In Copenhagen’s Latin Quarter, 1 Hotel Copenhagen offers a unique city escape—one rooted in wellness. Opened last year as a thoughtful reimagining of the former Skt. Petri Hotel, the 282-room property is the first 1 Hotels property in the Nordic region, bringing the brand’s nature-led ethos to one of Europe’s most design-forward capitals.
The transformation was conceived as a collaboration between Danish and international architecture and design practices. Arkitema served as the architect, with Norm Architects and AvroKO contributing as architecture and design partners, while SLA developed the landscape. The existing building, originally designed by Danish modernist architect Vilhelm Lauritzen, was reimagined with a light renovation to preserve its existing infrastructure while reducing demolition, construction waste, and emissions.
The result? A hotel grounded in Scandinavian craftsmanship and biophilic design, where organic textures, reclaimed materials, art, and native greenery merge for a calming, nature-led experience. Located at Krystalgade 22, the property also perfectly located, in proximity to Round Tower, Rosenborg Castle, Tivoli Gardens, the Botanical Garden, and the bustling Nørreport Station.
Hospitality Designed for Well-Being
Courtesy of 1 Hotel Copenhagen.
At 1 Hotel Copenhagen, nature takes center stage. A living wall over ten feet tall wraps around the terrace, creating privacy, softening noise, and bringing a sense of enclosure to the outdoor space. Inside, moss panels inspired by Danish forests appear as signage for guest rooms, and shade-adapted plants—hand-selected for their air-purifying qualities—populate corridors and private spaces.
The hotel’s indoor and outdoor greenery has been designed to create functional microhabitats, with layered groupings of trees, shrubs, groundcover, and seasonal plants supporting biodiversity and improving air quality. On the terrace, climate-adaptive species were also chosen to withstand Denmark’s shifting conditions, while moisture-retaining groundcover helps reduce irrigation needs.
Outside on the terrace, an edible herb garden also adds another layer to the ecosystem. Thyme, marjoram, peppermint, and edible flowers are grown and harvested for the kitchen, creating a direct garden-to-table connection. A bee hotel also supports biodiversity, while the property’s partnership with Copenhagen-based urban beekeeping organization ByBi extends that commitment to pollinators and the city’s wider ecosystem.
Warm Materials With a Second Life
Photo by Mikkel Vang, courtesy of 1 Hotel Copenhagen.
That philosophy carried through in the building itself. Rather than starting from scratch, the renovation prioritized what was already there. Existing furniture, fixtures, and equipment were salvaged and repurposed in partnership with Holmris, while granite stones from the original courtyard were removed, cleaned, and relaid in a new pattern. The project’s construction waste strategy was similarly deliberate, with on-site waste management achieving a 70 to 80 percent construction and demolition waste recovery rate and diverting at least 80 percent of waste from landfill.
Throughout the property, materials were selected for their longevity as much as their appearance, too. Dinesen HeartOak solid oak flooring uses slow-grown European oak, while high-traffic areas incorporate Kaswell end-grain oak flooring for added durability. In the ballroom, ReForm’s Mark of Time carpet is Cradle to Cradle Certified, bringing circular design principles into a more formal setting.
Some of the most memorable pieces are those that carry a tangible history. Benches throughout corridors, lift lobbies, and public areas are made by Danish company Thors Design from century-old Azobé timber reclaimed from decommissioned Danish wharves. The salvaged harbor posts are refurbished and remilled into furniture, retaining the weathering, markings, and irregularities created by decades of maritime use. Small tags attached to the pieces tell guests where the wood came from, turning the origin of materials into part of the experience.
Nature as an Interior Language
Photo by Mikkel Vang, courtesy of 1 Hotel Copenhagen.
Photo by Milo Brown, courtesy of 1 Hotel Copenhagen.
Inside the lobby, natural materials continue to shape the atmosphere. A reception desk carved from solid Iroko timber anchors the space, while reclaimed Dinesen flooring offcuts are incorporated into wooden surfaces throughout the public areas. Mineral-based, low-VOC paints support indoor air quality, while a locally crafted limestone hearth forms the centerpiece of a double-sided fireplace.
Oak banquettes, sustainable Kvadrat textiles, ethically sourced Sørensen leather, and bespoke lighting made from natural handmade mulberry paper reinforce the larger sustainable idea. The aesthetic is warm and tactile, but the materials do more than create a particular look. Even the hotel’s acoustic treatments carry a sustainability story, and are intended to last. Danish company Søuld transforms locally abundant eelgrass into recyclable acoustic panels that can also provide thermal and moisture-regulating properties. In guest rooms, eelgrass panels appear behind televisions, too, bringing a material rooted in Denmark’s landscape into the private spaces of the hotel.
The artwork follows suit. Danish artists and makers were invited to work with materials including wood, clay, hay, seagrass, natural yarn, and other discarded or organic elements. Pieces by artists—like Sara Martinsen, Rhoda Ting, Mikkel Bojesen, andTine Otto Møller—explore themes of regeneration, imperfection, time, and natural processes. In this context, art becomes another way for the hotel to build an emotional connection between its guests and its surroundings.
Guest Rooms Designed to Restore
Photo by Mikkel Vang, courtesy of 1 Hotel Copenhagen.
The 282 guestrooms and suites continue that thread, using Scandinavian minimalism as a framework for creating a sense of calm. Mineral-based paints, cross-sawn timber, reclaimed wood, natural cotton, linen, wool, and surplus timber are layered throughout the rooms, while expansive windows bring natural light and views of the Copenhagen skyline indoors.
Furniture and textiles were chosen with comfort and longevity in mind, including Kvadrat fabrics and eco-treated Sørensen leathers. Bespoke lighting pieces made with natural materials add warmth without overwhelming the spaces, while live greenery brings the biophilic philosophy directly into the guest experience. Practical amenities reinforce that sense of restorative living, too. Yoga mats and foam rollers are available in rooms, alongside natural cotton robes, towels, slippers, and Bamford bath products. Glass-enclosed showers, sustainably sourced bedding, and natural materials make the rooms feel more like quiet personal sanctuaries than simply places to sleep.
The sustainability measures are equally embedded in the less visible details. Bottle-fill stations and filtered drinking water encourage guests to refill rather than rely on single-use plastic. Carafes and glasses are made from recycled wine bottles, low-flow plumbing fixtures reduce water consumption, and smart thermostats help limit unnecessary energy use.
Mindfulness in the Details
Photo by Morten Froslev, courtesy of 1 Hotel Copenhagen.
For a pure focus on sustainability, the hotel has eliminated easily replaceable single-use plastics such as cups, bottles, and straws. Hangers are made from 100 percent recycled paper, while in-room chalkboards replace disposable notepads. Amenity cards are made from seed paper that guests can plant to grow wildflowers. Even the “Do Not Disturb” signs have been replaced with natural stone tokens inscribed with “Not Now.”
The hotel’s year-round “1 Less Thing” program takes the idea one step further, inviting guests to leave behind one or two gently worn pieces of clothing that can be donated to local nonprofits. Rather than simply asking guests to consume more responsibly during their stay, the program creates an opportunity to give something a second life.
Gastronomy With Intention at 1 Hotel Copenhagen
Photo by Ed Gumuchian, courtesy of 1 Hotel Copenhagen.
Photo by Ed Gumuchian, courtesy of 1 Hotel Copenhagen.
That circular thinking extends into the culinary program. At PÆRE, the hotel’s dining experience moves between bar, dining room, and terrace, with a coastal Italian-inspired kitchen shaped by seasonality and sharing. The terrace herb garden supplies the restaurant with fresh ingredients, while local sourcing plays a significant role in the hotel’s minibar program, where 62 percent of offerings are locally sourced. Ingredients come from Danish producers working across organic and regenerative agriculture, urban farming, responsible fishing, and ethical animal husbandry.
Waste is treated as another ingredient, too. In collaboration with Koji Copenhagen, leftover bakery items from breakfast are transformed into house-made miso. The hotel’s “Second Life” program repurposes spent Champagne into cocktail syrups, coffee grounds into treacle, and citrus into oleo saccharum and dehydrated garnishes. Pickling liquid becomes a component in savory cocktails, while fruit and vegetable pulp is dehydrated into edible powders. The hotel is also working with a local distillery on 1 Hotel Gin, made using leftover citrus from the breakfast buffet.
Energy, Water, and the Bigger Picture
Photo by Milo Brown, courtesy of 1 Hotel Copenhagen.
Photo by Mikkel Vang, courtesy of 1 Hotel Copenhagen.
Behind the scenes, the hotel’s environmental strategy continues through its infrastructure. The property is designed to meet LEED Gold and BREEAM Excellent certification targets, with triple-glazed windows helping to minimize heat loss and smart sensors adjusting air conditioning systems when guest rooms are unoccupied. Heating is supplied through Copenhagen’s district energy network, while electricity for hotel operations comes from 100 percent hydropower. The approach to water is similarly straightforward: use less, and make reuse easy. Low-flow showers, faucets, and toilets reduce consumption, while filtered drinking water and refill stations encourage guests to avoid bottled water.
At 1 Hotel Copenhagen, it’s clear that sustainability and well-being are not separate pursuits. Both ask us to pay close attention to what we consume, what we discard, what we surround ourselves with, and how our choices affect the world beyond ourselves. In a city already known for its progressive approach to design and sustainable living, this property bends that dialogue inward. Here, conscious living is not a sacrifice; it is designed into the experience itself.
