I love secrets. Secret bars, secret gardens, secret superpowers. It’s so exciting knowing something that most others don’t. All of which explains why I fall for central Copenhagen’s Hotel Kong Arthur the very moment I learn during an arrival tour that it has a secret exit.

 

I’ll spill, but only if you promise not to tell anyone? Okay: from the Kong Arthur’s sprawling back courtyard, enter the opposite building – sister hotel Ibsens – and go straight until you hit the street. You’ll have saved five minutes if you’re heading south to nearby sites like Torvehallerne food market, the Palace and Christiania.

So I love the Kong Arthur unreservedly – although I did reserve – and almost immediately. What follows only intensifies my amour.

There’s my third-floor Spa Executive room, the name referring to its darkened, soothing tones. The bathtub, elegant bureau and thick-fabric curtains all get my approval as does, much later, one of the comfiest beds I’ve come across. Bland sidestreet views are the sole, teeny letdown; I yearn for digs facing the water or courtyard.

Further above, while we’re at it, is ApArt: a three-bed penthouse lined with exhibitions by contemporary Danish artists. Otherwise, Spa Senses rooms are the top category; ask for one with a hot tub.

There’s the three restaurants, sprinkled around the aforementioned courtyard with alfresco seating when the weather plays ball. La Rocca and Pintxos respectively dish up Italian classics and Basque tapas in formal settings, while Sticks’n’Sushi brings a casual, cafe vibe to its Japanese fare. Dinners can be charged to rooms.

There’s the interconnecting Ni’mat spa, Copenhagen’s oldest, to whose hot tub, sauna, aroma steam bath and relaxation area Kong Arthur guests have free admission. Midday’s the quietest time: I have the cushions and candle-smoke largely to myself. The spa’s open 10am-9pm daily; book in advance on weekends or for treatments (extra cost).

There are the curious, memory-making details. Plates of juicy red apples lie about suggestively. Heraldic shields and knight’s armour refer to the hotel’s name (its founder was an Arthurian fan). Soft piano music plays at sporadic points along corridors.

There’s the ‘Cozy Hour’, 5-6pm each day, during which guests can meet and mingle over a complimentary wine or beer. I gas with Henrik from Hamburg and a diminutive Parisian lady whose name I instantly forget.

And there’s the expansive lobby, stretching around a corner. With long sofas and pillows, fast Wi-Fi and a fireplace, it’s a languid, low-key place. After lazing away a few hours, I’m shamefully tempted to cancel my evening plans altogether: forego my friend, skip dinner…

Until I remember the secret exit, that is. Looking around to check no-one’s watching, I sidle off, whistling casually.

For details visit arthurhotels.dk/hotel-kong-arthur or call +45 (0)33 45 7700 to book your stay.