Hotel Neptun

Back in 1851, when this hotel was established and used as an illegal hideout for outlaws, the password “Neptune” would grant you entry. Today, the modern Hotel Neptune is located in the same white building and is now frequented by sightseers, tourists, and business travelers. Set in a white building with an entrance flanked by Danish flags, the Hotel Neptune blends in easily with the rest of the block. Inside, the entry and reception areas are largely basic but tasteful, with white walls, tiled floors, and Persian rugs, while hallways through the hotel are narrow and feature generic hotel carpeting. The highlight of the common spaces is the stylish lounge, located in a sunlit atrium at the center of the building, with suspended hanging lights, a tiled floor adorned with a Persian rug, plants, and sitting areas. Charming awnings and planters hang from guest bedroom windows that face the atrium. This room, along with a dedicated dining area, serve as a breakfast area during morning hours, so it can be overrun with guests.

The Hotel Neptune is ideally located in central Copenhagen about one block from the water, and it's in easy walking distance to a plethora of cafes, restaurants, and tourist attractions. Bus stops and the Kongens Nytorv St. Metro are under 10 minutes away on foot, but the Hotel Neptune's location is so central to Copenhagen hotspots that travelers willing to walk up to 20 minutes may never need to use public transportation to reach attractions. Most guests’ only complaint about the Hotel Neptune’s location is the noisy street construction, which is going on right outside of the hotel and will continue into 2016.

• Three-minute walk to Amalienborg (Queen’s winter residence)
• Four-minute walk to Nyhaven
• Four-minute walk to bus stop
• Seven-minute walk to Kongens Nytorv St. Metro
• 15-minute walk to Strøget shopping area
• 20-minute walk to National Museum of Denmark (13 minutes via public transportation)
• 20-minute walk to The Little Mermaid statue (also 20 minutes via public transportation)
• 20-minute walk to Tivoli (15 minutes via public transportation)
• 20 minutes to Copenhagen Central Station via public transportation
• 20 minutes to Copenhagen Airport via public transportation

Rooms are basic but tasteful with a wallpapered accent wall, long drapes, and modern pops of color like velvety lime-green pillows or bright purple curtains. Standard Single Rooms and Small Double Rooms are tiny and mostly just have space to sleep, though this is typical of mid-range Copenhagen hotels. Bathrooms are basic with white tiled walls, a wet-room style shower, and wall-mounted pumps in lieu of individual toiletries. Some of the larger rooms contain a small sitting area and a bathtub, while all rooms have a flat-screen TV, desk, iron and ironing board, hairdryer, safe, and minibar. Few rooms have air-conditioning or in-room coffee service, and the Wi-Fi costs extra, though guests say the connection is strong throughout the hotel. 

Light sleepers should bring earplugs -- the most frequent complaint from guests is the noise-level, which can come from the atrium-style lobby for those in interior rooms and from the construction going on outside during the weekdays in street-facing rooms. 

The Hotel Neptune offers several stylish common areas including an atrium-style lounge at the center of the hotel and an outdoor roof terrace, which is sparse and lacks views, but has a few wicker-chaired seating areas for enjoying the weather. 

The hotel's simple but modern breakfast room has wood-beam ceilings, wooden floors, and sconce lighting. The Scandinavian-style breakfast buffet costs extra, but it's all organic with a generous selection of fruit, bread, cold cuts, cereal, cheese, and more -- though the highlight is the fresh-squeezed orange juice you can make yourself. This dining area also serves coffee, tea, and light snacks for free in the early afternoon, and free newspapers are available in the common areas on weekdays. There are also two computers in the lobby for guest use.

Other amenities have an extra fee, including Wi-Fi, copying and faxing services, room service, laundry service, and on-site bike rentals.