Hotel Front

Arne Jacobsen may be a national hero, but it's a relief to find a new hotel in the Danish capital that doesn't feel obliged to dot its lobby with his Egg chairs. Instead, the Front has a scrambled sense of style. Seating in the lobby-lounge is on low sofas in shades of shocking pink and ultraviolet. One wall is a giant blackboard on which guests can scribble messages in coloured chalk, while modern art hangs alongside portraits of former queens of Denmark. The adjoining bar has a thriving weekend cocktail scene while the restaurant serves good, uncomplicated food (tuna-and-chips, meatloaf, truffle risotto) but disappointing breakfasts (there's no excuse for bad butter in the land of Lurpak). In contrast to the vibrant public spaces, the 133 bedrooms excluding those on the unrenovated 6th floor are monochromatic: black furniture, white walls, black-and-white bedding, dove-grey carpets. Free beers in the mini-bar add to the masculine atmosphere. It's a surprise, after all this starkness, to find the bathrooms have cobbled floors. Demand a harbour view, so that you can gaze across at the glowing glass façade of the opera house, designed by Henning Larsen, which opened in 2005. The Front has its drawbacks, including geriatric lifts and poor soundproofing and a lack of bathtubs, but its waterfront location is ideal for anyone who wants quiet days browsing the arts-and-antiques stores of Bredgade followed by exuberant nights in the bars of Nyhavn.

WHEN TO GO
As with all Scandinavian cities, visit in June, when the long days induce a seasonal euphoria in the natives.

ROOM TO BOOK
Number 402 or 502: Medium Sea View Rooms that have great views of the Opera House.

CONTACT
Skt Annae Plads 21, Copenhagen, Denmark (00 45 3313 3400; www.front.dk).

COST
Doubles from 200 euros; Medium Sea View Rooms 270 euros

***