Hotel Kong Arthur

Dating back to 1882, Hotel Kong Arthur gives you a city base with a little more character than a standard business hotel. Its setting in the Nansensgade quarter places you in a quieter corner of central Copenhagen, with the lakes and city life close by. You get hardwood floors, modern rooms and a 24-hour bar rather than a resort routine. Copenhagen does the entertaining; the hotel gives you somewhere comfortable to return to.

The address works particularly well when your trip mixes urban sightseeing with time outdoors. You can start with a breakfast buffet, walk towards the historic centre, then come back to Ni'mat Spa or the garden when your feet have had enough of Copenhagen's pavements. Booking information is available in Danish and English. The atmosphere is grown-up and practical, with room service, free WiFi and a 24-hour reception keeping the day from becoming a logistical exercise.

You are in central Copenhagen, beside the city lakes and within the Nansensgade quarter. Nørreport Station is about half a mile away, with both train and metro connections, so the city is straightforward to explore without turning every outing into a taxi decision. The Botanical Garden is roughly half a mile away, while the Workers Museum is about 350 metres from the hotel.

Tivoli Gardens and the main shopping street, Strøget, are around a 15-minute walk away. The Round Tower and Rosenborg Castle are each about half a mile away, while the National Museum of Denmark is roughly 1 mile from the door. You are not staying on the coast: Svanemolle Beach is about 3 miles away by road, and Amager Strandpark about 4 miles. Copenhagen Airport is around 5 miles away, with Nørreport providing the useful transport link into the centre.

The room choice matters here because the difference is not simply a label on a booking page. A single room keeps things compact for one traveller, while the Small Double Room is the sensible choice when two people want to keep the room proportionate to the stay. For a couple who prefers more elbow room after a day of walking or cycling, the Superior Double Room or Junior Suite gives you a little more space to spread out.

Travelling as three, the Triple Room keeps a single bed and a large bed under one roof. For a larger family group, the Duplex Suite accommodates up to five and is the only listed option with a bathroom count shown in the room data. Children of any age are welcome, although the room layout still deserves attention before you book. This is not the place to assume that every category feels the same: rooms vary in size and interior design, and the allocated decor may differ from the photographs.

Across the rooms, wooden floors, heating, a fan, cable or flat-screen television, a minibar and tea- and coffee-making facilities give you the useful basics. A private bathroom, shower, hairdryer and toiletries are included. The desk helps if you need to sort out travel plans, while daily housekeeping and room service mean you can keep the evening simple when the city has taken enough out of you.

Breakfast is a buffet built around local seasonal produce, with continental, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices. It runs from 6.30 to 10.00 on weekdays and from 7.00 to 11.00 at weekends and on public holidays. That gives you an early start for a full day in Copenhagen, or a slower morning if the plan is simply to let the first coffee do its work.

Dinner can stay in-house without becoming repetitive. La Rocca serves Italian food, Pintxos takes the Spanish tapas route, and Sticks'nSushi brings Japanese-inspired dishes to the line-up. There is also a coffee house, snack bar and minibar, plus breakfast in your room if getting downstairs feels like an unnecessary expedition.

The bar is open around the clock and covers espressos, drinks and snacks, with wine and champagne available. A happy hour and live music provide a little evening activity, while special-diet menus can be requested. Kids' meals and a child-friendly buffet are also available, so a mixed-age group does not have to negotiate every plate from scratch.

Ni'mat Spa is the obvious place to put the day back together. Its facilities include a sauna, steam room, hot tub, foot bath and relaxation area, with massage, body treatments and beauty treatments available. The spa also has a water temple, which is a rather more useful proposition than another chair in a lobby when you have spent the day on your feet.

Spa access and treatments require planning, as the spa is popular and reservations are necessary. The spa is for guests aged 16 and over. A fitness centre is available as well, although the more appealing post-sightseeing option may be the sun terrace, garden or outdoor furniture. There is room to sit outside without needing to turn relaxation into a scheduled activity.

For a change of pace, bicycles can be rented on site, and cultural excursions are part of the hotel's offer. The nearby Botanical Garden, museums, historic churches and royal sites give you plenty to do as a couple or independently. Board games and puzzles are available for a quieter evening, and live music adds something to the calendar without requiring you to leave the building.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out runs until 11:00. A 24-hour front desk handles arrivals, with express and private check-in and check-out available. If your travel plans do not line up neatly with those hours, luggage storage and lockers are available, which is useful when you have a few hours in Copenhagen before a train or flight.

Copenhagen Airport is about 5 miles away and is around a 15-minute ride from Nørreport Station. Nørreport itself is an eight-minute walk from the hotel, with both train and metro services. Public parking is available on site, but reservations are not possible, so arriving by car requires a little more flexibility than arriving by rail.

Free WiFi covers all areas, and the hotel also has a tour desk, daily housekeeping, laundry and dry-cleaning services. Family rooms are available, as is babysitting. The building is non-smoking throughout, with an outdoor smoking area, and a lift provides access around the hotel.

Hotel Kong Arthur is certified with Green Key, an established sustainability standard for accommodation. That certification is the clearest part of the hotel's environmental profile here; it sits alongside the breakfast's use of local seasonal produce.

For you, the practical result is a city stay that can work without a car for much of the time. Nørreport is within walking distance, Copenhagen's central sights are close enough to reach on foot, and bicycle rental is available at the hotel. The lakes, gardens and urban streets are part of the address rather than scenery viewed from a coach window.