16 unusual places to stay in Denmark

Soak up the sunrise from this crane

There are micro-hotels, boat hotels, even yurt hotels, but have you ever heard of a crane hotel? Copenhagen's Nordhavn harbour has possibly the world's first one-room design hotel built inside an old coal crane. THEKRANE offers a complimentary car, bicycles, and even a luxury spa just for you!

(Photo: R. Hjortshøj)

Sleep in a giant beer can

Denmark's most beautiful festival, Smukfest, takes place in August each year near the town of Skanderborg. The Danish festival dates back to 1979 and as well as great music acts, you can experience sleeping in giant beer cans big enough for two people and fully furnished for a luxury festival stay!

(Photo: Smukfest)

Book the smallest hotel in the world

Hotel Central in Copenhagen gives a whole new meaning to the phrase small luxury hotel! This cute one room hotel in hip Copenhagen district, Vesterbro, is nestled above a tiny coffee shop. Book the world's smallest hotel in advance to be sure you get the room for your stay in Denmark.

(Photo: Jon Nordstrøm)

Wake up with wolves and bears

Camp in the wild at Scandinavian Wildlife Park (Scandinavisk Dyrpark) near Aarhus. Snuggle up in a unique lavvu tent, a kind of tipi used by the Sami people of northern Scandinavia, and wake up to the sounds of the wolves and bears close by. (They assure us they're in a different part of the park. So nothing to worry about.)

(Photo: Skandinavisk Dyrepark)

Find peace in the canopy by a fjord

The newest addition to our pick of unusual places to stay in Denmark, the Løvtag Treetop Cabins are a stunning place to stay in the area of outstanding natural beauty in north Jutland. The cabins are built using mainly eco-labelled TermoWood and are built around the trees, so they can keep on living as part of them. Book a cabin in the forest and enjoy views over Mariager Fjord. You’ll hopefully find that peace you’ve been looking for!

(Photo: Søren Larsen)

Sip champagne in a cliff-top hot tub

You can hire this! At the top of the dramatically beautiful chalk cliffs on the island of Møn is a little lighthouse with a cabin converted for an intimate retreat. It even has its own hot tub. Can't you just imagine yourself sitting right here, sipping champagne in front of one of Denmark's best views?

(Photo: Sascha Bendix)

Stay in a haunted castle

Today, Dragsholm Castle is a luxury boutique hotel in beautiful countryside near Odsherred in West Zealand. But the castle has a long history and has not one, but three of its own ghosts! Spend the night with the Grey Lady and Dragsholm Castle's other (friendly) ghosts.

(Photo: VisitOdsherred)

Spend a night in jail

Not normally something we would recommend, but the Old Jailhouse is an atmospheric building in the centre of Ribe, Denmark's oldest town. The old cells have been converted into modern hotel rooms but you still get the sense of the history of the building and a unique night's sleep.

(Photo: Destination Vadehavskysten)

Get locked up in Horsens

Ribe isn't the only place with a prison hotel - you can also stay overnight in one of 22 original jail cells at SleepIn Fængslet in Horsens. This time the vibe is less 'boutique hotel' and more 'Jail House Rock' - the real prison atmosphere is still intact, with prisoner graffiti on the walls and the original cell radios still in working order.

(Photo: VisitHorsens)

Live in an Iron Age camp

The Land of Legends, close to Roskilde in West Zealand, is a fantastic open air museum. In the summer, you can take your family and stay in the Iron Age village. The only catch is you must live as they did in the Iron Age! So say goodbye to mod cons and hello to a unique summer holiday.

(Photo: VisitLejre)

Take a prairie wagon holiday

For the ultimate in relaxed do-it-yourself holidays with the family, why not hire a traditional prairie wagon and explore Denmark's laid-back countryside? Head out on small country lanes and stop off in local villages to really experience Danish culture.

(Photo: VisitSvendborg)

Sleep in a design shelter

On the southern tip of the island of Fyn you can camp in style in one of several swank-looking shelters designed by architecture firm LUMO. While the design is definitely sleek and modern looking, you'll still need to bring along food and your trusty sleeping bag.

(Photo: Michael Fiukowski & Sarah Moritz)

See Copenhagen from a harbour boat hotel

Take in panoramic city views on your next visit to Copenhagen, from this Copenhagen hotel boat, CPH Living, located right at the heart of the harbour. There are 12 double rooms to choose from in this unique hotel and it's a great way to see Copenhagen from a new angle!

(Photo: CPH Living)

Spend the night in a Surfshack

Wake up to peaceful views of Lynæs beach, in a surfshack located just 100 metres from the ocean, under stunning treetops and in between bushes of wild flowers. It is the perfect place for a day filled with beach adventures, and spa activities after a chilling swim in the sea.

(Photo: Cornelius Ledang)

Glamping among elephants

Stay in a luxury tent at the Knuthenborg Manor estate, Scandinavia’s largest safari park with exotic wildlife. With views over the savannah from your private wooden porch, you can watch the wildlife at night-time, including four former circus elephants enjoying their new-found freedom.

(Photo: Knuthenborg Safaripark)

Sleep by the waterfront

Stay in a wooden boathouse floating on two pontoons with a private boat berth and wake up to views of Copenhagen's swimmable waterways. This tiny floating house is the perfect urban getaway for those seeking to explore Copenhagen in an eco-friendly way.

(Photo: kajhotel)