Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport in Kastrup, Denmark [In-depth Review]

I’ve heard the accolades of upscale accommodations and the good value that can be had when booking select Choice Hotel properties in Scandinavian countries. It wasn’t until a friend recommended I stay at the Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport on a recent layover that I understood the hype.

Since I had a United Airlines flight credit from a previously canceled trip and United PlusPoints to apply to the reservation for business class upgrades, I was able to make the journey on a comfortable flight to Copenhagen in business class.

I also had plenty of Choice Privileges points burning a hole in my pocket — which I decided to use for booking a return stay at the Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport. This time, I’d use the hotel as a base and take the extra time to write a review of my stay.

Hotel Location

The Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport couldn’t be more conveniently located for those needing an airport hotel in Copenhagen. It’s just outside of Copenhagen Airport (CPH) Terminal 3, so you won’t need to take a shuttle or cab to an off-airport location.

After landing and clearing immigration and customs, I walked out of the airport, crossed the street, and was at the hotel within a few minutes. I also utilized the indoor walkway over the street, on a separate occasion, to journey back to the airport, but it did take a few minutes longer. In colder weather, the indoor walkway would obviously be the better choice.

I saw the signs for the hotel immediately after exiting the baggage area at Terminal 3. At the second sign, I exited the building through the revolving door and walked directly to the hotel. You can also use the escalators that provide transit over the street to the side where the hotel is located. The street does have a light and crosswalk, which makes it easy to cross.

Passengers who arrive at Terminal 2 can reach the hotel by walking a short distance to Terminal 3 which is closely connected by a hallway. You’ll see signs for the hotel once you’re in Terminal 3.

Booking

Whenever it makes sense, I always attempt to book my hotel stays using points. For the nights I wanted for my May 2023 stay, the Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport cost 20,000 Choice Privileges points per night.

The cash price for the nights I stayed at the hotel was about $400 (kr2,690) per night, although I have seen rooms go for less than $200 per night. If you were paying with cash, consider one of our recommended best credit cards for travel purchases.

We estimate the value of Choice Privileges points at approximately 0.6 cents each. The 20,000 points per night rate I paid actually resulted in me getting more than 2 cents per point in value, which is fantastic.

One of the reasons I love Choice Privileges points is that they’re easy to accumulate by transferring Citi ThankYou Points. A $1,000 bonus-category earning purchase at a grocery store, for example, with a card such as my Citi Premier^® Card, can result in 3,000 ThankYou Points. Those 3,000 ThankYou Points transfer at the rate of 1:2 to Choice Privileges, resulting in 6,000 Choice Privileges points. It doesn’t take long to create a large number of points for booking a hotel stay.

Hot Tip:

Check out our detailed articles on the Choice Privileges loyalty program, including tips for earning and redeeming points.

Check-in and Elite Benefits

A few weeks before my stay at the Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport, I had the brilliant idea of status-matching my Hilton Honors Diamond status to Choice Privileges Platinum elite status. I was anxious to see if my new-found status with Choice Privileges made a difference compared to my previous stay at the hotel without status.

At check-in, I found that my plan had a major flaw. The Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport is a Nordic Choice hotel and although you can use Choice Privileges points to book these properties, no benefits are extended to Choice Privileges elite members.

I was also informed that Nordic Choice Hotels rebranded as Strawberry Hospitality Group on May 22, 2023, and additional changes are forthcoming. As of the time of writing this article, you could still book hotels that were previously part of Nordic Choice Hotels using Choice Privileges points.

Fortunately, I had booked a superior room and it included breakfast, so even without elite benefits, all was well for this hotel stay.

In addition to checking in at the reception desk, I had the option for self check-in at the kiosks. This would be a nice option if I had wanted to avoid any line for check-in (there wasn’t any when I arrived) or if I frequented the hotel and was familiar with all it had to offer.

I would also have the option to use the kiosks for express checkout.

The lobby had a wide-open floor plan, was well-lit, and had high ceilings, all of which made it feel very welcoming.

Amenities

Ni’mat Spa

The Ni’mat Spa was open from 3 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends. Treatments included 8 massage choices, such as hot stone massages, or a milk bath with Champagne and fruit.

Access to the Oriental Water Temple steam room was included with every treatment as well as the use of the saltwater pool.

Massages started at around $125 (kr850) for 50 minutes for the classic deep tissue option. The spa facilities were available to hotel guests for a fee of $36 (kr250) or to non-guests for $50 (kr350). Children under 16 were not allowed in the spa.

Fitness Room

The hotel fitness room was open 24/7 and had a nice selection of equipment for cardio and weightlifting.

With natural lighting and a forest mural, the room was a pleasant space.

Outdoor Activities

Each Wednesday at 8 a.m. the hotel organizes a 6-kilometer morning run for the purpose of picking up trash along the trails near Kastrup Harbor and Amager Beach. This is known as plogging, a new sport that began in Sweden in 2016.

Guests can also walk or run the trails surrounding the hotel on their own at any time. Trails range from easy to expert level and offer scenic views.

Business Center and Meeting Rooms

I have to say, it’s been a long time since I’ve been to a hotel with an actual business center, let alone a staffed business center. The Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport has a full-service business center to support its conference and meeting clients and hotel guests.

With 8 meeting rooms for large groups, 28 for smaller groups, and 383 guest rooms, the hotel can accommodate anything from a small meeting to a large conference, wedding, or trade show for up to 2,150 attendees.

I was able to sneak a peek at one of the spacious meeting rooms.

The hotel can also provide complete catering for any meeting or event. This is an example of a morning meeting break service ordered by one of the meeting organizers.

Parking

There was indoor parking near the hotel at airport lots P9 and P10 and outdoor parking in lot P11. Normally, parking is available below the hotel in lot P7, but that lot was temporarily closed.

Parking rates started at $46 (kr320) per day or $7 (kr50) per hour.

Wi-Fi

Complimentary Wi-Fi was available to all guests, both in-room and in the public areas. The Wi-Fi in my room was more than adequate for working online.

One nice feature of the complimentary in-room Wi-Fi is that it can be used with an unlimited number of devices.

Pet Friendliness

The hotel happily accepts pets. There was a charge of $43 (kr300) per stay for the first pet and $58 (kr400) per stay if you have several pets. There is no charge if you have a documented guide dog.

The Room

I was very happy to have been given a room on the tenth floor. The hallways leading up to the rooms all branch out from a central atrium so none are dark and dreary. The light shone from both the outside windows at one end and the inner atrium at the opposite end of the short hallways.

I booked a superior room with my points so I was expecting a nice room — and that turned out to be true. It was also more spacious than many European city hotel rooms I’ve stayed in.

The focal and experiential point of any hotel room is the bed, and this one was very comfortable. My king bed had separate comforters for each side but did not allow for separation, as some king beds do in European hotels.

The right nightstand had dual electrical outlets and lighting controls that allowed me to control all of the room’s lights. Additional personal lighting was mounted on the headboard.

The left bedside nightstand, identical to the right, held the phone, notepad, and pen.

I always appreciate a room with a seating area, even if it’s small. Having somewhere to sit, other than on the bed, is a welcome addition and makes a hotel room feel more like an apartment.

The work area was simple and functional. Lately, I’ve been in hotel rooms without a desk, so I appreciated the comfort of having one. The area was also quite functional with 2 electrical outlets and personal lighting.

The closet contained all the service items I expected, including an iron, an ironing board, a safe, hangers, extra pillows, robes, slippers, and a hairdryer.

The coffee station did not have a coffee machine or pot, just a water kettle. I am fine with drinking instant coffee in a pinch and always carry “emergency coffee,” aka Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee packets with me, for this very situation.

There were also ceramic coffee mugs, a beverage opener, and an ice bucket. While there was no complimentary bottled water provided, the tap water was cold, clear, and refreshing.

Although I can’t remember the last time I took something from a minibar, my room came with a fully-stocked one which was available if I needed it. There was no price list posted in the room but I did find a minibar price list on the hotel’s website.

The TV featured 20 stations, several of which were in English, and measured about 48 inches, which felt appropriate for the size of the room. I did not find any option for streaming with your own apps.

The view from my room #1039 was lovely. I could see the city of Copenhagen and the water in the distance. You can’t see it in this image, but Sweden is to the right on the distant water’s edge.

The bathroom was a nice size and spotlessly clean. It was a plus to have the option of a shower or bathtub.

The tall tiled shower had a granite base and included a rain shower wand.

Inspired by the Asian tradition of calmness, the Rituals-branded shower amenities had lovely fragrances. Full-size containers of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel were mounted on the shower wall.

It was nice to have the choice of a bathtub. There were no amenities mounted in the bathtub area, but there was an extra bar of soap.

The open granite vanity provided good lighting and plenty of counter space for my toiletries. I never did figure out what that dial near the towel bar was for.

Vanity toiletries were minimal but did include Rituals hand/body lotion and hand wash, which were very nice. Drinking glasses and tissues were also provided.

Food and Beverage

The hotel has 1 major restaurant and bar, the Kitchen & Table, but the space is expansive. Here’s a shot of the area with the bar to the right and the restaurant encompassing the middle and left areas. Breakfast is served in the left-hand area, then closed off, while the central restaurant area is open throughout the rest of the day.

Kitchen & Table — Breakfast

I was in for a breakfast treat each morning of my stay. The complimentary breakfast buffet is included in most hotel rates, including my stay using points. The spread was an impressive offering of all the types of breakfast food one could imagine.

The charge for breakfast, if it is not included in your rate, or if you are not staying at the hotel, was $35 (kr245).

Breakfast was served from 5:40 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and until 10:30 a.m. on weekends. Cold continental breakfast items and beverages were available from 4:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. any day.

A variety of juices were offered, including mixed juice with ginger, orange, apple, grapefruit, and pineapple juices plus water with lemons.

There were several coffee and tea stations and there was never a wait for these items. This one had sliced lemons and fresh ginger to add to a serving of tea.

One of my favorite breakfast items is an omelet. The made-to-order omelet station quickly fixed me up with a delicious veggie omelet. Made-to-order eggs were also available.

I skipped the selection of dried fruits and pastries, although I was tempted.

Next up was a delicious assortment of bread ready to be toasted.

There was also a nice selection of gluten- and lactose-free cereal, bread, milk, sweets, and plant-based cheese options.

The hot food options included the standard hard-boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, and baked beans.

Although I don’t normally have salad for breakfast, I couldn’t resist the radishes. All of the standard salad items were very fresh, plus cottage cheese, pesto, and dressings were also provided.

In the “pickled” section, I found some goodies suitable for us Northerners, and more. There was pâté, smoked salmon salad, a variety of pickles, capers, onions, pickled herring, guacamole, beets, and hummus.

It wouldn’t be a Scandinavian breakfast buffet without a selection of meats and cheeses. It’s worth noting at this point that every station had growing sprout containers or fresh herbs. I picked off a few bunches to add to my dish.

There were lots of dry cereal choices, several flavored and unflavored yogurt options, and fresh berries.

Next up was the crepe station which was complete with sweet toppings.

Bottom Line:

It’s safe to say that the breakfast buffet at the hotel was substantial and tasty. It was a delicious addition to my stay at the hotel.

Kitchen & Table — Lunch and Dinner

The Kitchen & Table restaurant is one of several properties under the Ethiopian-born Swedish-American celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s brand. The menu reflects his creative cuisine, even though the restaurant is situated in an airport hotel in Denmark, so the prices are reflective of all these circumstances.

Kitchen & Table’s menu can be accessed online, but to give you an idea, fish and chips with 1 generous piece of fish and french fries was about $43 (kr295). Add a drink and you’re close to $55 for lunch.

A prix fixe menu at dinner was about $76 (kr525) per person and included an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Other dinner options were also available.

I spoke to a couple who had eaten the prix fixe dinner at the restaurant the previous night and they said it was delicious.

The restaurant was open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on weekends 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

I had to try the food, so I ordered an appetizer of mushrooms, onion, and cheese bruschetta, which was incredible. The cost was approximately $14.

Kitchen & Table — Bar

The bar at the hotel was a very fun place to meet up for conversation or grab a drink before dinner. Within 5 minutes of sitting down, I met a local young man working for an NGO who was happy to share some fascinating stories.

Here’s an idea of drink prices in the bar at the time of writing:

• Beer — $9 to $11
• Wine — $15 to $25
• Cocktails — $19 to $21
• Soft Drinks — $7 to $10

The hotel in general has a fun eclectic decor and the bar area was no exception. Seating options were plentiful and comfortable.

Comfortable seating makes having a drink at this bar a special experience.

Adjacent to the bar, there was an abundance of additional seating where I also saw guests enjoying drinks from the bar.

Room Service

Room service was available for a service delivery fee of $11 (kr75). Here is the hotel’s current room service menu.

Service

From the moment I checked in I anticipated a good stay. Hotel staff members David and Sabrina greeted me and promptly checked me in, but not without a friendly conversation, some information about the hotel, and wishing me a great stay.

At breakfast, I always received a friendly welcome. In the bar, everyone was cordial and conversational. The cleaning staff smiled and greeted me as we passed in the hallway. And, when I asked for more coffee for my room, I was quickly handed more, with a smile.

The business center staff member was extremely helpful in answering my questions, and the lady cleaning the spa let me in (briefly), even though it was closed, in order to take a quick photo.

I didn’t have any issues during my 4-night stay, but if I had, I’m confident any would have been addressed.

You really couldn’t ask for a more friendly and helpful hotel staff.

Commitment to the Environment, People, and Sustainability

I found plenty of evidence of the hotel’s commitment to the environment, people, and sustainability during my stay. Let me just mention a few examples:

• 30% to 60% of the food you’ll eat at breakfast will be organic, the coffee is fair trade, and the organic eggs are from free-range birds
• The fish and meats that are served at the hotel are only from sustainable sources
• Diversity is important; employees at the hotel make up 40 nationalities
• The hotel controls the use of dangerous cleaning chemicals, using ozone water instead, in order to create a safer work environment
• If you choose to skip a daily room cleaning, the hotel will make a donation to the Climate Fund

This is just a sampling of the hotel’s efforts, but there are many others. You can learn more here about the hotel’s WeCare program.

Surrounding Area

Places To Explore

You can’t beat the convenient transportation options adjacent to the Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport. The Metro station is right next door, allowing you to get to the city center in 15 minutes. Train and bus transport is also available adjacent to the hotel. You can purchase tickets for transport right near the airport exit.

There is plenty to see in Copenhagen. You can visit one of the many palaces or churches, take a canal cruise, or wander through Tivoli Gardens. You may even want to revisit your hippie roots like I did (or make new ones) in the Freetown Christiania neighborhood.

Hot Tip:

Learn more about what there is to do in Copenhagen in one of the city’s visitor guides.

An additional and easy excursion from the hotel is taking the train to Malmö, Sweden. It’s just a 25-minute train ride across the sea for the opportunity to visit a neighboring country. Seeing Malmö’s old town is definitely worthwhile.

There is no formal passport control between the 2 cities, but you should carry your ID with you in case you’re asked.

Supermarket

There is a full-service supermarket about an 8-minute walk from the hotel. The Netto Kastrup Kystvejen market is adjacent to the Circle K gas station and in the same building as McDonald’s. The market is not huge but it carries all the essentials and also sells beer and wine.

Alternative Eats

There are 2 convenience stores in the airport’s Terminal 3 across the street, along with a few cafes, a hot dog stand, and a Burger King.

In Terminal 2, just a few minutes walk away, you’ll find a Thai restaurant, a bakery, a 7-Eleven, and a pharmacy. All of the convenience stores in the airport sell beer and wine.

The Comfort Hotel Copenhagen Airport next door has more casual dining than the Clarion, offering pizza, pasta, sandwiches, salads, and more.

Down the street from the hotel, about an 8-minute walk, is the McDonald’s.

Final Thoughts

I would definitely stay at the Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport again. With its convenient location, impeccable and friendly service, posh decor, and access to public transit, the hotel provides a great deal of value.

The Comfort Hotel next door is also a convenient option, albeit a more casual one. I checked out the ground floor of the hotel since I was nearby and it looked very nice. It can also be a less expensive option.

One final note regarding prices in this article is that I have estimated the amount in U.S. dollars based on the exchange rate to Danish krone (kr) at the time of writing in May 2023.