Why book?
For a slice of Danish cool without the sky-high price tag, to sleep amid the city’s beer-brewing industrial heritage and to experience the capital like a local in the up-and-coming Carlsberg district.
Set the scene
In a city of architectural icons, there’s nothing quite like the pair of buildings which house Hotel Ottilia. Arriving at the Copenhagen hotel, I’m immediately struck by Lagerkælder 3, the building’s eastern wing where 64 golden discs line the red-brick façade. Each is gilded in gold-leaf mosaic and marks the precise location of the horizontal tanks where Carlsberg beer once matured. The building stands in striking contrast to the neighbouring Maltmagasinet, an ornate, fairy-tale tower dating back to 1881. Originally used for grain storage, its intricate masonry and historical grandeur offer a romantic counterpoint. Bridging the two is the Dipylon Hall, once the brewery’s grand entrance and now a lounge where guests and locals mingle over drinks, warm up fireside and admire the work of local artists, showcased in a series of quarterly exhibitions. Concrete and chrome dominate the hotel’s interiors, but the edges are softened by cream bouclé sofas and benches crafted by co-owner Søren Brøchner-Mortensen from salvaged grain silos — look closely and you can still find tiny grains of original barley wedged into the gaps. This sensitive restoration by Brøchner Hotels — a Danish family-owned brand who specialise in breathing new life into distinct buildings — has kept plenty of original quirks in place, from the steel beams and grain processor to the 19th-century clock on which loses 19 seconds a day and requires manual winding to keep up with the time. These features are augmented by sleek, contemporary additions like Niclas Hoflin’s winding tube-light installation, which spirals through the atrium like a glowing spine. It’s all rather whimsical in its own, rugged way.
The backstory
The brewery’s motto, Laboremus Pro Patria’ (Let us work for the fatherland), is carved into the hotel’s red-brick tower, a testament to Carl Jacobsen’s conviction that industry should elevate the human spirit. The story of the hotel is inseparable from Jacobsen; while his father, J.C. Jacobsen, founded Carlsberg in 1847, a bitter falling out led Carl to establish his own ‘new’ Carlsberg brewery in 1882. While his father was a man of science, Carl was a champion of the arts who pioneered what is considered a typically Nordic philosophy; that utility and beauty needn’t be mutually exclusive. He famously believed that even a factory chimney could be a work of art, and commissioned architect Vilhelm Dahlerup to design the 1881 Maltmagasinet with the care of a palace.
The hotel’s second building, the 1969 Lagerkælder 3 by Svenn Eske Kristensen, is equally bold. Locals thought it was madness at the time, earning the nickname ‘the Volkswagen building’ because each of its gold discs were rumoured to cost as much as a Beetle. The discs were designed to symbolise the ‘liquid gold’ once stored within — at its peak, the warehouse held a staggering six million litres of beer.
Following a sensitive 2015 renovation by architect Poul Schülein from Arkitema Architects, in collaboration with professor Christoffer Harlang from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, the hotel opened in 2019, with its high-spec sister property, Ottilia Heritage, joining in early 2026. Both are named after Jacobsen’s wife, a Scottish-born grain merchant’s daughter. In a subtle nod to her heritage, Scotland’s national flower, the thistle, is a recurring motif — found on meeting room carpets, restaurant light boxes, and in 15 delicate ceramics by local artist Hiiri hidden throughout the hotel. Guests who spot all fifteen receive a free drink — a playful tribute to a legacy where brewing and beauty were always one and the same.
ASTRIDKBH
Rozbeh Zavari
The rooms
The rooms give new meaning to the phrase ‘50 shades of grey’, with a muted palette of chrome, charcoal and taupe that compliments the building’s industrial bones. Dark, atmospheric corridors, where spotlights illuminate each room number, lead to minimalist-style rooms with exposed concrete walls, black metal furnishings, and indulgently high ceilings. This sleek and stormy aesthetic is softened by wrinkled grey bed linen and half-open bathrooms tiled in warm, earthy shades of olive and terracotta.
For the best views, the deluxe doubles on the Bryggernes Plads side feature the hotel’s iconic 2.2-meter round windows, complete with custom-made leather recliners built into the curve. But even the standard rooms, tucked behind the golden discs, remain bright thanks to vertical ‘zipper’ windows cleverly designed to let in the light. For a fairytale touch, the suites in the Maltmagasinet round tower offer turret windows, original stucco and herringbone parquet. Every room is anchored by bespoke details, from custom Rubn bedside lamps to tan leather butterfly chairs and wardrobes and leather cushions by Komplet Interieur.
Food and drink
The hotel’s restaurant, Tramonto, is set on the top floor of the building, with floor-to-ceiling windows that survey the city. The cuisine is Italian and many of the team are too, making it feel like a small Mediterranean pocket within the Danish capital. The pappardelle with white beef ragù is a particular crowd-pleaser, and vegetarians are well catered for with their own separate menu. Similarly, the wine list trots merrily around the boot with Etna whites, Tuscan reds and a significant selection of Franciacorta. An organic buffet breakfast is also served here, though not included in the standard rate. The rooftop bar, which skirts the edges of the restaurant, comes alive in the summer when locals gather for cocktails and live music under the Scandi sun. Downstairs, Dipylon Hall and its surrounding spaces make for the most hygge of sipping spots, with cosy armchairs to sink into while enjoying something from the bar, which is stocked with a unique selection of gin from all around the world as well as plenty of wines and beers. Guests of the hotel can take advantage of the complimentary wine hour, which takes place daily from 5pm-6pm, and nightcap hour from 10pm-11pm.
The spa
The hotel shares a building with AIRE Ancient Baths, the Spanish wellness brand known for transforming industrial landmarks into candlelit thermal baths. The partnership is a natural fit; the spa is tucked into the brewery’s former vaults, where the original 19th-century brickwork creates an atmospheric subterranean sanctuary. Inspired by the bathing rituals of Ancient Rome and Greece, the circuit features thermal pools ranging from bracing cold plunges to toasty caldariums, alongside a salt exfoliation area, jacuzzi pool and steam room.
The space also pays homage to Carl Jacobsen’s legacy as one of the era’s most prolific art collectors. Several items from his personal collection (the same collection that founded the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek museum in Central Copenhagen) are dotted across the spa, from statues which stand sentinel over the water, to a sofa and two chairs in the waiting room which Carl used when hosting finer guests, from Walt Disney to Laurel and Hardy, Erol Flynn and various royals. For those wanting to fully immerse themselves in the site’s history, the spa even offers ‘beer bathing’ treatments.
The area
The area is named after the famous Danish brewery whose large-scale operation once occupied these streets with the scent of hops and the rattle of horse-drawn beer wagons. In 2006, after 160 years of production, the iconic Carlsberg brewery moved its operations to Jutland, leaving this quieter corner of Vesterbro ripe for urban reimagining. That came thanks to a trio of Danish organisations, Entasis, Briq, and Carlsberg Byen, who oversaw a new masterplan for the area which honoured the site’s industrial heritage while introducing a mixed-use ecosystem of commercial, residential and educational spaces.
Today, the district is on the up; there’s a contemporary art gallery, Von Bartha, housed in a disused lighthouse, a boutique cinema, Reservoir, where you can wine and dine in front of the silver screen and a wave of lifestyle brands like Henrik Vibskov and the Carl Hansen & Søn who have taken root here. Being the Carlsberg district, the original brewery remains a cornerstone; visitors can meet the resident horses and dive into the brand’s surprisingly dramatic history. For a change of pace, J.C. Jacobsen’s Garden offers a lush botanical escape laid out by the brewer himself, while Frederiksberg Park — with its boating lake and views into the Copenhagen Zoo’s elephant enclosure — is just a short stroll away. Nearby, the subterranean Cisternerne gallery offers an eerie, atmospheric art experience in former water reservoirs. Between the artisan bakeries and intimate wine bars, the neighbourhood feels like a self-contained village, but the buzzy heart of Vesterbro is just a short stroll away.
For families
Extra beds and baby cots available upon request. In the evening, restaurant Tramonto is more of a grown-up affair, but little ones are welcome for breakfast, where they’ll receive free pancakes and hot cocoa.
The service
Staff with a smile and were on hand to help with any queries we had – which hinged mostly around which spirits we should try next during nightcap hour. Likewise at the restaurant, our Neopolitan waiter made our dinner at Tramonto a memorable one.
Eco effort
Brøchner Hotels is the first B Corp certified hotel chain in Copenhagen, and its eco-commitments are woven into the fabric of Hotel Ottilia. The building itself serves as a masterclass in architectural reuse, preserving original industrial features to avoid the hefty carbon footprint of new construction. The group is currently working toward 68 ambitious sustainability goals set for 2028, ranging from a total reuse strategy for furniture to CO2-neutral units and voluntary community days for staff. This social consciousness extends to the local community, where excess inventory is donated to city shelters. Beyond the walls, the hotel’s electricity is powered by 100% renewable energy from Danish wind farms.
Accessibility
Unfortunately there are no rooms with specially adapted features, though there are lifts to each floor and a limited number of rooms with larger doors and bathrooms.