In this guide
💡 The Short Version: For a first visit, stay in Indre By, the old city, or by Nyhavn beside it: Rosenborg Castle, the Round Tower, Strøget, Torvehallerne and Christiansborg are on foot, and Kongens Nytorv metro serves Nyhavn on M1 to M4. Vesterbro has the food, the bars and the Central Station, Christianshavn the canals and Christiania, and Nørrebro, Østerbro and Frederiksberg are residential. The M2 goes to the airport and the M1 does not. Denmark charges no city tax. Prices change with the dates, so check yours on Hotels.com. Or book a walk: the Classic City Walking Tourad is from DKK 142.
The areas, compared
The last column counts how many of 32 English-language where-to-stay guides give the area a heading of its own.
| Area | What it suits | Guides naming it |
|---|---|---|
| Indre By | A first visit of two to three days on foot | 31 |
| Nyhavn and Kongens Nytorv | A first night, the harbour and the palaces | 18 |
| The Central Station and Tivoli | One-night stays, early trains, the airport train, Tivoli | 12 |
| Vesterbro and Kødbyen | Food and bars, with the station at one end | 31 |
| Nørrebro and the Lakes | Cafés, shops and a local feel | 29 |
| Østerbro | Quiet stays, parks and families | 26 |
| Christianshavn | Couples and canal-side walks | 24 |
| Frederiksberg | Calm, green streets ten minutes from the centre | 18 |
| Islands Brygge and Amager | Harbour swimming in summer and the airport on one line | 12 |
| Ørestad | Trade fairs and budget rooms | 5 |
How the city works
The metro has four lines and runs around the clock. M1 runs from Vanløse through Nørreport and Kongens Nytorv to Vestamager, passing Christianshavn, Islands Brygge and Ørestad. M2 shares the track from Vanløse to Christianshavn and then goes to Amagerbro, Amager Strand, Kastrup and the airport. M3 is the City Circle, through the Central Station, Rådhuspladsen, Gammel Strand, Kongens Nytorv and Østerport, and M4 shares the circle between the Central Station and Østerport, then runs north to Nordhavn and south to København Syd. See Copenhagen public transport for the fares and Copenhagen airport to the city for the airport.
Denmark charges no city or tourist tax on hotel stays, so the room price is the price you pay.
Dates that affect a stay: Christmas in Tivoli from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, New Year’s Eve, the Light Festival in January and February, the Copenhagen Marathon on 9 May 2027, Distortion from 2 to 6 June, Roskilde Festival from 26 June to 3 July and the Copenhagen Jazz Festival in early July. See the best time to visit Copenhagen.
What the official sources say about safety
The UK Foreign Office says crime is generally low, but that pickpockets and bag-snatchers work crowded places, mainly in Copenhagen: the Central Station, Nørreport station, Strøget, Christiania, Nyhavn, Kongens Nytorv and Kastrup Airport. It advises extra care in Christiania and Nørrebro, particularly late at night, after some instances of gang violence. The Government of Canada names Christiania, Nørrebro and Brønshøj-Husum for gang-related violence, says petty crime is most common in tourist areas, on public transport, in hotel lobbies and in restaurants, and says photography is not tolerated in Christiania. Australia’s Smartraveller advises normal safety precautions, and the US State Department has Denmark at Level 2, exercise increased caution. See the UK Foreign Office and US State Department pages for Denmark.
None of these sources ranks neighbourhoods as safe or unsafe. Keep bags and phones close on crowded trains and at the station, and read Christiania before you go.
The hotels
The links go to the hotel on Hotels.com, except Hotel d’Angleterre, the Andersen Boutique Hotel and Bryggen Guldsmeden, which go to the hotel’s own site. Star grades are from the Hotelstars Union register for Denmark, which is voluntary: a hotel with no grade here is not in the register, which is true of most of the design and boutique hotels. Michelin’s Keys are the guide’s own ratings for hotels. For the hotels by distance from the station and the harbour, see hotels near Copenhagen Central Station and hotels near Nyhavn.
Indre By
The old city: Strøget, the Latin Quarter, Kongens Nytorv, Rådhuspladsen and Nørreport. Visit Copenhagen says 19 museums and institutions lie within 10 minutes’ walk of its Cultural District. Rosenborg Castle, the Round Tower, the Botanical Garden and Torvehallerne are round Nørreport, which has the metro M1 and M2, the S-trains and the regional trains: see Rosenborg Castle tickets and Copenhagen’s food halls. Kongens Nytorv has M1 to M4, Rådhuspladsen M3 and M4, and Gammel Strand and Marmorkirken M3. The Christmas markets fill Nytorv and Gammeltorv from 6 November to 21 December 2026: see Copenhagen Christmas markets 2026.
1 Hotel Copenhagen
Krystalgade 22 · 282 rooms · one Michelin Key · Hotels.comad
In the 1933 modernist building that was the Daells Varehus department store and then the Hotel Skt Petri. It became 1 Hotel Copenhagen in 2025, according to Michelin.
25hours Hotel Indre By
Pilestræde 65 · 243 rooms · Hotels.comad
In a 19th-century building that was a porcelain factory and then a university, beside the Round Tower and Købmagergade.
Hotel SP34
Sankt Peders Stræde 34 · Hotels.comad
A design boutique hotel in the Latin Quarter with an organic breakfast.
Hotel Petra
Dronningens Tværgade 45 · 40 rooms · 4-star · Hotels.comad
In a 1943 building by Kay Fisker beside the King’s Garden, furnished with &Tradition pieces.
Hotel Danmark
Vester Voldgade 89 · Hotels.comad
A rooftop bar, and Tivoli, Strøget, Rådhuspladsen and the Central Station close by, in the hotel’s words.
Hotel Bella Grande
Vester Voldgade 23 · 110 rooms · Hotels.comad
A restored 19th-century building with an Italian-styled courtyard of candy-striped banquettes and checkerboard tiles, according to Michelin.
Wakeup Copenhagen Borgergade
Borgergade 9 · Hotels.comad
One of the budget chain’s hotels in Copenhagen and Aarhus.
Generator Copenhagen
Adelgade 5-7 · Hotels.comad
A hostel with dorms, including female-only ones, private rooms, a bar and a café.
Nyhavn and Kongens Nytorv
The 17th-century harbour with the coloured houses, a short walk from Kongens Nytorv: see Nyhavn. Kongens Nytorv metro, on M1 to M4, is the nearest station, and the canal tours and harbour bus leave from the quay: see Copenhagen canal tours. The UK Foreign Office names Nyhavn and Kongens Nytorv for pickpockets. The hotels are listed by distance in hotels near Nyhavn.
Hotel d’Angleterre
Kongens Nytorv 34 · 92 rooms · 5-star superior · two Michelin Keys · dangleterre.com
On Kongens Nytorv for more than 270 years by its own count. Its restaurant, Marchal, holds a Michelin star.
Hotel Sanders
Tordenskjoldsgade 15 · 54 rooms · one Michelin Key · Hotels.comad
In an 1869 building redesigned in 2017 by the London studio Lind + Almond, according to Michelin.
Herman K
Bremerholm 6 · 31 rooms · Hotels.comad
In a converted 1963 transformer station near Kongens Nytorv, according to Michelin.
Phoenix Copenhagen
Bredgade 37 · Hotels.comad
In one of the historic buildings on Bredgade, next to Kongens Nytorv and Strøget, in its own words.
71 Nyhavn Hotel
Nyhavn 71 · Hotels.comad
At the harbour end of Nyhavn, in warehouse buildings the hotel dates to more than 200 years ago.
Copenhagen Admiral Hotel
Toldbodgade 24-28 · Hotels.comad
In a warehouse from 1787 on the Toldbodgade waterfront. The pool and relax area is paid extra unless you book a suite.
Copenhagen Strand
Havnegade 37 · Hotels.comad
In an 1869 harbour warehouse in Gammelholm, with sea-blue rooms and harbour views.
The Huxley Copenhagen
Peder Skrams Gade 24 · 81 rooms · 4-star · Hotels.comad
Two streets from Nyhavn, with the metro three minutes away, according to the hotel.
Hotel Skt. Annæ
Sankt Annæ Plads 18 · 4-star superior · Hotels.comad
A boutique hotel on the quiet streets of Frederiksstaden.
Scandic Front
Sankt Annæ Plads 21 · Hotels.comad
The rooms look over the harbour to the Opera House and the Royal Danish Playhouse.
The Central Station and Tivoli
Tivoli, at Vesterbrogade 3, sits against the Central Station, which carries the S-trains, the regional and Øresund trains and the metro M3 and M4. Rådhuspladsen is next door. Tivoli is open in seasons only, and the station is where the trains to Roskilde, Helsingør and Malmö leave. The UK Foreign Office names the station for pickpockets. See hotels near Copenhagen Central Station for the distances.
Nimb Hotel
Bernstorffsgade 5 · 38 rooms · 5-star superior · one Michelin Key · Hotels.comad
A Moorish-style building with direct access to Tivoli Gardens.
Nobis Hotel Copenhagen
Niels Brocks Gade 1 · 75 rooms · one Michelin Key · Hotels.comad
A 1903 building that was the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music, converted in 2017 by the architect Gert Wingårdh, according to Michelin.
Villa Copenhagen
Tietgensgade 35-39 · 390 rooms · Hotels.comad
In the former headquarters of the Danish postal service beside the Central Station.
Hotel Astoria
Banegårdspladsen 4 · Hotels.comad
Built in 1934 and 1935 as the Danish State Railways’ station hotel.
Hotel Alexandra
H C Andersens Boulevard 8 · 61 rooms · 4-star · Hotels.comad
Furnished with Danish mid-century classics.
Imperial Hotel
Vester Farimagsgade 9 · Hotels.comad
At Vesterport, with an Italian restaurant, close to Tivoli and Strøget.
Tivoli Hotel
Arni Magnussons Gade 2 · 679 rooms · Hotels.comad
Two towers, with views over the city and the harbour.
CABINN City
Mitchellsgade 14 · 352 rooms · Hotels.comad
A budget chain hotel built in 2004, 5 to 10 minutes’ walk from Strøget, according to the hotel.
Danhostel Copenhagen City
H.C. Andersens Boulevard 50 · Hotels.comad
A hostel beside Langebro bridge.
Vesterbro and Kødbyen
Once the red-light district, now, in Visit Copenhagen’s words, popular with young families and creatives, with boutiques, nightlife and Istedgade, the main street. Kødbyen, the former meat-trade district, is now galleries, bars and restaurants, among them Kødbyens Fiskebar: see where to eat in Copenhagen. The Central Station is at the east end and Carlsberg City at the west, where Home of Carlsberg is: see Home of Carlsberg. Enghave Plads metro (M3) is at the end of Istedgade. Expect nightlife noise round Istedgade and Kødbyen.
Istedgade, Vesterbro’s main street. Photo: Ramblersen2, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Absalon Hotel
Helgolandsgade 15 · 161 rooms · 4-star · Hotels.comad
Family-run since 1938, when it had 11 rooms.
Andersen Boutique Hotel
Helgolandsgade 12 · 69 rooms · 4-star · andersen-hotel.dk
Rooms decorated with Designers Guild fabrics, across the street from the Absalon.
Coco Hotel
Vesterbrogade 41 · 89 rooms · Hotels.comad
A green courtyard on Vesterbrogade. The hotel belongs to the Cofoco restaurant group.
Hotel Mayfair
Colbjørnsensgade 8 · Hotels.comad
A boutique hotel with a courtyard garden, 2 minutes’ walk from Tivoli and the Central Station, according to the hotel.
Go Hotel Ansgar
Colbjørnsensgade 29 · 83 rooms · 3-star · Hotels.comad
In a building from the 1880s, 40 m from the metro, according to the hotel.
NH Collection Copenhagen Grand Joanne
Vesterbrogade 9A · 162 rooms · Hotels.comad
A corner building on Vesterbrogade that reopened in 2023 under the NH brand, according to Michelin.
Savoy Hotel
Vesterbrogade 34 · 66 rooms · Hotels.comad
Six floors facing the courtyard of an Art Nouveau building from 1906.
Hotel Ottilia
Bryggernes Plads 7 · Hotels.comad
In Carlsberg City, with a rooftop restaurant and a bar in the former Carlsberg brewery.
Scandic Kødbyen
Skelbækgade 3A · Hotels.comad
In the Meatpacking District, among its restaurants and galleries.
Steel House Copenhagen
Herholdtsgade 6 · Hotels.comad
A hostel in a glass-and-steel building that opened in 2017, beside the Lakes.
Nørrebro and the Lakes
Visit Copenhagen calls Nørrebro Copenhagen’s most culturally diverse neighbourhood, with independent shops, Jægersborggade, Blågårdsgade, Assistens Cemetery, Superkilen and Dronning Louises Bro. The metro stations are Nørrebros Runddel, Nuuks Plads, Skjolds Plads and Nørrebro on M3, and Forum on M1 and M2. The UK Foreign Office advises extra care in Nørrebro and Christiania late at night, and the Government of Canada names both for gang-related violence. The Lakes, Nørre Søgade and Gyldenløvesgade, border Nørrebro, Indre By and Frederiksberg.
An avenue in Assistens Cemetery in Nørrebro. Photo: Jonaseckerbom, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hotel M18
Meinungsgade 18 · Hotels.comad
A self-service hotel on a closed street in Nørrebro, a short walk from the district’s cafés and shops.
Hotel Kong Arthur
Nørre Søgade 11 · 214 rooms · Hotels.comad
In an 1882 building on the Lakes, in the Nansensgade quarter, with a spa and several restaurants, according to Michelin.
Manon Les Suites Guldsmeden
Gyldenløvesgade 19 · 87 rooms · 5-star · Hotels.comad
A Balinese-inspired hotel by the Lakes with a pool deck and a rooftop spa. It takes no guests under 15, according to Michelin.
Østerbro
Visit Copenhagen calls it the greenest neighbourhood and family-friendly, with Fælledparken, Trianglen and Østerbrogade. Juno the Bakery’s Århusgade address is at its edge: see Danish pastries. Trianglen and Poul Henningsens Plads have the metro M3, Østerport M3, M4 and the S-trains, and Nordhavn M4. The Little Mermaid is a 15-minute walk from Østerport: see the Little Mermaid.
Go Hotel Østerport
Oslo Plads 5 · 3-star · Hotels.comad
The S-train and metro are outside the door, and the hotel says downtown is about 10 minutes away. Østre Anlæg park and Kastellet are a few minutes’ walk.
Rye115 Hotel
Ryesgade 115 · 20 rooms · Hotels.comad
A family-run hotel on two floors of a grand 1905 apartment. The second-floor family rooms have no lift.
Charlottehaven
Hjørringgade 12C · Hotels.comad
Hotel apartments of 50 to 105 m² in a tower and a garden building, with a gym and pool.
Christianshavn
Visit Copenhagen says it is technically part of the city centre but has its own feel: canals, coloured houses, Our Saviour’s Church and Christiania. The metro station is Christianshavn on M1 and M2, and Islands Brygge is one stop south on M1. The Government of Canada says photography is not tolerated in Christiania. See Christiania and the best views in Copenhagen.
A canal in Christianshavn. Photo: Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
25hours Hotel Paper Island
Papirøen 25 · 128 rooms · one Michelin Key · Hotels.comad
On the harbour island of Papirøen, in buildings styled on Danish summer houses.
Kanalhuset
Overgaden Oven Vandet 62A · Hotels.comad
A building from 1754 on the Christianshavn canal with 12 boutique rooms and 14 hotel apartments. Dinner is served at 19:00 at a shared table.
CPH Living
Langebrogade 1A · Hotels.comad
A floating hotel at Langebro with 12 double rooms, each with a glass wall on the water side.
Frederiksberg
Its own municipality inside Copenhagen, with broad tree-lined streets, Frederiksberg Have, Gl. Kongevej and Værnedamsvej. The metro stations are Frederiksberg on M1, M2 and M3, Forum on M1 and M2, and Frederiksberg Allé and Aksel Møllers Have on M3. The transport zones are the same as the city’s.
The pond and lawns of Frederiksberg Gardens. Photo: malouette, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Hotel Hans
Åboulevard 29 · 91 rooms · Hotels.comad
A red-brick building from the early 20th century between Frederiksberg and Nørrebro, with a vermouth bar and a two-floor suite with a rooftop terrace, according to Michelin.
Scandic Falkoner
Falkoner Allé 9 · 334 rooms · Hotels.comad
In Frederiksberg’s theatre district.
CABINN Scandinavia
Vodroffsvej 55 · 201 rooms · Hotels.comad
A budget chain hotel near the Lakes, with 610 beds. Forum metro station is 500 m away, according to the hotel.
Islands Brygge and Amager
A harbour promenade with summer swimming, then the University of Copenhagen’s Amager campus and DR Byen, the broadcaster’s concert hall, and beyond it Amagerbro’s shopping street, Amager Strand beach and the airport side. Islands Brygge and DR Byen are on M1, and Amagerbro, Amager Strand and Kastrup on M2, the airport line. The Marriott is on Kalvebod Brygge at the Vesterbro end of the harbour front, across the water from Islands Brygge.
Copenhagen Marriott Hotel
Kalvebod Brygge 5 · 5-star · Hotels.comad
A waterfront hotel near Tivoli and the harbour bath, with an outdoor sauna.
Copenhagen Island Hotel
Kalvebod Brygge 53 · Hotels.comad
Designed by Kim Utzon on an artificial island in the harbour, with the harbour bath outside the door.
Bryggen Guldsmeden
Gullfossgade 4 · 4-star superior · guldsmedenhotels.com
A courtyard spa with a heated outdoor pool, 29°C, that guests can use all year, a sauna and a steam room.
Zoku Copenhagen
Amagerfælledvej 108 · 160 rooms · Hotels.comad
Loft apartments with a kitchen and a dining table, plus a rooftop with coworking space, in Amager Vest, according to Michelin.
Ørestad
A new district next to Amager Fælled, with Field’s shopping centre and the Bella Center conference hall. Ørestad and Bella Center stations are on M1, not M2, so the airport is a change of line away. It is not an old-town base.
CABINN Metro
Arne Jacobsens Allé 2 · 708 rooms · Hotels.comad
A budget chain hotel built in 2009 beside Field’s. The hotel puts it 10 minutes from Copenhagen Airport.
Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers
Ørestads Boulevard 114-118 · Hotels.comad
The Royal Arena is across the street and the metro takes about 10 minutes to the centre, according to the hotel.
Plan the rest
Once you have your dates, 3 days in Copenhagen fits the sights round the closed days. The best time to visit Copenhagen has the weather by month, and where to eat in Copenhagen covers the meals. For the way in, see Copenhagen airport to the city, and what to book before you go to Copenhagen has the hours for every sight.
Common questions
Where should I stay in Copenhagen for a first visit?
Indre By, the old city, or Nyhavn beside it. Rosenborg Castle, the Round Tower, Strøget, Torvehallerne and Christiansborg are on foot from Indre By, and Kongens Nytorv metro, on lines M1 to M4, serves Nyhavn.
Does Copenhagen charge a tourist tax?
No. Denmark charges no city or tourist tax on hotel stays, so the room price is the price you pay.
Which metro line goes to Copenhagen Airport?
The M2. The M1 does not: it runs from Vanløse to Vestamager and passes Ørestad, so a hotel in Ørestad is a change of line away from the airport. The metro runs around the clock.
Which Copenhagen hotels hold Michelin Keys?
Michelin gives two Keys to Hotel d'Angleterre. One Key goes to 1 Hotel Copenhagen, 25hours Hotel Paper Island, Hotel Sanders, Nimb Hotel and Nobis Hotel Copenhagen.
Where should I stay for Tivoli and the trains?
Round the Central Station, where Nimb Hotel has direct access to Tivoli Gardens. Tivoli is open in seasons only, and the trains to Roskilde, Helsingør and Malmö leave from the station.
Are Nørrebro and Christiania safe?
The UK Foreign Office advises extra care in Christiania and Nørrebro, particularly late at night, after instances of gang violence, and the Government of Canada names both for gang-related violence. No official source ranks the other neighbourhoods.
Which dates affect a Copenhagen hotel stay?
Christmas in Tivoli, from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, New Year's Eve, the Marathon on 9 May 2027, Distortion from 2 to 6 June, Roskilde Festival from 26 June to 3 July and the jazz festival in early July.
