The Absalon Hotel. A Convenient And Comfortable Place To Stay In Copenhagen.

Lucy Daltroff enjoys the Absalon Hotel, a friendly, eco-certified family run hotel in Denmark’s capital.

“It is called The Absalon Hotel because, when my great grandfather opened it in 1938, tourists found hotels by looking through the telephone directory, and the AB start, meant that it was at the top of the listings! Of course, it is also the name of the 12th century Viking leader who was the original founder of Copenhagen”

I’m talking to Alexander Svendsen who is serving behind the bar in his family’s hotel which is situated near the centre of Copenhagen in the vibrant Vesterbro area, formerly known as the meat packing district. Its location provides a perfect gateway to explore Copenhagen’s attractions, being a 6 minutes’ walk from the Tivoli Gardens. It is also just a stone’s throw away from the main railway station and metro stop, making it easy to get to and from the airport.

Totally refurbished in 2016, The Absalon Hotel now has a Designer’s Guild brightness to it that compliments the ambience. I see it is an eco-certified hotel and I am told that this means it has made environmental improvements to minimize the impact on the environment. One really outstanding features is that without exception the staff are helpful and friendly and a real testament to the family-run ethos that is the hotel’s hallmark. The front desk is manned 24 hours a day.

It’s a popular place , so at breakfast, to ensure there are no waiting times, there are two interconnecting dining rooms and buffet areas, both offering organic selections of good fresh food. It works well. From Danish pastries, fruit, cereals, and yogurts to assorted meats, cheeses and hot options, such as pancakes, eggs and bacon – and plenty too, for those who are intolerant to wheat. In short, an excellent place to leisurely drink a morning coffee ….and plan for the day ahead.

The 160 rooms at Absalon Hotel are a charming mix of Danish simplicity and design, which is of course one of the specialities of this Scandinavian country. The colours of the furnishings are bold and attractive. Standard rooms are either ‘Ocean’ : blue and grey or else ‘Berry’: purples and pinks, all with smart striped curtains. While in the Superior rooms, on the fifth floor, the look is ‘Grass’ – emerald, fuchsia and black, all with carpeted floors and air-conditioning. All rooms have hypo-allergenic bedding and down duvets and bathrooms with deep-soaking baths and hairdryers

My fifth floor room had a fridge, a welcome addition, as I could put the complimentary water bottles in there on the hot days I was there. There is also a Nespresso coffee machine and bath robes and although there is no fitness room, their sister hotel “The Anderson” just across the road does have one, and guests are able to use it free of charge.

I soon realised the Abhotel’s USP is it’s lighting: My bathroom had a number of colours to choose from which can also be altered in brightness, while the room itself has a light sensor. This was really useful when going to bed, as it lasts just a minute or two, and then turns off when footsteps in the room are no longer detected.

The hotel offers bike rental (I was surprised how bike friendly the city is now, since my last visit 10 years ago), car hire, and incentives to any visitors who do not request their rooms to be cleaned every day. These include half price bike hire or vouchers to use in the hotel bar. There is free wi-fi throughout the hotel.

An outside space at the back is for those wanting to relax in the fresh air, which was a great boon for me while the weather was so warm. The bar which is both inside and outside the front of the hotel, offers reduced prices to hotel guests from its extensive drink’s menu as well as a variety of Danish dishes and snacks

After busy days of sightseeing, I found the Absalon to be a relaxing “home” to return to, and its convenient location, a real bonus.