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Home / Travel

Villa Copenhagen review: Design-led hotel with rooftop pool and Scandi style

Nikki Birrell
NZ Herald·
3 Dec, 2025 06:48 AM3 mins to read

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The lobby of Villa Copenhagen is a local hangout, and with a resident DJ and cocktails and snacks on offer is a great place to rest weary sightseeing legs. Photo / Supplied

The lobby of Villa Copenhagen is a local hangout, and with a resident DJ and cocktails and snacks on offer is a great place to rest weary sightseeing legs. Photo / Supplied

Nikki Birrell checks into Villa Copenhagen, a hotel nestled in the heart of the city.

From the moment you walk into Villa Copenhagen’s grand lobby – with soaring roof, a sculptural piece at centre and the occasional DJ spinning from a mezzanine booth – you know this is a hotel that pulses with life. It’s relaxed yet curated, a space where guests and locals mingle over cocktails and conversation.

Location:

Villa Copenhagen sits a stone’s throw from the central train station, making it an ideal base for exploring both the historic core and the city’s evolving cultural quarters. Whether you’re heading north to cafe-filled Norrebro, east to the arty enclaves of Christianshavn, or west to designer shopping on Stroget, transport links are seamless. The central location also made it easy to pop out for dinner, return for a late-night swim and sauna, then slip back to the room within minutes.

Style:

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The hotel has masterfully reimagined a former post office: exposed brick walls, vast volumes softened with contemporary art and light timber finishes. The lobby doubles as an urban salon – clean-lined yet warm – while the pool area offers vibrant Scandinavian elegance.

Villa Copenhagen's on-site Rug bakery and restaurant is a great example of why Danish pastries and Scandi cuisine is so famous worldwide. Photo / Supplied
Villa Copenhagen's on-site Rug bakery and restaurant is a great example of why Danish pastries and Scandi cuisine is so famous worldwide. Photo / Supplied

Perfect for:

Design aficionados, social swimmers and weekend city-breakers, and those looking to catch some chic Scandi vibes.

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First impressions:

Beats drifting down from the DJ booth and warm smiles from staff: it felt like we’d entered a den of Copenhagen cool.

Rooms:

Our superior twin room looked out to that gorgeous rooftop pool. The decor is typically Scandinavian, restrained and tactile, with crisp linens, soft earthy tones and blackout blinds to ensure a good night’s sleep.

Scandinavian minimalist design defines the rooms at Villa Copenhagen, with a focus on comfort. Photo / Supplied
Scandinavian minimalist design defines the rooms at Villa Copenhagen, with a focus on comfort. Photo / Supplied

Bathroom:

Clean, streamlined and functional – simple polished surfaces, a rainfall shower and eco-conscious toiletries with a distinctly Scandi scent, pine while we were there, that felt considered yet understated.

Facilities:

The rooftop pool is a highlight – the perfect temperature and you have a view of the ride-goers at the adjacent famed amusement park, Tivoli. The sauna was a wonderful end to a few laps. There’s also a fitness centre. No spa service, however, but in-room massages can be arranged on request.

A warming rooftop pool with bar area is pure luxury in the middle of Copenhagen - you may even get a view of ride-goers testing their mettle at neighbouring Tivoli amusement park while you soak. Photo / Supplied
A warming rooftop pool with bar area is pure luxury in the middle of Copenhagen - you may even get a view of ride-goers testing their mettle at neighbouring Tivoli amusement park while you soak. Photo / Supplied

Food & drink:

Rug bakery-restaurant impressed with a menu of well-executed dishes – with breads, pastries and smorrebrod the standout highlights. Their sourdough pizza made for an excellent casual dinner option. It was the morning buffet, though, that had us wishing for a second stomach: a vast and tempting display of Rug’s breads and pastries, cold cuts, hot options, cereals and fruit galore.

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Get ready for an exceptional breakfast buffet at Villa Copenhagen. Photo / Supplied
Get ready for an exceptional breakfast buffet at Villa Copenhagen. Photo / Supplied

Neighbourhood:

With the central station close by, the neighbourhood felt both buzzing and accessible. Whether your evening calls for design-focused bars, Danish cuisine or simply a night swim and sauna, it all felt within reach.

Sustainability:

In September 2023, Villa Copenhagen was certified by Green Key, an internationally recognised eco-label awarded to hotels committed to sustainable practices. There are no single-use plastics here, and you won’t find disposable slippers either (though you can purchase a pair at reception).

Price:

Prices vary seasonally and according to availability. A standard double room may start at approximately 2500DKK ($685).

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Contact:

For more information visit villacopenhagen.com.

The writer stayed courtesy of Villa Copenhagen.

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