WARM AND COZY!
5.0…read more
There really isn't a word for it in English. The Danes call it hygge, pronounced "hoo-gah." It is best described as a feeling of coziness. It's the warmth one feels while sipping coffee or chatting with friends. It's the enjoyment of drinking wine while basking in the glow of candlelight. No wonder they are among the happiest people in the world.
Here, at 25Hours... the feeling is hygge.
Our February trip was centered around dining during Noma's Ocean Season. This was a huge bucket list item for us to check off... and we did. The Ocean Season included the month of February, when it was still cold.
As they say, "There is no bad weather, just bad clothing." It was the tail end of winter, and the daytime temperatures were in the mid-40s. The skies were mostly clear, with a few scattered showers on a couple of days, and there was no wind chill to contend with. Coming from California, temperatures in the 40s are cold, but we came prepared. We wore layers, down jackets, and shearling-lined boots.
The 25Hours building itself has a nearly 300-year history with various purposes, first serving as a Royal Tailor's Mansion before later housing the Faculties of Law and Theology as part of the University of Copenhagen.
With every turn, the intrigue of this hotel abounds: the first elevator I had ever ridden in with a stool and table to resemble a café; colorful sitting areas with oversized pillow loungers; eclectic wallpaper; a vinyl record room; thoughtful writings on the walls; a room filled with typewriters; a sculpture made of books; a stunning full bar serving as the building's centerpiece; and even a vending machine stocked with adult products. It's quite the fun, visual playground for the senses.
The location is perfect, too. It's close to luxury shopping, dining, and TorvehallerneKBH (the farmers' market), all within walking distance. We even strolled to Kongens Have (the King's Garden), Frederik's Church, Amalienborg, and the colorful Nyhavn. We also enjoyed having afternoon tea in Cafe Duse which is conveniently located in the hotel.
Our room's floor was covered in beautiful herringbone hardwood flooring. One wall was black with chalk-like script depicting a map. The beautifully decorated room, with warm tones of soft reds, greens, and oranges, created such a cozy, restful environment. It was fun returning to our room to be greeted by the stuffed Viking toy on our bed, browsing through books on urban foraging and taxidermy, making a cup of in-room drip coffee using a glass beaker, looking through the Image3D Custom Retro Viewfinder, and feeling amused while using the room's rotary dial telephone.
The most entertaining item in our room was the multi-message door hanger. Depending on our mood, we displayed messages such as, "I tried to decorate; it went terribly wrong," "It might not look like it, but it was fun," "Sometimes it's better not to know," "Remember the movie The Hangover? This is worse," and "This is the 25Hours Hotel. I need the extra hour."
The hotel is fairly quiet, with few staff members walking around. However, we received everything we asked for, and check-in was pleasant thanks to the friendly staff.
I loved staying here. It holds wonderful memories of our Copenhagen trip. The warmth and coziness embody the ideals of hygge. It's true, twenty-four hours in a day are never enough.
