This blog post is written in collaboration with The Krane Copenhagen, as we stayed at The Krane free of charge. However, everything we write is solely our opinion and is not influenced by any incitement.
The background story
In 1937 danish importers of coal joined forces in a union to gain access to the coal resources in the coal mines in the east. This became the coal union named Unionkul, and the headquarter of the union was located in Nordhavn, one of the industrial areas of Copenhagen. Nordhavn translates to “Northern harbor” in English and at this habor the coal union built rail tracks and cranes to load and transport coal from the ships and into the city. Later on, the coal union acquired many of the buildings at the harbor and began to rent the space to creative companies who felt inspired by the industrial setting. Since 1987 Klaus Kastbjerg has owned the old cranes that functioned as coal cranes. He and the architect Mads Møller from Arcgency decided to come together and transform one of the old coal cranes into a hotel, spa, and corporate meeting room. They designed the crane with respect for – and in harmony with the crane’s former trade and preserved the charming history of the cranes and Unionkul.
The Krane Copenhagen
This is probably Copenhagen’s smallest and most luxurious hotel. The Krane only has one room, which means you will be the only staying guests at the hotel. The Krane is located at the very end of the pier at Copenhagen’s industrial harbor Nordhavn. It is rather isolated in this part of the city, and The Krane is, therefore, the highest point of view in this area. This means that you will have the most beautiful panoramic view of Copenhagen, the harbor, and the sea towards Sweden. In all rooms and outdoor terraces of the hotel you have the most stunning views, and every evening you can see the sun setting. When you arrive at The Krane you will be given a code, that gives you full access to all rooms at The Krane. To enter the hotel, you have to press the code on a small display and then you can lower the metal staircase to The Krane. At night, or whenever you are not at The Krane, you can rise the electric staircase from the ground yourself by entering the code. In this way, no one else but you are able to set foot in the small hotel. This is a really fun and different take on the rather basic hotel key you see everywhere else!
The Room
The room at The Krane is without comparing the most luxurious hotel room we have ever stayed at… in the entire world! Every surface in the room is painted completely black, but because the room has big panorama windows, there is so much light in the room. The black contrast just highlights the beauty and colors outside the windows. Actually, it is like the windows serve as paintings that come alive. The bed, the television and all furniture in the room is made by some of the most famous designers in Danmark and are absolutely beautiful. The comfort of the bed is out of this world. If we had a bed like that at home, we would never get up to do anything. Furthermore, the room is equipped with a beautifully designed shower on one side of the room, and a restroom on the opposite side. In both of these small rooms, there are glass ceilings, which allows endless amounts of sunshine to light up the rooms. As the cherry on top, the room also has the best minibar in the world – free of charge. The bar is filled with gourmet snacks, local delicacies, chocolates, expensive beverages, spirits, and lots of great coffee and tea. We have actually never experienced a minibar like this before, and we went a little overboard! We were like kids in a candy store. YUM.
The Facilities at The Krane
The Glass Box is a meeting room on the first floor of The Krane. It is fully equipped with everything you might need during a business meeting. Some of the features we loved in this meeting room are the high quality of Nespresso machines, the long table with electrical charging inputs and lights, the flatscreen for presentations, and of course the panoramic view of the industrial area of Nordhavn, the Harbour of Svanemøllen, and the sea towards Sweden. The meeting room can be booked by businesses during your stay, so if you wish to use it, you should talk with the concierge about booking it. On the floor above the Glass Box, you will find the spa. The spa is run by Amazing Space during the day, and during this period you are able to book spa treatments like massages and facials. During the evening, the staff is off duty, and then you have the entire spa to yourself. During sunset hour we enjoyed some chilled champagne while sitting in the bathtubs at the spa. It was such a nice and relaxing experience.
Outdoor facilities
If you want to experience some outdoor activities during your stay, The Krane offers all staying guests to borrow their two bikes and SUPs. In Copenhagen, there are bike lanes everywhere in the city, so its easy, convenient, and safe to get around on bikes. Furthermore, The Krane is located close to many of the finest restaurants in Copenhagen, and you will be able to bike there in under 10 minutes. On the pier just outside The Krane, you will find a small latter leading you from the pier and down into the water. Here you can try the SUPs or take a refreshing dip. If you need a shower before returning to The Krane, they also have an outdoor shower. Yes – they have thought about absolutely everything to make your stay as luxurious and convenient as possible.
The Breakfast at The Krane
We are BIG foodies. And therefore the breakfast at The Krane really excited us. When you stay at The Krane it is up to you to decide when you want to have your breakfast served. The breakfast will then be delivered to you, and you are able to enjoy your breakfast in the hotel room or outside on the rooftop terrace if the weather is good. The pastries are some of the best we have ever tasted in Copenhagen, and you will also be offered some yogurt and granola, amazing bread and butter, juices, and fresh fruit. This absolutely fantastic meal is one of the best hotel breakfast experiences we have ever had – and that says a lot! If you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, you should just let the concierge know.
All in all, our stay at The Krane Copenhagen has been one of our best hotel experiences of all time. We are pleased to say, that this hotel has really thought about every single detail, and therefore, really offers the best of the best for their guests. We cant wait to stay at The Krane again, and we can wholeheartedly recommend you book your stay at The Krane.
