Denmark Spa Guide: The Best Spas in Copenhagen
Copenhagen, Denmark. [Photo credit: Maksym Potapenko]
Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital city, sits on the islands of Zealand and Amager, just across the water from the Swedish hub of Malmö. The bustling city center has a long history, experiencing the ebbs and flows of modernized development in the years following its initial establishment as a Viking fishing village in the 10th century, getting hit by plagues and large fires, facing battles and occupation during the wars of the 19th and 20th centuries, and so on.
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Today, some 1.4 million people call the Copenhagen area home amid its striking landmarks like the Tivoli Gardens and the 17th-century Rosenborg Castle, the pastel-colored buildings that line the canals in historic Nyhavn, art and cultural museums, restaurants and bakeries, and notable collection of thrifting outlets. And of course, seeing the city by bike is practically a must—although perhaps a bit daunting for newcomers. During the early morning and late afternoon rush hours as students and workers make their way to and from school or work, these bike lanes can fill up quickly. So, best to get out later in the morning to cruise at your own pace.
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Take a break from the two wheels and hop on a boat for a canal tour to see the city by water—or rent a kayak to paddle your own way through the waterways. Experience the story of Copenhagen’s architectural history by stopping at places like The Royal Danish Play House or BaneGaarden, the latter of which comprises nine large wooden barns, a greenhouse, and more than three acres of green space. And don’t skip out on the Neoclassical buildings, canal houses, and mansions that like the waterways in Nyhavn.
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And when you’re in need of some peace and quiet, pay a visit to one of the city’s stellar spa and wellness outlets. Ranging from five-star hotels to historic stone caverns that seem to bring you back in time, the options are as diverse as they are plenty. Consider this a guide to just a collection of that diversity and see just what Copenhagen has to offer for rejuvenation and respite.
Read to on to discover picks for the best spas in Copenhagen in our Denmark spa guide and find the best flight deals when booking your next travel getaway
Aire Ancient Baths Copenhagen
Ny Carlsberg Vej 101, 1799, Copenhagen, Denmark; (+45) 80-83-06-10
Housed in the former Carlsberg brewery which dates to 1881, Aire Ancient Baths Copenhagen brings you back in time with its archways and brick stone interior lined with sparkling pools to soak and refresh. Similar Aire outlets are operated in historic buildings in London, England; Barcelona and Almería, Spain; and others, all of which bring history and wellness together for an experience that will have you feeling as though you’re in great cities of old.
In Copenhagen, the Orange Garden is a 35-minute body massage in tribute to Aire’s signature fragrance, Orange Garden. The Love Myself is a 45-minute massage using basalt stones and soothing oils paired with a tour of its thermal baths—which include a hot bath (Caldarium), a cold bath (Frigidarium), a warm bath (Tepidarium), a jetted bath (Balneum), an aromatic steam bath (Vaporium), a foot bath (Pediluvium), and a salt bath (Flotarium).
Offered only in Copenhagen, the Beer Soak is exactly what it sounds like—paired with a tour of the thermal baths, guests will have a 30-minute private soak in a tub of beer. The beverage contains certain vitamins and minerals, saccharides, and yeast, all of which make it a natural cleanser and help the body dissolve dead skin cells and increase elasticity. The Beer Soak is followed by a 15-minute cranial massage, all the while sipping on a complimentary Carlsberg beer.
Other services at Aire Ancient Baths Copenhagen include the Ancient Argan Massage, the Himalayan Salt Ritual, the Ultimate Blossom Ritual, a more expansive Signature Beer Experience, and several others.
Arndal Spa & Fitness
Store Kongensgade 21, 1264, Copenhagen, Denmark; (+45) 33-33-02-42
Owned by personal trainer Lotte Arndal, Arndal Spa & Fitness is a peaceful day spa focused on enriching massage therapies, cosmetic treatments, and fitness opportunities in addition to an on-site sauna to sweat out the day’s stresses. The outlet is tucked just southeast of the Rosenborg Castle, Botanical Gardens, and National Gallery of Denmark along a street filled with local restaurants and cocktail bars.
When eyeing Arndal’s massage menu, customers will find an array of options that cater well to diverse needs. Stick to the basics with the Classic Massage comprising finger pressure, stroking, and petrissage techniques targeting the body’s upper muscle layer; you can select from 25 minutes, 55 minutes, or an hour and 25 minutes in length.
Is your neck feeling a bit achy, perhaps from looking up at pieces of striking artwork at a nearby museum? The Arndal Neck & Shoulders massage is just a quick 25-minute service targeting these areas plus the back to relax muscles. The Hot Stone Massage uses 54 lava stones heated to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and, together with a soothing oil, used to penetrate the muscles and melt away tension from head to toe.
For something a bit more all-encompassing, consider one of Arndal’s Spa Packages, which include Spa & Brunch, Arndal Afternoon Tea, Total Body Wellness, and Winter Retreat, among others. The latter is right on time as winter sets in, and it begins with 10 to 15 minutes of alone time in the sauna followed by a full-body exfoliation while lying on a heated massage bench. The therapist will then move into a full-body massage using warm coconut oil, topped off with a relaxing scalp massage to end the treatment.
Hot Tub Copenhagen
Refshalevej 325, 1432, Copenhagen, Denmark; (+45) 31-77-15-30
While the pairing of a sauna and hot tub is a sensible combination, throwing bungee jumping into the mix might create a sense of reasonable confusion and curiosity. At Hot Tub Copenhagen, guests get access to all three.
The five available hot tubs are docked right on the water and set to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, after which you can take a quick dip in the ice tub to cool off for free, and each tub can accommodate up to six people if you care to bring friends or family along. Sip on champagne, rosé, beer, or glögg—a Nordic spiced wine punch made with whiskey and rum—if you’re booking around Christmas.
The saunas are also perched right along the water, offering a view of the Copenhagen skyline and waterfront through a large glass window. Rentable by the hour during the winter, the saunas can accommodate up to six people. Guests can purchase drinks like champagne if you’re feeling celebratory, along with the sauna booking; or beverages can be purchased on-site.
Now the offer that sets this wellness outlet apart: bungee jumping. While it’s not your typical spa experience, it will certainly get your heart rate pumping if you need some action after relaxing in the hot sauna or tub. You can go solo as a single jumper or bring a friend and do the tandem jump that straps two people in to take the leap together. Available seasonally, the bungee jumping window is from May to October.
Ni’mat Spa at Hotel Kong Arthur
Nørre Søgade 11, 1370, Copenhagen, Denmark; (+45) 33-45-77-20
With a facade that appears as though it’s right out of a Wes Anderson film, Hotel Kong Arthur is housed in a historic building constructed in 1882 as an apprentice dormitory. Today, it’s a boutique hotel with 214 guest rooms, each designed with their own unique character and adornments, alongside a spa, fitness center, and on-site dining.
In the morning, guests can explore a Nordic breakfast buffet spotlighting ingredients from the local region. Explore flavors beyond Denmark at one of Hotel Kong Arthur’s three distinctive restaurants—La Rocca serves up Italian fare, Pintxos features Spanish cuisine, and Sticks ‘n’ Sushi provides delectable Japanese sushi. Then grab a drink at the lobby bar, which offers a menu of spirits and cocktails.
If you’re ready for some TLC, head to the hotel’s Ni’mat Spa, which features a water temple comprising an aromatic steam room, sauna, and hot tub. If you stay in one of the hotel’s spa executive suites, you’ll receive one complimentary entry to the water temple per night for an hour each; otherwise, you can book the water temple separately.
Additional services at the spa include a hair treatment, which entails a spa hostess applying a series of repairing and moisturizing hair products, after which you’ll spend a few minutes relaxing in the sauna; then there is also a warm body wrap treatment; a facial ritual comprising a cleansing, two face masks, and a moisturizer; and a foot ritual.
Nimb Wellness at Nimb Hotel
Bernstorffsgade 5, 1577, Copenhagen, Denmark; (+45) 88-70-00-00
A small hotel with big offerings, Nimb Hotel is home to just 38 guest rooms and suites—all but one of which overlook the iconic Tivoli Gardens, the second-oldest amusement park in the world dating to 1843.
The eye-catching, Forbes Five-Star property is housed within a historic early-20th-century Moorish-inspired Historicist-style building, an artistic design style that seeks to emulate those found throughout history in combination with present aesthetics. That architectural beauty is brought to the interior as well; each guest room is individually designed and decorated with hand-picked items and antiques to make each guest’s stay unique in itself.
In addition, Nimb Hotel features yoga mats in all guest rooms for visitors to have some personal wellness time if they so choose, with access to booking a personal trainer or yoga instructor through the hotel’s wellness outlet, Nimb Wellness, if desired.
Spanning more than 3,000 square feet in size, Nimb Wellness also provides a hammam, steam area, relaxation space, and a spa for specialized treatments and massages. The Moroccan hammam consists of a vaulted, heated steam bath and provides complimentary salt scrubs made with lavender and essential oils.
One therapy to note is the MLX i3 Triple Detox Therapy, which uses infrared therapy to kick-start skin rejuvenation and cellular regeneration via boosted blood circulation. The Cryo Mask treatment lasts just three minutes and is meant to reduce facial swelling, tighten the facial skin, and stimulate collagen production. Body treatments span several massage options, from a traditional full-body massage and a sports massage to the Quick Fix, which targets the neck, shoulders, back, and/or legs in a quick 30-minute service.
Then there is the Globetrotter Series, which offers a menu of massage therapies from places around the world—options include the Nimb’s Signature Massage inspired by traditional Balinese technique; the Aloha Massage inspired by Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage; Japanese Lifting, which pulls from Chinese and Japanese acupressure techniques; Tibetan Sound Bath and Healing, which combines Lomi Lomi massage therapy with Tibetan singing bowls; the Hilot, which pays homage to indigenous Filipino healing traditions; and several others.
Additional services at Nimb Wellness include acupuncture, lymphatic drainage, foot massages, body scrubs, yoga, and scalp and head massages, among others. There is also a fully-equipped gym with Technogym machines and TRX equipment, and access to a hot room—kept at nearly 94 degrees Fahrenheit—for cardio training.
The Amazing Space Spa at Hotel d’Angleterre
d’Angleterre Kongens Nytorv 34, 1050, Copenhagen, Denmark; (+45) 33-12-00-95
Stately Victorian architecture and modern Nordic design find harmony together at Hotel d’ Angleterre, a 265-year-old hotel in Copenhagen’s city center, originally built in 1755. The historic landmark features Michelin One-Star restaurant Marchal, the Balthazar Champagne Bar, the Amazing Space spa, and a collection of opulent guest rooms and suites. Here, guests will be just steps from notable must-sees such as the Royal Theatre, King’s Garden, and Strøget, one of Europe’s longest shopping streets.
Marchal houses the roots of the hotel’s origins, the result of a love story between Jean Marchal and Maria Coppy who came together both romantically and professionally to open a restaurant that would soon expand beyond its culinary borders to become what d’Angleterre is today. Run by Executive Chef Alexander Baert, Marchal fuses passion and culinary artistry together to pay homage to the couple that created it, serving up distinct Nordic fare made with classic French techniques.
Over at Balthazar, the atmosphere is centered on the celebration of Champagne with a menu of more than 200 bottles to explore. Go beyond Champagne and sip on some of its signature cocktails such as the Downton Abbey, or stick to a classic like the Espresso Martini.
When you’re ready to wind down, The Amazing Space at d’Angleterre provides a relaxing indoor pool, fitness studio, and a collection of skilled therapists able to massage sore muscles and give the body an overall reboot—leaving you feeling like your best self.
Services here to note include treatments like the Detox Body Wrap, which begins with a deep massage of the back, neck and shoulders. A body mask made with enriching seaweed is then applied to boost cellular metabolism, followed by a body polish from head to toe using crushed seeds, salt, and herbs.
The Nordic Stone Massage uses heated lava stones for deep, stress-relieving massages in tandem with organic aromatherapy oils of your choice. Choose Detox for eucalyptus and juniper berries oil; Sun Rise for orange, lime, and ginger oils; or Sun Set for rose, geranium, and lavender oils. Additional services at The Amazing Space include facials, hand and foot massages, and other cosmetic services.
[Photos courtesy of spas and resorts]
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Amanda Christensen is a writer and editor based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with experience covering a range of business, lifestyle, and tourism topics. She has a passion for traveling and experiencing the world through a multitude of lenses, using her work to share with readers how they might best accomplish that themselves. View her work at amandachristensen.journoportfolio.com.