Copenhagen Info

[Foxberry]

We are sailing on the Pride Sept. 08 embarkation Copenhagen. Do any of you have any info on a hotel (other than Marriott) that has some charm or an area outside of town for us to explore?

Thanks, Robbie

[JaneBP]

We are sailing on the Pride Sept. 08 embarkation Copenhagen. Do any of you have any info on a hotel (other than Marriott) that has some charm or an area outside of town for us to explore?

Thanks, Robbie

 

Nyhaven 71 has been recommended to me and it was recently written up in a bit in the UK Travel and Leisure. It's in the trendy port area and looks nifty.

[seapenarth]

We are sailing on the Pride Sept. 08 embarkation Copenhagen. Do any of you have any info on a hotel (other than Marriott) that has some charm or an area outside of town for us to explore?

Thanks, Robbie

 

Palace Hotel in town square is a pleasant, well established hotel in central position. :cool:

[wripro]

The D'Angleterre is probably the lovliest hotel in Copenhagen. it is very old world, luxurious and has recently undergone a renovation. Also it is in a prime location, a block from Stroget, the main walking and shopping street.

[wripro]

The D'Angleterre is probably the lovliest hotel in Copenhagen. it is very old world, luxurious and has recently undergone a renovation. Also it is in a prime location, a block from Stroget, the main walking and shopping street.

[Missabby]

We stayed in The Square in Copenhagen. Excellent location. Here is a small part from my trip writeup:

 

Our Hotel: We stayed at a new hotel “The Square”, 14 Rådhuspladsen, DK-1550 Copenhagen V, Denmark (thesquare@arp-hansen.dk), located one block north of Tivoli, room 234. A new hotel fitted into an old building, our room was small, about the size of a regular cruise ship cabin, and laid out in a similar manner. But it was modern, clean, and nice overall – even the hotel’s TV screen welcomed us by name. One oddity in the bathroom was the hinged, half glass shower “door” or wall; either way it didn’t do much to keep the water in the shower. Our room overlooked an Australian restaurant on a side street, the “Beef and Reef” on the ground level (we even saw an advertisement on a bus for this restaurant). Although the street noise was a bit much during the day and early evening, we opened the windows to allow the cool, fresh air into our room.

[Tivoli Cruiser]

As a resident of Copenhagen, this is actually something I happen to know a bit about:

 

Copenhagen has two five-star hotels (d'Angleterre and Royal) but in any other city they would be four-star only. Especially their service is quite disappointing when compared to the best other cities can offer. I know several people who think Marriott is superior, and I don't think that's a world class property either.

 

I would recommend two hotels:

 

The first is the four-star Skt. Petri. The trick here is to get a top floor room (that would be the 5th floor) with a balcony. The hotel is located smack in the centre of the city's oldets quarter, and the view over the rooftops, spires and towers of Copenhagen is breathtaking. The rooms are furnished with very modern Danish design, Bang & Olufsen TV etc. The views are really what makes this place special, so I wouldn't bother with the other rooms. The restaurant is mediocre, but their bar is one of the city's hot spots. Check it out on http://www.hotelsktpetri.com

 

The second hotel is not even open yet. The Nimb Hotel is located inside Tivoli Gardens in a century old Copenhagen landmark - a faux-oriental palace building. It is being completely redone by the family that owns Denmark's finest country inn and started two of the best gourmet restaurants in the country. The Nimb building will open this spring and house a gourmet restaurant, wine bar, delicatessen and a 12 room hotel. Each room promises to be very personal and comfortabel with fireplace and view over a beautiful lawn and fountain. It's not open for booking yet, but will probably be quite expensive. You can find a link to it on http://www.tivoli.dk

 

If you would like some advice on restaurants, sights etc. you're welcome to contact me directly at rovsing at limited.dk

 

Jesper

[Tivoli Cruiser]

Hi again, I failed to notice that you also asked for info on an area outside of town to explore. So here goes.

 

Well, the classic trip would be to tour one or all of the castles of northern Zealand.

 

Either you could take a 40 minute rain ride to Elsinore, walk around the charming old town centre and visit the castle of Kronborg (you know, Hamlet's place) on the edge of the city.

 

This would make for a fine and easily done outing, but if you're looking for something more ambitious, you could rent a car and do the grand tour. Distances are quite short and traffic easy to handle, as long as you avoid rush hour.

 

In that case you should drive north from Copenhagen on the old "beach road" hugging the shore and featuring Denmark's most expensive homes. The scenery is beautiful and interesting - as it will be all day if you avoid the freeways.

 

Half an hour's drive will take you to Louisiana, the most important museum of modern art in Scandinavia, set in beautiful settings on the edge of the Sound. 15 minutes drive further north will get you to Elsinore and Kronborg.

 

After lunch you return south by way of Hillerød where you'll find one of the finest castles in Scandinavia, Frederiksborg. (If you're desperate for more castles, you can stop on the way there at Fredensborg where the Queen is in residence during the summer months.)

 

Twenty minutes drive from Hillerød towards Copenhagen you could finally stop for dinner in the very charming and very posh village of Søllerød, where you find the Michelin Star restaurant Søllerød Kro housed in a centuries old farmhouse. Arguably the best place in Denmark for classic French cuisine. And when you're finished, your hotel is just twenty minutes away.

 

Now that would make for a very fine day.

[dmb707]

Thank you Jesper for the information re: hotels etc and things to do, I will be in Copenhagen on 28th June and staying over once I get off the Pride on 12th July.

 

I have not been to Copenhagen before are there any must see things to do in the city?

 

any recommendations greatly appreciated

 

many thanks

 

deb

[Tivoli Cruiser]

Hi Deb,

 

If you're got several days, I'd do the aforementioned grand tour of northern Zealand.

 

However, if you're only staying one night, number one on your list should be to skip the little mermaid. How that plain statue became the most famous sight in our city is a great mystery to all locals.

 

I would recommend this walking tour - with a good map you should be able to work out the route: Start at Tivoli Gardens (best in the evening, so come back later), walk out back and visit the Glyptoteket museum. Continue onwards to Christiansborg (parliament), maybe check out the royal stables and then and try to find the small passage leading to the gardens of the Royal Library. The old main building houses a Jewish museum with interiors designed by Daniel Libeskind.

 

Continue towards the harbour to find the new extension of the library and look inside - quite beautiful architecture. Cross the bridge to Christianshavn and explore the narrow streets and canals with good locals cafes. The wonderful trip up the top of the spiral staircase on the outside of the spire of the Hellingånskirke church is unfortunately closed for renovation, but still an unusual and interesting sight from below.

 

If you're adventuresome the "free city" of Christiania - originally a centuries old marine base but now a hippie/squatter area for the past three decades - is just around the corner and one of the most famous sights of the city, although never visited by Seabourn passengers and the like.

 

Continue onwards for a few hundred yards towards the new Royal Opera at the harbour (a not very memorable building), from where you can catch a ferry across the harbour to Nyhavn - a beautiful canal lined with colourful old houses and crowded with restaurants and cafes. Have lunch, definitely including a marinated herring with a glass of schnaps.

 

The royal palace at Amalienborg is just steps away from Nyhavn, and the imposing Marmorkirke ("marble church") is worth a visit. At one and three pm sharp (I think) you can climb to the top of the dome for a great view over Copenhagen.

 

Walk along the habour toward the cruise quay of Langelinje. Just after the English Church you enter the citadel of Kastellet, a beautiful and peaceful historical area which is still in use by the Danish army (a few yards away tour buses will be ferrying tourists to the little mermaid, but none of them get to see Kastellet). A distant forefather of mine was incarcerated there for a few weeks before being decapitated and quartered.

 

And that concludes the grand walking tour. What's missing here is the medieval centre of Copenhagen, which is also the shopping centre. The pedestian street Strøget is the famous main artery, but not very interesting nowadays - although you must have hot chocolate and fabulous cakes at charming La Glace. Instead, explore the smaller parallel streets, don't miss the beautiful square of Gråbrødretorv, and don't forget to walk up the the top af the round tower of Rundetårn. (All of these sights are within a very short radius of Skt. Petri hotel which is where you'll want to stay in a balcony room).

 

Hope you'll enjoy my city.

 

Jesper

[Tivoli Cruiser]

Hi again,

 

Forgot to include info on the best restaurants:

 

Top of the line for dinner is The Paul (Tivoli Gardens), Umami (amazing French/Japanese fusion, but uninvolved service), Le Sommelier (for more relaxed exerience, with excellent wine list) and Era Ora (superb multi-course Italian tasting menu).

 

Lunch is the only area where Danish specialities shine. The aforementioned Nyhavn and Gråbrødretorv have several al fresco possibilities.

 

Enjoy.

[JaneBP]

>"I will be in Copenhagen on 28th June and staying over once I get off the Pride on 12th July."

 

OOH, Deb! How nifty. My brother and sil will be on that cruise and I am 'wait-listed' for it. Fingers crossed. (I am way down on the list, however!)

[dmb707]

Hi Jesper

 

thank you so much for such a detailed plan of action i will definately take you up on all of the suggestions! it is so much nicer to have a local tell you what is good and not etc, so thanks again for your time and trouble it really is appreciated.

 

Jane

 

i hope that you make it up the wait list, and we can have a few BBC's at the bar again, let me know how you get on

 

enjoy the rest of your trip on the Pride at the moment

 

deb

[Foxberry]

Jesper,

Thank you for the wonderful response. I have printed your information and plan on getting to as many places as I can with your recommedations.

Robbie

[JaneBP]

Deb,

 

Obviously the hot sun in South America ot to me. They will be on the Pride in May, the first Baltic cruise. I am still on the wait list.

 

Jane (surprised the 'Little Mermaid' is so small)