Checking In | Hotel Frihavnen, Copenhagen
I checked in to Hotel Frihavnen, a new 28-room design hotel in Copenhagen’s Nordhavn district where thoughtful Danish design, books, and a slower approach to hospitality come together.
Copenhagen has no shortage of beautifully designed hotels, but Hotel Frihavnen caught my attention for a different reason. Here, design is not simply something to look at. It is meant to shape how you spend your time.
That philosophy becomes clear almost immediately: there are no televisions in the rooms. Instead, books are placed throughout the hotel and in every guest room, curated in collaboration with Copenhagen bookshop Thiemers Magasin.
It is an unusual choice, and one that made me wonder whether a hotel can actually become more memorable by deliberately giving its guests less.
The Stay
Hotel Frihavnen is located in Nordhavn, a former industrial harbor that has evolved into one of Copenhagen’s most interesting contemporary neighborhoods. The area now combines new architecture with waterfront promenades, cafés, restaurants, shops, and spaces where locals gather.
Inside the hotel, the atmosphere is distinctly Danish without feeling overly styled. The interiors were designed by Leif Thingved and brought to life by Hyld København in collaboration with architects Entasis. But what I noticed most during my stay was not the names behind the design. It was how comfortable the spaces felt.
The materials are tactile, the furniture is functional, and the rooms have a residential quality that makes them feel designed to be lived in rather than photographed and admired from a distance.
Danish design classics are integrated naturally throughout the hotel, from Le Klint lighting to Eilersen seating and pieces by GUBI and other Danish makers. Nothing feels like a showroom. Instead, the design creates an environment that is calm, warm, and remarkably easy to settle into.
The books are perhaps the most telling detail. Without a television competing for attention, the room encourages a different kind of evening: reading, looking out the window, or simply doing nothing for a while.
My Favorite 90 Seconds
My favorite ninety seconds came after a day of exploring Copenhagen, when I returned to my room and settled down with a book.
There was something wonderfully simple about the moment. The room was quiet, the design around me felt warm rather than precious, and there was no television waiting to fill the silence.
After a day spent moving through a busy city, I found myself slowing down almost without thinking about it.
Those ninety seconds captured what I found most compelling about Hotel Frihavnen. The hotel does not try to compete with Copenhagen for your attention. Instead, it creates a space where you can process the city at your own pace.
It was a small moment, but one that stayed with me.
The Moments That Make It
The hotel's strongest details are the ones that reveal themselves gradually.
The Danish design is one of them. Rather than following a particular trend, the interiors rely on pieces and materials chosen for craftsmanship, comfort, and longevity. The result feels contemporary but not disposable.
Breakfast continues that sense of informality. Served family-style at a long table and prepared each morning by the hotel's in-house chefs, it feels closer to a shared morning ritual than a conventional hotel buffet.
Then there is the rooftop terrace, which gives the hotel another perspective on Nordhavn. It is a place to pause over breakfast or a drink while looking across the neighborhood and the waterfront.
But perhaps the most meaningful element is the hotel's relationship with books. The collaboration with Thiemers Magasin turns literature into part of the stay rather than an afterthought. It also reinforces the idea that hospitality can be about creating space for curiosity and reflection.
That approach feels particularly well suited to Copenhagen, where good design often works quietly in the background rather than demanding attention.
Who This Hotel Is Actually For
Hotel Frihavnen is best suited to travelers who appreciate design but do not necessarily want a traditional luxury hotel experience.
It is a particularly good fit for travelers who want to experience a different side of Copenhagen, away from the most tourist-heavy streets while remaining well connected to the city.
I would especially recommend it to design-conscious travelers, couples, business travelers, solo visitors, and anyone who enjoys hotels that have a strong sense of identity without becoming formal or self-important.
It is also for readers… quite literally.
If the idea of arriving at a hotel and finding a carefully chosen book instead of a television sounds appealing, Frihavnen offers a refreshing alternative to the increasingly technology-driven hotel experience.
Practical Stay Notes
Location: Århusgade 124B, Nordhavn, Copenhagen
Rooms: 28 rooms, including four suites
Design: Leif Thingved, Hyld København, and Entasis
Breakfast: Family-style Danish breakfast served at the hotel's long table
Worth knowing: The rooms do not have televisions; books are provided instead.
Best feature: The rooftop terrace, particularly for taking in the changing atmosphere of Nordhavn.
Nordhavn is also well connected to the rest of Copenhagen, with both Nordhavn Station and Orientkaj Metro within walking distance. The neighborhood is increasingly becoming a destination in its own right rather than simply somewhere to stay.
Nearby Points of Interest
Sandkaj Harbour Bath: A popular waterfront bathing area where locals swim and gather along the promenade.
Paustian: A destination for Danish design lovers, located in an architecturally significant building designed by Jørn Utzon.
Århusgade and Göteborg Plads: The heart of Nordhavn, with cafés, restaurants, shops, and a mix of historic and contemporary architecture.
Lüders: A rooftop public space combining fitness facilities, climbing walls, and views over Nordhavn.
The Little Mermaid and Langelinie: Both are within easy reach for travelers who want to combine Nordhavn with some of Copenhagen’s best-known waterfront sights.
Hotel Frihavnen ultimately left me with a question I did not expect to be asking after a city hotel stay: could giving guests less actually create a more memorable experience?
In a city celebrated for design, Frihavnen’s most thoughtful design choice may be the space it leaves for something that cannot be designed at all : the freedom to simply slow down.
