Copenhagen has been on everyone’s radar lately. Home to paradigm-shifting events like 3daysofdesign but also just a better way of life, the compact Danish capital is packing a punch. Taking stock of its place within the annals of design history but also progressive policy, the mini-metropolis is quickly becoming an arbiter of forward-looking strategies and stylistic expression.
And yet, much of that – new retail concepts and restaurants – centers on a subtle interpretation of a tried and true subdued Scandicore aesthetic. That all changes with the opening of Hotel Hans by Brøchner Hotels.
Positioned between the ever-trendy neighborhood of Nørrebro and more established Frederiksburg, the 91-key boutique accommodation is poised to disrupt the hospitality scene here.
Shedding the now well-hackneyed hygge trope, Hotel Hans claims to be anything (everything) but a “home away from home,” banking on the expectation that some – if not a lot – of visitors would like to experience something more elevated than their own familiar domestic spaces. With all of the layers of textured marble, one might feel as though they’ve been transported to Milan, that other key design destination.
Replacing the expected light-toned woods and white-washed walls – an aesthetic that might too closely resemble the gray skies of the long cold winters here – concrete walls interplay with sleek stone, green and black accents. And yet site-responsive references do crop up in a more sparing distribution of wooden details. The verdant tones evoke the lushness of Frederiksburg’s tree-lined streets. Upon entering the hotel, sitting down in the lobby bar, having a meal in the Mediterranean-inspired BOLO restaurant, or just relaxing in the quaint courtyard, guests – as well as locals – are hit with a theatrical choreography of contrasts.
Heading up to one of the rooms or suites, the cohesive scheme of dark grays and deep greens tempers a bit more. A sprinkling of tan yellow pops up in armchairs and desk chairs. Darker-tone woods appear in built-in cabinets and desks. Metallic finishes emerge in coffee tables and bathroom vanities, counterbalancing the sheen of floor and ceiling tiles. Deluxe rooms have private balconies and a few suites have full 360-degree view rooftops with choice views of Copenhagen’s picturesque but also architecturally innovative skyline.
Named for the Brøchner Hotels group founder, Hans Brøchner-Mortensen, Hotel Hans makes good use of the early 1900s Emil Blichfeldt-design red brick building it occupies. The ear-defining architect was also responsible for designing the iconic Tivoli Gardens theme park in the center of the city.
The boutique group’s soft product proposition for Hotel Hans doesn’t disappoint. Its so-called Vermouth Vibes offering begins in the morning – no, not with boozy breakfasts per se but rather, its comprehensive “Good morning it’s Organic” spread. In the evening, the ground level suite of public-facing venues transform into a lively 1980s inspired cocktail lounge with, yes, different types of martinis served.
What: Hotel Hans
Where: Copenhagen, Denmark
How much: $125 and up per night
Design draws: A boutique urban space breaking out of Scandicore and Hygge design tropes with a clever interplay of greys, greens, and reddish browns; sleek marbles; dark-toned woods and textured textiles reflecting distinctive characteristics of surrounding neighborhoods.
Book it: Hotel Hans
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Photography courtesy of Brøchner Hotels.
