Tuck kids up for the night in Tivoli Gardens

Which is only natural, since Hans Christian Andersen lived here for most of his life; New Nordic Cuisine was born here, and Tivoli Gardens, the world’s second oldest amusement park, is right in the city centre.

Of course there are thousands of other reasons to spend as much time as possible in the Danish capital. But begin with that trio and you also have the perfect excuse to stay at Nimb Hotel: the fantasy Moorish Palace in Tivoli Gardens which has been captivating guests for over a century and plans to be more fabulous than ever this summer.

Nimb Hotel might look like a fairy tale from the outside, indoors, it couldn’t be more true to the essence of hygge: the singularly Danish feeling of cosiness and comfort evoked by special moments and experiences, which is the envy of the world, but only authentic on home territory.

The hotel has just 38 rooms, so it’s been possible to design each one individually, furnish them all with hand chosen antiques and original art, and provide families with spellbinding views over Tivoli Gardens, as standard. Fireplaces are another soulful touch to family rooms, along with private balconies, Bang & Olufsen sound systems, and very indulgent bathrooms.

‘Feels like home’ is Nimb’s philosophy, although it could just as easily be, ‘ask and you shall be given’. Nothing seems too much trouble here, whether you want magazines or fresh flowers in your room, one of the hotel chefs to rustle up a family BBQ on your balcony, a private cooking class, a fun tour of one of Copenhagen’s famous foodie districts or dazzling Tivoli Garden balloons to celebrate a special birthday.

Admittedly, most people’s homes aren’t quite as elegant and effortlessly cool as Nimb, and almost none come with a rooftop swimming pool. This latest addition to the hotel was designed by New York architects, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, so even if it didn’t have spectacular views over Copenhagen, it would still be one of the city’s most stunning new spaces.

Fabulous feasts for foodie families

Copenhagen has been an undisputed world food capital for almost 20 years, something that Nimb celebrates heroically with brilliant tours of the hippest foodie districts. It’s also right next door to Tivoli Food Hall, which is the epicentre of intriguing pop-up restaurants and definite box to tick on every gourmet to-do list.

But all of that is assuming you get beyond the hotel’s own collection of restaurants and bars, and that’s not a given, because they are all delectable in their own, very individual way.

• Danish open sandwiches are a modest description of the open-faced and multi-faceted variations on the theme served up at Fru Nimb.
• Fresh, local and seasonal vegetables star in Gemyse, Nimb’s restaurant in the heart of Tivoli Gardens.
• Nimb Brasserie serves French classics with Danish character and great views for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner.
• The hotel’s heritage ballroom is the opulent setting for Nimb Bar: think champagne and chandeliers, inventive cocktails and decadent afternoon tea, plus a six foot tall fireplace.

• Nimb Bar ‘n’ Grill promises, ‘heat, smoke and elegance’, comes good on all three, but does awesome oysters too.
• Kid’s feast with the best of them at most of Nimb’s restaurants, but you can expect them to fall head over heels for the sticky, gooey, sweet and sensational deliciousness at Cakenhagen. To call this a café is a bit of an understatement, it’s more like patisserie paradise and guarantees a minimum of 12 different cake choices every day.

The world’s second longest running amusement park opened its gates for the first time in 1843, which makes it 175 years old this year. So, fresh faced as it is, it’s also venerable enough to count Hans Christian Andersen as a one-time fan, have the oldest wooden rollercoaster still rolling, and claim to be Walt Disney’s original inspiration for Disneyland.

Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of birthday celebrations planned for 2018, which is great news if you’re a guest at Nimb, because you have free, unlimited access to the park during your stay.

But even without a special occasion to mark, Tivoli is a wonderland. Designed along the lines of a traditional amusement park, it comes good on heaps of terrifying white-knucklers, fairy-tale rides for younger kids, and then adds good old-fashioned entertainment into the mix with parades, performances, theatre, dance and fireworks, as well as a world-famous Christmas extravaganza that’s genuinely magical.

If you can tear yourself away from all the fun of the fair, Nimb is right in the city centre and surrounded by dozens of other exciting family attractions. Or you could always hire a bike for a bit and explore further, since Copenhagen is officially the world’s safest city for cycling.