In the centre of chilly Copenhagen stands an incongruous Moorish-style palace. It has steep minarets, bulging domes and is completely covered in fine, white, arabesque plasterwork. At night, when it’s illuminated by thousands of softly glowing bulbs, it resembles a giant, frosted wedding cake.
This famous building was erected in 1909, originally to serve hot meals to visitors to Tivoli, the city’s amusement park, which is one of the oldest in the world still in operation and served as the inspiration for Walt Disney’s own fairground. Its proprietors were the two daughters of Louise Nimb, a pioneering chef, author and entrepreneur who had established a restaurant on the same spot in 1877. As the doyenne of Denmark’s cuisine, Louise’s family name came to symbolise exquisite hospitality.
Ninety-nine years later the pavilion was converted into Denmark’s most iconic hotel, which bears her name: Nimb.
A five-star boutique property with fairytale ambitions, Nimb has just 38 rooms, nearly all of which provide expansive views across Tivoli’s pleasure gardens and vintage attractions — then beyond to the city. Each one is individually decorated to reflect the building’s storied past: eastern touches like dark hardwoods, lacquer and Asian ceramics are mixed with a muted and minimalist Scandinavian aesthetic. Accessories are local where possible; there are Bang & Olufsen electronics, Geismars bedsheets and Royal Copenhagen china.
Around half the rooms are in a new, sleek, glass wing, which features airplane-grade triple-glazing to keep all noise out. Underneath is a boutique, gym, spa and Moroccan-themed hammam, which is surrounded by tropical greenery and the scent of mint tea. Above is the country’s first rooftop pool and a bar — a hidden oasis of turquoise tiles, tangled vines and crisp linens.
The original construction houses Nimb Brasserie, which serves informal French cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The day is best begun with Arabic omelettes sprinkled with sumac and frangipane-filled French toast. Specialities from dinner include Danish veal tartare with kimchi and creamy pasta with North Sea lobster.
Restaurant Fru Nimb is the hotel’s homage to the smørrebrød, or Danish open-faced sandwich, which traditionally consists of a single slice of dark rye bread plus seasonal toppings, like pickled herring or roast beef. Cakenhagen is a delicately beautiful patisserie, whilst Nimb’s historic ballroom hosts high tea underneath crystal chandeliers and alongside crackling log fires. The cocktail menu is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fables and includes the hotel’s own signature floral gin.
Downstairs, The American Bar stretches out across Nimb’s iconic veranda, which is covered in ornamental latticework and home to a resident pride of peacocks. It’s been the city’s most legendary place to see and be seen for well over a century and still provides guests with the Nimb family’s signature ‘fancy drinks and oysters à la Américaine’. A further flight of stairs takes residents straight into Tivoli (VIP wristbands are supplied to every guest).
Despite all this on offer, Nimb is a place of total sanctuary and solitude. Service is polished and friendly, reflecting Denmark’s own brand of cosiness — known as ‘Hygge’. In fact, the hotel is so full of history, charm and wonderment, it’s the only one in the country to receive Condé Nast Traveller’s three most prestigious awards: the Hot List, the Gold List and the Readers’ Choice Awards — from both the US and UK editions of the magazine.
