I spent last week in Europe with Charles. While the primary purpose of the trip was visiting Charles’s family, since they live so far away we have decided to incorporate little getaways into our trips so we can break up the time and spend time alone together. We chose to take a side trip to Copenhagen since neither of us had been, and it is very easy and inexpensive to travel to from London. I thought that I would begin my recaps of my trip by talking generally about Copenhagen and our hotel.
Our flights were just $100 roundtrip per person, from London. We got a great deal on a hotel and stayed at the Admiral Hotel for about $142 a night. The first thing we noticed about Copenhagen is that getting to and from the airport is super simple. The train runs from the airport to downtown Copenhagen in just 15 minutes. Day passes for the metro were $14 per person, including going to and from the airport.
Our hotel was just a short walk from Kongens Nytorv Metro station, which made the Admiral Hotel a central location for exploring the city. The Admiral Hotel is located in an 18th century converted warehouse right on the water. The hotel has a nautical vibe; there are cannons at the front entrance, and large model ships on display in the lobby. We were pleasantly surprised when we were upgraded and given a junior suite, which had a lofted bedroom and a great view of the city.
The hotel had a fun bar area and a wonderful restaurant, called Salt overlooking the waterfront. The breakfast buffet was perhaps the best I have ever had. It had everything – fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, sausages, croissants, danishes, cheeses, juices, and hot beverages. We ate so much we didn’t need lunch.
One night we had dinner at Salt, which was one of the best meals of our trip. Our meal began with what the Danes refer to as a “snack”, which is their word for amuse bouche. It was cabbage, creme fraiche, and proscuitto.
Then we moved on to a selection of Nordic cheeses (one goat cheese, and two cheddars) that were served with toasted rye bread, and rose hip compote. I loved the combination of the cheese and the rose hip compote.
My main course was the rib eye steak with bearnaise, grilled heart lettuce, and pommes frites. The lettuce had a slight bitterness and was similar to brussels sprouts. The meal was quite good, although the steak wasn’t as good as a Chicago steak.
Charles had the roasted leg of venison with beet root and kale. As always, he ate every bite before I could get a taste.
I would definitely recommend 1. Going to Copenhagen. I have been to almost every country in Western Europe and Copenhagen was one of the most beautiful, easiest to get to, and easiest to navigate cities I have visited. 2. Staying at the Admiral Hotel. It was well located and inexpensive. 3. Eating at Salt – especially for breakfast. They serve traditional Nordic fare, and the service was wonderful.
I will be posting more about the trip this week!