Kurhotel Skodsborg: where the atmosphere of Copenhagen meets the wild

The hotel occupies a unique patch of seaside and woodland wilderness

(Image credit: Kurhotel Skodsborg)

Copenhagen is Denmark's most populous city, and with over 30,000 hotel rooms there's no shortage of places to stay. There is, however, a way to enjoy the buzzy atmosphere of the capital and escape into the wild landscape of North Zealand, even on a short stay or weekend trip. Situated just 20 minutes by train from Copenhagen's central Nørreport station is the coastal destination of Skodsborg, which is not so much a town as a strip of elegant homes built as summer residences for royals and dignitaries in the mid-19th century. They overlook the Øresund Strait and an area that borders the expansive Dyrehaven forest, a Unesco World Heritage site that is home to more than 2,000 wild deer, and is popular with hikers and mountain bikers.

This little patch of seaside/woodland wilderness is home to the Deco-esque Kurhotel Skodsborg Spa Hotel, originally a sanatorium founded in 1898 by Carl Ottosen, an early adopter of holistic wellness based on the principles of a plant-heavy diet, plenty of exercise, massage, heat therapy and cold sea bathing. Today the 4-star retreat upholds these same principles and serves as a secret base for Danes seeking restorative calm, combining the hygge of a boutique-hotel hideaway with the nurturing of a therapeutic Scandi spa resort. Its modern facilities include a 100-square-metre hydro-pool, hot saunas, steam rooms, Jacuzzis, a salt grotto and specialised treatment rooms in a subterranean light-filled area designed by Henning Larsen, the architects responsible for the award-winning Harpa concert hall in Reykjavík, Iceland. For those who want to enliven their senses the authentic way, there are ice baths outside and access to a private jetty for a cold plunge in the sea. Danes swim all year round, even through the ice.

The hotel

Imagine a less fussy version of Bamford's wellness spa in the Cotswolds, channelling fresh air living via a neutral palette and an interior design that promotes rounded and graceful lines. The lounge is a cosy light-filled space with grey velour sofas, bookshelves lined with art books, and two sculptural chandeliers that look like giant wagon wheels. There's a piano in one corner and a stone fireplace near the bar, which serves up immune-boosting smoothies by day and botanical-infused cocktails by night. This space is also used as a casual dining lounge serving rye bread 'paleo' open sandwiches for lunch and very good burgers and quick bites in the evening.

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Rooms

Chic, simple and comfortable, all 96 rooms (half of which overlook the sea) have generous en-suite bathrooms, most with deep tubs. The scarcity of furniture along with a predominantly white colour scheme, livened up by the odd Missoni cushion, compound the hotel's clean-sleep ethos. All rooms have cable TV and coffee makers.

Fine dining

The hotel's Brasserie Carl offers stunning views of the Øresund and prides itself on modern dishes made from local seasonal and organic produce. This is honest cooking with a touch of Scandi flair, always beautifully presented with plenty of vegetarian options. Signature plates include the grain salad with creamed Jerusalem artichoke and warm waffles, and the chicken breast cooked on the bone with brown onions and creamed mash. The desserts are all made by the pastry team.

Treatments

There's a lot going on at the hotel, but it's perfectly acceptable to spend all day in the spa enjoying the 16 bathing experiences. If you want something more tailored book a Nordic hot stone massage and, if you can take the heat, the sauna gus treatment is a must – it involves sitting in the hottest sauna as a trained 'gus master' releases essential oils into the air by swirling a towel above the sauna's steaming stove. For fitness lovers, the hotel's well equipped large gym offers personal or team training classes including spinning, boxing, yoga, aqua fitness and TRX Wellness treatments.

Further afield

Trains to central Copenhagen depart about every half hour from Skodsborg station, a stone's throw from the hotel. If you'd rather immerse yourself in nature, the hotel offers excursions through the former royal hunting park of Dyrehaven and to its 18th-century Hermitage Castle.

Alexandra was a guest of Kurhotel Skodsborg, where a standard double room starts from DKK 2,045 (approx. £236) per night for two guests including breakfast and full access to the spa.

Alexandra Zagalsky is a London-based journalist specialising in luxury, art and travel. She began her career working on a cultural guide for English-speaking expats in Paris, where her first major break was an interview with Lionel Poilâne, the late baker of Saint-Germain-des-Prés famed for his signature sourdough loaves. Returning to London in her early 20s, she went on to write for not only The Week but also The Art Newspaper’s Art of Luxury supplement, The Telegraph and The Times, as well as art and design platforms including 1stDibs’ Introspective Magazine and the magazines of the V&A, Sotheby’s and Christie’s. She studied fine art and art history at Goldsmiths, University of London and continues to explore travel journalism through the lens of art, craftsmanship and culture.