Hotel Of The Week: Skt Petri, Copenhagen

Put those shades back on! It's a white-out inside design hotel Skt Petri, Copenhagen's cool stopover

Housed within a former department store dating back to the 1930s, the Skt Petri (Saint Petri) sells high five-star style. From the moment you enter the predominantly white public space with large splashes of red, your eye is drawn to the vast, cathedral-like, three-storey-high atrium with its soaring floor-to-ceiling windows, through which floods blindingly white light. Perhaps that is why so many of the chic guests sport only the latest shades.

The utterly contemporary interior is by signature designer Per Arnoldi, who mixes a minimalist design with comfortable and elegant living. And as you'd expect from a Design Hotel, the staff are slick, efficient and stylishly dressed.

The best rooms are on the corners of the fifth and sixth floors, many of which have terraces. Wi-Fi is available throughout and Café Blanc has 50 international newspapers to choose from daily. If you are feeling flush, be like Robbie Williams and check into the Star Suite, which comes with a sauna, a rooftop Jacuzzi and panoramic views.

The location

Cruise into town on the S-tog train from the airport and 15 minutes later you are slap-bang in the middle of Copenhagen's medieval Latin Quarter and the Hotel Skt Petri. Homeware and design stores are a step away. The historic Round Tower and City Hall Square are within a five-minute walk.

The comfort factor

There are 270 individually designed rooms, including 24 suites that pack a punch with bold splashes of colour (red, white and blue), stylish modern furniture, Bang & Olufsen televisions as standard and clever touches such as bedside tables that double as light cubes. The fifth- and sixth-floor rooms have superb views across the neighbouring 17th-century steeples and tiled rooftops. Sink into vast beds with soft down mattress pads, fluffy but supportive pillows, angora blankets, and comfy duvets. Words of warning: at weekends the hotel's Bar Rouge becomes one of the hippest cocktail bars in the city where live DJs crank up the beats from early evening till 2am. So if you want a quiet, early night you would be well advised to book a room on one of the upper three floors.

The bathroom

A large space with separate bath, double basin and shower. A toilet is accessed from either the bathroom or the bedroom giving extra privacy. Molton Brown toiletries come as standard.

The food and drink

A massive Scandinavian-style breakfast buffet is loaded up in restaurant Bleu: granola, yoghurts, honey, fresh fruit, cold meats, fish, cheese, juices, freshly baked croissants and assorted pastries. In summer, guests are invited to breakfast on the adjoining outdoor terrace. Lunch and dinner are also served in Bleu, where a fusion of Mediterranean and Japanese fare comes in small, medium or large portions. In the evening a vast billowing white drape screens off Bleu, creating a more intimate atmosphere. Café Blanc serves all day snacks and freshly baked breads in a brasserie setting.

The people

Cool and trendily dressed Scandinavian weekenders (both young and old) on shopping and culture trips but who are also clearly here to eat and party.

The area

The whole of downtown Copenhagen is within walking distance. Go native and explore the rest of the city by bike. The hotel provides a limited number of courtesy cycles for guests, so you are best to book one as soon as you arrive or before you leave home to secure one.

The access

There is one room that is fully accessible, including a specially adapted bathroom. Most of the public areas and toilets are also fully accessible.

The damage

Doubles cost from £137 per room per night, including breakfast.

The address

Hotel Skt Petri, Krystalgade 22, 1172 Copenhagen, Denmark (00 45 3345 9100; sktpetri.com).

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