summer, so maybe it’s not for me. Instead, I decided to embark on a solo winter pilgrimage somewhere that was super-festive to honour my idol and the reason for Christmas, Mariah Carey. After looking at my options, I decided on Copenhagen.

The city’s infamous Christmas market that sprawls over the historic Tivoli fairground and Palace was the only lure I needed. I booked my ticket and was ready for my festive moment of solo travel.

I picked the Hotel Kong Arthur to stay and, to quote The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Dorit Kemsley, my first impression of the place when I walked up the stairs to their lobby, was that the place is “so chic.” 

As soon as you arrive, the decor makes you feel like you have been enveloped by a super soft cashmere blanket. The hotel’s mantra is ‘Welcome home’ and the whole place is geared towards comfort.

The lobby and foyer adopt the skandi style, with mid-century furniture, plenty of lush greenery, and a cosy fireplace in their atrium-style lobby area. Homely indeed. It’s definitely a place you can hang around in and enjoy some downtime, grab a coffee and a pastry whilst you plan your next excursion around the city. The hotel certainly encourages you to spend time there.

Speaking of cosy, there is even a ‘cosy hour’ (5-6pm) where you get a complimentary drink at the bar and can socialise with your guests.

The breakfast area can be found in a conservatory space flooded with pale morning light. It been curated beautifully with a canteen-style kitchen where you can make waffles, enjoy fish, fruit, veg, cheese, and of course, plenty of bread and pastries. It’s the specially chosen details that really make this space, with scrambled eggs served in glass ramekins and jars of food, cookbooks, and yet more foliage on the shelves above you. 

Being there in December, the hotel was elegantly decorated for Christmas. Warm yellow lights and trees perfectly put me in the mood.

Another thing the hotel prides itself on is sustainability, including choosing local produce and partnering with sustainable, fairtrade vendors for everything from their coffee to their eco-friendly bedding. They also encourage the use of electric cars and bikes with charging ports.

Upstairs, the skandi theme continues in the spacious rooms with pale woods, charcoals, and greys making their way through the bedroom. Floor-to-ceiling windows lead through to the beautifully tiled and muted tones of the bathroom. It’s all incredibly relaxing.

If you want to luxuriate more, you can visit their Ni’Mat spa, which boasts a steam room, sauna, and water temple as well as offering massages and treatments. The hotel has spa rooms and suites if you prefer to be pampered in your room instead.

It would be easy to stay in the hotel and lounge, but with the hotel situated within walking distance of so many attractions, it’s hard to resist being out all day.

I was quite overwhelmed by the number of things to do in Copenhagen. I’m used to cities of a similar size having a handful of museums, the old-faithful collection of old religious buildings, a palace or two, and a few points of interest, but Copenhagen is quite frankly jam-packed with things to do. I was only visiting for 48 hours, so picking and choosing what to do was quite daunting. 

The best way to see the city is with the Copenhagen Card. It covers travel on public transport from zones 1 to 99 (London could never!). You can buy it and download it on their app, picking 24, 48, 72, 96, or 120-hour passes, and activate it when you arrive, so you can start using it the second you are out of arrivals at the airport.

The digital card also allows you access to over 80 attractions in Copenhagen. This combo really pushed me to go and do more in the city. In the two days I was there, I visited eight different attractions around the city.

With so much to do it’s really easy to get distracted in Copenhagen. Their museum scene is an embarrassment of riches, from the Danish Architecture Centre (where you can exit the main exhibition via a slide) the design museum, the Cisternerne, and the old water reservoir that holds immersive exhibitions situated below ground in an old water reservoir.

The card covers it all and saved me so much money. I had a wonderful time wandering around some of the more historic Glyptotetek art museum, with its beautiful domed atrium adorned with plants and sculptures. Here I sat and enjoyed some peace and quiet, looking at the foliage, with the dim tinkling of cutlery from their cafe. I then wandered around looking at the incredible sculptures housed there.

The beautiful Botanical Gardens offered more domed conservatory action and was only a 12-minute walk from the hotel. I popped over there before my flight home in the afternoon of my last day. The hotel’s location really is a strength. I was able to get to the station within 5 minutes from where I was whisked away to the famous Louisiana museum, to look at some Warhol, Cindy Sherman, and Henry Moor on the blustery coast, with the wintery ocean as a stunning backdrop.

Another little gem I went out of my way to visit was Juno’s bakery, to try some of their saffron buns, a Christmas special. I had to buy an extra one to take away!

If you don’t want to go too far afield, there’s plenty on the Hotel Kong Arthur’s doorstep. There is a wonderful food market called Torvehallerne, that felt like a less chaotic, more picturesque Borough Market. The space is comprised of two glass halls. One more gift orientated, with chocolates, home wear, wine, cakes, delis, and biscuits. The other had fish, cheeses, meats, coffee shops, bars, and restaurants, as well as glög and hot chocolates on offer!

Betwixt the two was a little vegetable and flowers market, and the whole scene was made more festive by the Christmas decorations. The botanical garden and other sites are all also located around the hotel. 

As well as all the culture, I was there for one thing, and that was Mariah Carey levels of festiveness. With its cobbled streets and beautiful techni-coloured houses the city of Copenhagen was made for Christmas.

Stepping out of the hotel there are cute bars, pizza places, and a market decked with Christmas lights and greenery. One evening (using my trusty Copenhagen pass) I went to Tivoli, the historic fairground that houses the main Christmas market. I was overloaded with the spirit of our lord and savior (Again, I’m talking about Mariah Carey.)

The beautiful chalet-style huts, selling waffles, bratwurst, glög, and hot chocolate were really a site to behold. The Tivoli Palace was festooned with thousands of lights and trees sparkled with fairy lights and Christmas music played everywhere.

Outside of Tivoli, there is plenty of Christmas markets too, including at Nyhavn. Between small stalls and the amazing museum shops, I stocked up on plenty of interesting Christmas presents for my family.

With my Copenhagen card, I was egged on to do as much as possible. It did mean it was nice to return to the warmth of the hotel. It’s what you want from your hotel, right?

Hotel Kong Arthur was definitely, as they promised, a home away from home after racing around the city. Copenhagen during the winter period is definitely a magical experience, ideal if you’re not into beach holidays and love festiveness. Especially so with the right hotel to nestle into after a long day of winter festivities.

After all, the hotel’s mantra is ‘Welcome home.’

arthurhotels.com