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The Best Cheap Hotels in Copenhagen for a Budget-Friendly City Break – From £41 a Night
This Scandinavian city has a reputation for being pricey, but these options demonstrate that Copenhagen can be explored for less without sacrificing quality or experience. Laura Hall, Tuesday 07 April 2026 10:49 BST.
A break to Copenhagen can indeed be budget-friendly with the right accommodation choice, as illustrated by Getty Images/iStockphoto. The idea of Copenhagen on a budget might initially seem surprising, given its status as Scandinavia's hippest city, known for high costs in hotels, design, and dining. However, it's more about value—you truly get what you pay for. While very few hotels cost under £100 per night, stretching to around £150 reveals a handful of budget design stays and charming small hotels in the Danish capital.
Booking early, ideally three months ahead of travel, is advisable due to the Danish penchant for organisation and forward planning. Consider accommodations with kitchen or self-catering facilities to reduce food costs, such as youth hostels, which are plentiful in the city.
How to Save Money in Copenhagen
Copenhagen is a compact city, making exploration on foot entirely free. Additional cost-free activities include swimming in harbour pools, hiking up Copenhill's unique ski slope route, and enjoying communal dinners at spots like Absalon. Staying slightly outside the city centre can also save a krona or two.
For the best hotel deals, travel during weekdays rather than weekends, as city break spots tend to be more expensive on Saturdays and Sundays. The off-season, particularly February, offers the lowest prices for hotel rooms in Copenhagen.
Laura Hall has curated a list of favourite budget hotels in Copenhagen for 2026. For other hotel categories, such as family-friendly, overall best, LGBT+ friendly, and luxury options, refer to our comprehensive guides.
Best Cheap Hotels in Copenhagen at a Glance
- Best hotel for families: Scandic Kødbyen hotel
- Best hotel for couples: Kanalhuset hotel
- Best boutique hotel: 66 Guldsmeden hotel
- Best central budget hotel: Motel One hotel
1. Kanalhuset Hotel
Simple rooms and reclaimed furniture create a practical yet charming stay at Kanalhuset. This historic house, dating back to 1754, is located in glorious Christianshavn overlooking a canal. Its cosy bar and communal dining restaurant attract both locals and visitors, with 12 boutique bedrooms on the well-lit basement floor. Suitable for families and groups, some rooms sleep up to five, featuring basic furnishings like beds, wardrobe racks, and occasional furniture. Fourteen larger apartments on upper floors include kitchenettes, living rooms, and dining areas. Decor boasts a boutique, reclaimed-retro vibe with pieces from flea markets, private collections, and auctions, including graphic print wall hangings and velvet-upholstered sofas. It's an ideal spot to live like a local, though it lacks lifts and modern conveniences.
Address: Overgaden Oven Vandet 62a, Christianshavn
Price: From £105
2. Zoku Copenhagen Hotel
Zoku Copenhagen, launched in 2021 by Dutch design brand Zoku, is an affordable choice for digital nomads. This hybrid-hotel chain caters to post-pandemic desires for work-from-home spaces, featuring a large, lush communal bar-hangout-work area on the top floor. It attracts digital nomads and solo travellers who gather for communal evening meals. Instead of standard rooms, it offers mini apartments set up like studio spaces with raised loft beds, kitchen-living-dining areas with four-seater tables, and bathrooms. Guests can personalise their space by selecting artwork from the hotel's collection. The lively international atmosphere and spacious setup make it great value, though its location in the modern Ørestad area requires a 10 to 15-minute metro ride to the city centre.
Address: Amagerfælledvej 108, Amager Vest
Price: From £158
3. Scandic Kødbyen Hotel
Scandic is one of Copenhagen's most budget-friendly chains, with 13 locations in the city. Scandic Kødbyen, on the fringe of the Meatpacking District, places guests in the heart of bar and nightlife action, a short stroll from Vesterbro. It features a cocktail bar, hip gym, and a "meaty" vibe with wall decorations celebrating marbled beef and marble slabs in bathrooms, nodding to the district's butchery history. Rooms are comfortable and stylish, with family rooms offering kids' loft beds above the main bedroom. This hotel is great for families and welcomes pets.
Address: 3 Skelbækgade, Vesterbro
Price: From £82
4. 66 Guldsmeden Hotel
For a more unusual stay, seek out the cosy caravans at 66 Guldsmeden. Known for its eco-appeal, this Danish chain uses responsibly sourced bed linens and offers fantastic locally-sourced organic breakfasts. Styled with a Balinese vibe rather than typical Danish Design, it features flowing curtains and dark wood four-poster beds. Located in Vesterbro, this 74-room hotel has Airstream caravans in the inner courtyard and an optimistic orangerie for a tropical feel. The smallest bedrooms are the cheapest but still pretty, with four-poster beds, Moroccan-style kilim rugs, and modern white-tiled bathrooms. Check-out is at 12pm, later than many city hotels.
Address: Vesterbrogade 66, Vesterbro
Price: From £109
5. Motel One Copenhagen Hotel
Motel One styles itself as a modern interpretation of a Mid Century design hotel, but its prime location is the standout feature. Situated steps from the Town Hall, National Museum, and Christiansborg Castle, and a short walk from Nyhavn boat tours, it offers excellent value. Bedrooms are minimal and simple with peacock-patterned bed covers, referencing the peacocks at nearby Tivoli Gardens, and a palette of sensible neutrals, navys, and pinks. It also offers compact single rooms, which are rare in the city. A simple breakfast room, dimly-lit bar, and green garden courtyard complete the experience.
Address: Løngangstræde 27, Copenhagen
Price: From £95
6. Ibis Styles Hotel
Bright and cheerful, Ibis Styles is a budget design hotel in the Orestad area, a 15-minute metro ride from the airport and city centre. While slightly out of the action, it costs a fraction of central hotels and features fresh, fun decor with neon lights and graffiti in the lobby-lounge area, plus nature-inspired wallpaper. Bedrooms overlook Copenhagen's largest green space, Amager Fælled, with walking and cycling paths. The neighbouring streets lack charm, but an exceptional bakery, Andersen, is next door. The hotel serves as a great base for exploring, with bike rentals available.
Address: 47 Orestads Boulevard, Amager Vest
Price: From £94
7. CPH Living Hotel
Experience houseboat living at CPH Living, a maritime-styled 12-room boat hotel off Islands Brygge. This converted barge offers quirky fun, with a rooftop terrace providing panoramic harbour views. Bedrooms feature coastal colours, hidden storage, and showers with sea views, available as singles or doubles. The communal lobby doubles as a breakfast room, and in summer, guests can sunbathe on the rooftop and stroll to harbour swimming pools.
Address: Langebrogade 1A, Copenhagen K
Price: From £126
8. Generator Hostel
Located just off the old town near Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn harbour, Generator Hostel is ideal for bar hopping. It offers more than typical hostels, with standard dormitories but vibrant communal spaces. The main bar area is design-led, colourful, and welcoming, featuring a petanque court and shuffleboard centre. It caters to all, with family rooms sleeping four, private doubles, and dorms for four, six, or eight beds, though it can be noisy at night.
Address: Adelgade 5-7, Copenhagen
Price: From £49
9. Copenhagen Island Hotel
Set on an artificial island with fantastic water views from its 326 rooms, Copenhagen Island is favoured by business travellers and holidaymakers. Design references sailboats with yacht-like rosewood mini bars and metallic ship masts in bedside tables, using a calming pale duck egg blue palette. Rooms are compact, but upgrades to executive or junior suites offer more space and balconies. Its location provides a short stroll to the Meatpacking District for dinner and a quiet retreat for sleep.
Address: Kalvebod Brygge 53, Vesterbro
Price: From £85
10. Wake Up Copenhagen Hotel
The best location-wise in Wake Up Copenhagen's chain is on Bernstorffsgade, a towering concrete building with 585 rooms over 11 floors, situated between the harbour and central station near Tivoli Gardens. Rooms are simple, white, and clean with graphic design-style curtains. While lacking charm, it offers access to the city at low prices, with standard rooms on lower floors being cheapest and higher floors providing better views. Double, triple, and family rooms sleeping four are available, plus bike rentals and a basic 24-hour cafe in the lobby.
Address: Bernstorffsgade, Copenhagen
Price: From £77
11. Danhostel CPH City Hotel
Danhostel CPH City, located on a busy road but steps from the harbour, offers pocket-friendly prices. This large hostel with 192 rooms suits solo travellers, groups, and families, offering triples, four-bed rooms, small apartments, and family rooms. Amenities include a bar, breakfast buffet, kitchen and laundry facilities, and pet-friendly policies. Though not characterful, top-floor views span the entire harbour.
Address: H. C. Andersens Blvd 50, Copenhagen
Price: From £41
Why Trust Us
The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by The Independent's expert travel writer, Laura Hall, who possesses deep knowledge of Copenhagen. Our hotel experts either reside in these locations or visit frequently, ensuring a personal and informed perspective. When choosing hotels, they consider personal stays, evaluating location, facilities, service, and other details crucial for an exceptional experience for all traveller types.
FAQs
What is the currency in Copenhagen? Copenhagen uses the Danish krone.
Is it worth hiring a car or using public transport? Copenhagen's four metro lines operate 24/7. The city is best explored by bike, though inexperienced cyclists should avoid busy streets during rush hour. Hiring a car is useful for day trips, but national trains are also an option.
Where to shop in Copenhagen: Stroget is notable for Illum department store, HAY design store, and high street shops. For boutique and vintage shopping, check out Pilestræde, Blågårdsgade, Jægersborggade, and Elmegade.
What is Copenhagen most famous for? Key landmarks include the Little Mermaid Statue on Langelinie promenade, based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale; Tivoli Gardens, one of the world's oldest amusement parks; and Freetown Christiania, a hippie settlement founded in 1971.
Where to eat and drink in Copenhagen: The city boasts impressive coffee bars and bakeries like The Coffee Collective, Andersen & Maillard, Juno, Hart, Lille, and Meyers Bageri. Popular foods include smørrebrød, Danish hot dogs, and natural wine. For diverse options, visit Reffen street food market, the largest in the Nordics, overlooking the waterfront.
