Formerly known as the red-light district of Copenhagen, today the Vesterbro neighbourhood is home to authentic shops, bars and restaurants, and encompasses ‘The Meatpacking District’; an industrial part of town where some remaining food companies sit alongside renowned drinking holes and eateries including Kødbyens Fiskebar, one of the first restaurants to help transform the District into a foodie haven; hip brewpub, WarPigs; and a taqueria from a former Noma chef, Hija de Sanchez.
Each creating a buzz among the local hip crowd and throngs of tourists in search of a good time, these alternative establishments come together to make the Danish capital one of Europe’s most revered foodie destinations, and they are also steps away from a very fine hotel.
Originally home to Copenhagen’s meat industry businesses, Kødbyen is now packed with bars, restaurants, galleries and much more.
The brilliant Warpigs Brewpub is home to some of the best BBQ outside of the United States, as well as some fine craft beer.
Former Noma pastry chef, Rosio Sanchez, has made an international name for herself from the mouth-watering Hija de Sanchez.
The neighbourhood with a storied past is also home to the Andersen Hotel, a family-run boutique hotel with 69 rooms and suites individually decorated with wallpaper, cushions, and curtains from Designers Guild. Guests choose their room depending on preferred style be that a striking combination of vibrant purple and striking magenta in the ‘Princess’ rooms; vivid turquoise and lime in the ‘Mermaid’ rooms; or calming blue blended with vibrant magenta in the ‘Emperor rooms’. Next choice is the room size, the Andersen offering four categories, Cool, Brilliant, Wonderful, or Amazing; the petite ‘Cool’ rooms measuring around 13 metres squared, increasing in size to 27 square metres in the ‘Amazing’ Junior Suite.
With a large bed, cozy sofa and desk, we check in to the Andersen’s cream of the crop, the suite offering luxury combined with comfort and plenty of space for its central location. Molten Brown amenities and Nespresso coffee come as standard, whilst large windows and a skylight allow natural light to flood and offer views over the rooftops and streets below, even some of the Tivoli Gardens amusement park’s taller rides are in view.
Make a cup of tea or coffee, pour yourself a wine or a draught beer, even make a cocktail, Andersen Hotel’s honesty bar has it all.
An insight into the Andersen’s community approach, guests can help finish knitting scarves to be donated to the city’s homeless.
Between 17.00 and 18.00 every day, have a glass of wine on the house at the excellent Andersen Hotel wine hour.
The inviting and colourful design carries throughout the hotel and into the public spaces, the hotel lobby a wonderful spot to enjoy a complimentary tea or Nespresso, sip a wine at any time of the day, but especially so between the hours of 17.00 and 18.00 when the space comes alive during ‘wine hour’; guests of all ages descending upon the ground floor to enjoy a complimentary glass each and every day. It’s also where the organic breakfast is served, and where the well-stocked honesty bar can be found; there are even unfinished wool scarves and knitting needles to pass the time and contribute to the community, with finished scarves donated to the city’s homeless.
Often described as the world’s best bike city, both the Andersen Hotel and sister property Absalon Hotel (located directly across the road) offer guests bike hire for use throughout their stays. Renting ours for four hours we explored further afield, stopping at Superkilen Park in the hip Nørrebro district, which is popular with families, skateboarders and visitors alike, and aims to bring communities together with three distinct and colourful zones.
Afterwards we head for shopping and craft beer at Acne Archive and Brus respectively, both located near to Superkilen and surrounded by specialist coffee shops, designer boutiques and oodles of charming architecture. With time remaining on our rental, we went a little more central, eating smørrebrød and more Hija de Sanchez tacos at the brilliant TorvehallerneKBH market place, before finishing our cycling tour with a quick photo opportunity at the picturesque but touristy Nyhavn; the 17th-century waterfront and canal lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses is the postcard setting that everyone will be familiar with.
Parking our bikes back at the hotel in a petite courtyard which during warmer months we’d loved to have hung out more in, we found ourselves arriving back at the hotel just in time for wine hour. Ordering a Spanish white and Portuguese red, we opt to take these upstairs to our suite whilst resting briefly and reflecting on another fine day in this irresistible Scandinavian city.
A warmly hospitable hotel in an excellent location with charm and kindness at its heart, Vesterbro’s Andersen Hotel is a first-rate base for diverse travellers in search of a slice of home.
Photography, courtesy Andersen Hotel Copenhagen / © We Heart.
