Industrial architecture and surprises - what it's like staying the former Carlsberg brewery

Food and drink tourism is on the rise, as here in Scotland people visiting a whisky, gin distillery or brewery rose by 26 per cent in 2023 and was the most popular type of food and drink activity for visitors that year. During trips in 2023, almost a fifth (19 per cent) of long-haul visitors named food and drink as the reason for choosing Scotland as a destination. But what about elsewhere? A city like Copenhagen is known for its art - specifically the Little Mermaid - culture and excellent food (it was home to the ‘world’s best restaurant Noma until it closes earlier this year). It’s also home to Carlsberg, a lager known globally, making the city something of a pilgrimage for fans of the beer, and beer in general. There’s an entire, fairly new, district in Copenhagen named after the beer which has modern accommodation, art galleries and the former Carlsberg brewery which is now Hotel Ottilia. Named for Carl Jacobsen’s wife, who he met in Edinburgh, the hotel features huge round windows and still has some of the brewery production items - such as malt bins - within it.

Budget or boutique?

At about £105 per night this is a relatively budget price for this 155-room, 4 star, modern hotel that’s right in the heart of the Carlsberg neighbourhood.

Room service

I stayed in one of the sought-after deluxe double rooms with a round window, which has padded cushions built in so you can read, work or just enjoy the view. The hotel’s general style is modern comfort meets industrial elements, which can be seen in the concrete walls and herringbone floors, with softener elements in the linen bedspreads and customised seating. The open bathroom had a walk-in shower and spacious sink area. You can still sense this was a working building in how it looks and how it has been adapted, but it’s not uncomfortable for it. The industrial feel extends to the reception lobby where the malt bins are and the living room area, which looked to me like it had been a storage space for grains. A wood burning stove and range of seating - from benches at a table to armchairs and sofa, give a welcoming feel in the room where I had an early morning coffee ahead of exploring the neighbourhood.

Hotel Ottilia's famous round windows | Hotel Ottilia

Wining and dining

The hotel has a rooftop bar and restaurant with 360 degree views across Copenhagen. Open for an organic breakfast buffet and coffee, the Tramonto restaurant serves Italian fare for lunch and dinner and the bar has a varied cocktail, wine and beer menu. The weather can be a bit like Scotland, but you can still enjoy the city views from inside whether you’re eating or just having a pre-dinner drink.

While in Copenhagen, I had a wonderful tasting menu dinner at Barr, a bustling, cosy restaurant and bar on Copenhagen’s waterfront serving classic, seasonal dishes of Northern Europe.

Worth getting out of bed for

The Carlsberg neighbourhood is described as ‘upcoming’ and while it’s a short taxi journey to the more well known areas of Christianshavn and Vesterbro, it’s worth exploring regardless of if you’re a beer lover. The hotel is within walking distance of the Home of Carlsberg where I enjoyed an interactive tour of the brand’s history - complete with a couple of beers. If you love the Guinness experience in Dublin, you’ll love this. I was also fortunate to be taken on a short tour of the district via the traditional horse and carriage. The brewery keeps horses on site, and you can visit them in their stables. Lunch at Madklubben within the brewery is a must as it serves traditional Danish dishes such as smørrebrød open sandwiches with various toppings including the traditional herring. You can also try a range of Carlsberg and Jacobsen beers here, as well as see the brewing process taking place. A tasting in the Carlsberg cellar is worth booking to find out more and try a historical selection of beers that you won’t get elsewhere.

For a break from beer drinking, I went on a food tour of the meatpacking district and beyond and tried local meats, more smørrebrød open sandwiches, a healthier hot dog from a now famous stand (as seen in The Bear) and Flødeboller - chocolate covered marshmallows that are bit like teacakes, among others.

Finally we had a wonderful couple of hours at an experimental beer tasting with Zoran Gojkovic, the director of brewing science and technology at the Carlsberg Lab. An ideal way to see just how forward thinking this brand is. If you choose to stay within the Carlsberg area, there’s a range of independent shops, boutiques, galleries and food and drink venues plus public transport can take you into the city centre in 10 minutes.

Little extras

My room had a bathroom and tea and coffee facilities as well as full sized toiletries and a smart TV. By far the most spectacular feature was the massive round window as it was the ideal place to relax before dinner, or with a coffee in the morning.

Guestbook comments

Once brewing the world-famous Carlsberg beer, now a unique 4 star luxury boutique hotel with 155 rooms and suites. The two original listed brewery buildings that combine the Hotel Ottilia each have its individual character making the architecture quite spectacular. Outside, the hotel catches the eye with 64 golden shields covering the façade of the one building that was used for beer storage. Each shield refers to the bottom of a beer bottle. The other building, used for malt storage, stands out with its original tower and spire.

Hotel Ottilia - By Brøchner Hotels

Bryggernes Plads 7, 1799 København, Denmark

[phone]

www.brochner-hotels.com/our-locations/hotel-ottilia