Frommer's Review
The Danes are cursed with the belief that any new construction they inaugurate must be more innovative and cutting edge than anything built previously. And as you approach this wildly innovative new hotel, opened in the summer of 2006, you might get the idea that Danish architecture for once went just a wee bit too far. It rises from a position that's immediately adjacent to the waterfront of Copenhagen's south harbor, a neighborhood that's the trendiest in Denmark. It all began in 1999 with the filling in of marshy lowlands, then proceeded with the dredging of a canal that now surrounds it, like a medieval moat, on three sides. The result is literally an "island" ringed with boardwalks, out of which rises a sparkling glass cube that's linked to another cube made from concrete and -- you guessed it -- more glass. Once you're inside, you'll find the place either fascinating or terrifying -- or perhaps a combination of both -- thanks to vertigo-inducing catwalks that crisscross the soaring glass-enclosed lobby. And if you're afraid of heights or harbor repressed thoughts of suicide, don't even think about looking down onto the stone floor of the lobby from the dizzying, glass-sided parapets and translucent stair treads that traverse its open, echoing volumes.
In contrast to the dramatic minimalism of the lobby area, bedrooms are compact, even claustrophobic, much akin to white-walled cabins within a cruise ship. Each contains some jazzy decorative touches and fancy-schmancy lighting tricks, but nothing that really masks the cramped dimensions and the sense of cookie-cutter regularity. "Executive" status will get you a balcony that juts out above the cobblestones of the harborfront promenade, but not a lot more. Breakfast buffets here are copious and well-orchestrated, served to a clientele that includes lots of tour groups from Asia, North America, and Slavic Europe. The architect of this place, incidentally, is a big name in Danish design: Kim Utzon, the son of the architect who designed the famous Opera House in Sydney's harbor. Overall, this is a deliberately nonconformist newcomer to the Hansen Hotel group, a chain that includes 17% of the hotel beds of Copenhagen.
Facilities:
Restaurant; bar; business center; laundry service; dry cleaning
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
