Between Copenhagen’s laid-back Nørrebro and elegant Fredriksberg neighbourhoods, Hotel Hans is the latest addition to the family-run Brøchner Hotels group known for its cool Nordic sensibility and authentic embrace of local life. Named after the patriarch of the Brøchner family, Hans, who co-founded the group’s first hotel in the 1980s, it’s set inside a historic red-brick building designed by 19th-century amusement park Tivoli Gardens architect Emil Blichfeldt, yet inside, a sleek, reflective and cool mood feeds off the urban energy of the city beyond.
Wallpaper* checks in at Hotel Hans, Copenhagen
What’s on your doorstep?
Perfect for exploring Copenhagen like a local, Hotel Hans is well-placed for tasting the best of Nørrebro: find the experimental plant-based menu at Baka d’ Busk, Michelin-star Jatak, and Pompette wine bar within minutes on foot. A pleasant stroll through the Assistens Cemetery, past the grave of Hans Christian Andersen, will take you towards Jægersborggade, a street lined with delis, independent shops and restaurants, and then on to pizza slices, beers and bakeries lining Nørrebro’s park. Venturing south to Frederiksberg, on the other hand, brings cosy brasseries, Italian restaurants and concept stores. The hotel’s neighbourhood location reflects its more affordable price point compared to Brøchner’s two city centre hotels.
Who is behind the design?
Norrøn Architects made the bold decision to open up the long lobby facade to the street with huge windows, inspired by Edward Hopper’s painting ‘Nighthawks’, a seductive observation on the poetry of urban life. Upon grey terrazzo floors beneath bespoke metal lighting echoing Nørrebro’s streetlamps, a social choreography unfolds: sip cocktails on a glossy black lacquered oak conversation bench, or coffee from soft leather booths; pull up a smooth walnut chair (designed by Ari Prasetya to echo the silhouette of a black cat); or sink into a canary yellow Carl Hansen sofa for a game of chess.
The rhythm of city life and traffic becomes a meditative presence for watching the street style of Copenhagen’s bicycle commute, or the blur of headlights shape-shifting across sconced aluminium panels as the sun sets like a light installation. Graphic neon portraits of Hans illuminate the windows designed by his granddaughter and third-generation hotelier Laura Brøchner, and in the hotel’s courtyard and corridors, Danish designers Pettersen & Hein made sculptures out of materials found in his former workshop.
The room to book
Inspired by vintage apartments with dark green ceilings, sage-green walls and lacquered cabinets, the 91 rooms and suites are calm and elegant with organically patterned Ege Carpets. Poul Hoilund, co-founder of Norrøn Architects, describes the mood as Negroni-inducing. We stayed in one of the suites, with a mezzanine level and private roof terrace, which felt like its own little apartment in the city. Five rooms have their own balconies and two suites have roof terraces.
Staying for drinks?
The gentle, enticing atmosphere of the lobby from morning to night makes up for the simplicity of in-room services. Wake up to a generous Nordic breakfast buffet with barista coffee, green smoothies, and a glass of bubbles if you like. Guests are drawn down in the evenings for nightly rituals: a complimentary glass of house wine from 5-6 pm, and a complimentary cocktail (including that Negroni you were craving) from 9-10 pm.
The verdict
Hotel Hans feels both functional and special, raw and refined. The rooms are simple yet cosy and detail-oriented, whilst the open-ended pockets of the lobby are sleek and curated, with Nordic quality and comfort by the likes of Fredericia Furniture and Møbel Copenhagen. For solo travellers it’s prime for people-watching or striking up a conversation with a stranger. For friends and families it’s a spacious gathering place before an evening out, or winding down after a day of sightseeing.
Hotel Hans (Brøchner Hotels) is located at Åboulevard 29, 1960, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen