[Advertisement – this post is based on a press stay, but all words and opinions are my own]
I spent last week in Denmark enjoying 3 Days of Design – Copenhagen’s annual design festival, which sees hundreds of open showrooms, exhibitions, talks and workshops taking place around the city. It’s one of my favourite events of the year, and I always come back brimming with ideas and inspiration. I’ll be sharing my highlights over the next couple of weeks, but first I want to show you where I stayed: Hotel Sct Thomas.
Set on tree-lined Frederiksberg Allé to the southwest of the city centre, Hotel Sct Thomas has recently undergone a major refurbishment in collaboration with Danish lighting brand Nuura, who kindly hosted my stay. It occupies a white-stuccoed building first constructed in the 19th century as a residential apartment block, before going on to house a hospital for several decades (I’m told some guests have visited specifically because they were born there!). It was then purchased by the current owners in 1999 and given a full overhaul during the pandemic, re-opening its doors in 2022.
The first thing I have to mention is the hotel’s location, which is hard to beat. In one direction is the leafy, upmarket neighbourhood of Frederiksberg; in the other edgy Vesterbro with its array of bars and restaurants. And Frederiksberg Allé itself is stunning. Originally laid out in 1704 as a private road to the king’s summer residence at Frederiksberg Palace, it’s now a wide boulevard flanked by turreted mansions and pavement cafés. It’s much more peaceful than the city centre, but the metro will whisk you downtown (and to the airport) in minutes. What’s more, it’s just around the corner from Værnedamsvej, which is known for its Parisian atmosphere and French-themed eateries (Granola and Les Trois Cochons both come highly recommended).
Hotel Sct Thomas is lovely inside, too: pared-back yet cosy, with contemporary design alongside parquet floors and panelled walls that reflect the building’s architectural heritage. A palette of muted blues, greys and greens runs throughout, creating a restful and quietly stylish mood that’s enhanced by padded headboards, brass detailing, thick floor-to-ceiling curtains and leather banquette seating. The whole place exudes an air of understated elegance, and it makes the perfect backdrop for Nuura’s gorgeous lamps and chandeliers.
There’s a wide selection of room types, including singles, twins, doubles and two-bedroom family suites. Some are small – fine if you’re mostly planning on being out and about and just want somewhere to lay your head, but I would definitely recommend upgrading to a Superior Double or a Junior Suite if you can. I had one of the latter and it was airy and spacious, with a sitting area at one end and a desk and dressing area at the other. I loved the decor, which offset crisp white with deep forest green, walnut and black for a serene yet sophisticated effect. The furniture and lighting also made for a beautiful combination, encompassing Space Copenhagen’s graceful ‘Pavilion’ chairs and Luca Nichetto’s marble-based ‘Lato’ side tables (both designed for &Tradition) alongside Nuura’s ‘Blossi’ floor and table lamps, whose dome-like glass shades emit a warm, ambient glow. Best of all, it was set on the fourth floor with sweeping views, and watching the sky slowly turn pink over an evening glass of wine on the sofa made for a very relaxing end to each busy day of the festival.
The hotel has no restaurant of its own (not a problem, with so many to choose from nearby), but it does serve a big breakfast spread each morning. I didn’t have chance to try it myself as I was dashing out to events, but it gets good reviews online. There’s also a lobby bar illuminated by Nuura’s sculptural ‘Liila’ collection, whose optic glass casts beautiful patterns over the surrounding surfaces – and if you fancy sipping your drink alfresco, you can take it up to the roof terrace, where there are tables, easy chairs and sofas.
Other facilities at the hotel include bike hire, parking spaces with electric chargers, a rooftop sauna that you can book for private sessions, and day passes for a nearby gym. The owners have put a focus on digital innovation, too, with useful little touches such as in-room QR codes leading to a full neighbourhood guide, online check-in and check-out for those in a rush, and emailed entry codes that do away with the need to carry key cards around.
All in all, Hotel Sct Thomas is a great find. It isn’t the flashiest or most luxurious hotel in town, but it does everything you need it to do – and it does it with a dash of Scandinavian style and at great rates. I’ll definitely be adding it to my growing list of Copenhagen accommodation recommendations.
Rooms at Hotel Sct Thomas start at £112 per night. Find out more and book a stay here, and discover Nuura’s full range of beautiful lighting here.
Nuura hosted my stay at Hotel Sct Thomas, but I paid for my own travel to Copenhagen and all other expenses. 3 Days of Design is free to attend and open to all, and I wasn’t visiting as part of an official press tour.
All photography by Abi Dare
Leave a Reply