Hotel Copenhagen Admiral

The hotel is located on the canal at the very end of Nyhavn. The advantage of the location is that almost everything is within walking distance. Nyhavn itself is a picturesque pedestrian area along the harbour with cobbled streets and quaint coloured terraced housing. This is one of the most touristic areas of Copenhagen and therefore gets very busy. There are lots of restaurants that line the canal, but most of these tend to be expensive for the fare offered. Try the back streets for some authentic Danish cuisine. Sites like the Amaliensborg Palace and the Little Mermaid are situated 10 minutes' walk further along the canal.

The hotel does not have complimentary Wi-Fi (95 Kroner/24 hours). The hotel also has designated parking for 135 Kroner for 24 hours, which is a lot cheaper than parking in town, but the hotel doesn't guarantee parking spaces. Remember that parking is free at weekends throughout the city.

The Copenhagen Admiral looks a lot bigger than it actually is from the outset. An old converted warehouse, its brick exterior is full of authentic character and with the wooden sail boats docked just outside, it reminds of times past, which adds to the hotel's charm. Inside the contemporary lobby, the original features like the exposed brick, arches and beams are sure to impress and give the hotel bags of character. The long lobby is divided up into a lobby bar, reception and an area where functions are held, which is often used as a luggage room for large groups when not in use. On the canal side, the entire hotel is lined by the hotel's Salt Restaurant veranda and an attractive outdoor beach-bar style deck.

The warehouse was originally used to store grain offloaded from incoming ships in the 1780s. It was converted later in 1978, when it first opened as a hotel. There are five floors and the sixth is where you'll find the suites. In terms of facilities, there are a couple of vending machines on the way to the outdoor bar selling snacks and various toiletries. The hotel has a small wellness area (sauna and steam room, which guests can use for 50 Kroner/50 minutes). Although the converted warehouse concept looks great, the hotel atmosphere feels a lot more impersonal and more sales-oriented, as there is a fee for practically everything including the internet, than other hotels in the city.

With 366 rooms the hotel is classified as large for Copenhagen. There are five categories: single, double, twin, junior suites and senior suites. The rooms, although on the small side have exposed beams of Pomeranian pine, which act as a reminder of the building's history. The rooms are fairly plain, but comfortable. Half the rooms face the street and the other half face the canal, which boast lovely views and have balconies; it is worth the extra spend. Rooms are all decorated in the same way; dark blue carpets, brown leather traditional Danish armchairs and double beds made of two single beds pushed together along with the traditional two single duvets. Although not at the very height of Danish design, the rooms are cosy and the exposed beams which dominate the room give it that extra rustic charm without which the rooms would be a little too bland. The duplex rooms feel slightly closed-in and wouldn't be our first choice. The bathrooms are well-appointed and all rooms have bathtubs as well as Spa Vital toiletries. Unless the hotel is fully-booked, there is no supplement for canal-view rooms; otherwise, it's 200 Kroner (£23).

There are essentially three restaurant/bars at the hotel: the lobby bar, which opens in the evening, the Salt beach café, which serves food throughout the day and the Salt Restaurant, which opens in the evening and acts as the breakfast room for guests. The restaurant has a lovely veranda that lines the canal, and in the evening, staff set up the tables with crisp white table cloths, the soft jazz music in the background and the flower boxes that hang on the window sills. The beach bar, one of the best spots to stop by for a drink in the summer, serves snacks and excellent herring, which we highly recommended. In the evenings, the restaurant serves a fusion of Mediterranean, French and Danish cuisine. A main will set you back 250 Kroner. Otherwise the restaurant serves a formula of either 2, 3 or 4 courses for approximately 315, 375 or 445 Kroner respectively. The hotel offers room service at the same time as the restaurant opening times, which tend to vary according to the season.