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Some very special hotels allow guests to time-travel, transporting them back to a more elegant era when wearing sweatpants and slippers in first class, or showing up to a high-end restaurant in a t-shirt and ripped jeans, would have been unimaginable.
That's the case with Hotel d'Angleterre, an opulent neoclassical palace-turned 5-star hotel whose glamorous legacy and elegant interiors layered with fine marble, plush silks, twinkling crystals, and priceless artworks dates back to 1755.
The legacy hotel was even used as a backdrop in several scenes of Torn Curtain, a 1966 movie starring Julie Andrews and Paul Newman. Its famed director, Alfred Hitchcock, makes a cameo from the hotel's glam lobby.
Boasting a decadent Michelin-starred restaurant, luxe Champagne Bar, beautiful pink patisserie, and a see-and-be-seen terrace -- not to mention the only indoor swimming pool in all of inner Copenhagen and one of the city's biggest ballrooms -- there's a lot to love about this iconic grande dame hotel in the City of Spires.
Hotel d'Angleterre's rich history dates back 270 years, making it one of the world's longest-operating hotels.
In the mid-1700s, Jean Marchal -- a young Frenchman who originally came to Denmark as part of a theatre troupe -- was hired as a valet to Count Conrad Danneskiold Laurvig. When Marchal fell in love with the royal chef's daughter, Maria, the pair married. In 1755, Mr. and Mrs. Marchal put their service and culinary talents to use by opening a restaurant and hotel on Kongens Nytorv (King's New Square), in the heart of Copenhagen.
In 1787, the property changed hands and took on the name that it would carry for hundreds of years: Hotel d'Angleterre. When the hotel burnt down in The Great Copenhagen Fire of 1795, the owner reopened the hotel in a converted building nearby, in the location where it has stood ever since.
The property went through a succession of owners and ambitious renovations over the many decades that followed, and got upgrades like a luxurious spa and the gorgeous mosaic-roofed Palm Court.
The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Copenhagen. It's just 1,000 feet from Nyhavn, the rainbow-colored 17th-century canal and dining destination that's one of the city's most popular attractions.
The historic property's beautiful bones are complemented by opulent layers of marble and gold, silks and velvets. Which is not to say that it feels dated or dusty: all of the best historic elements have been preserved, and everything else has been renovated and refreshed.
Traditional pieces sit alongside more modern furnishings, lighting fixtures, and art. (Andy Warhol's original portrait of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II sits above the reception desk, and contemporary works from the Danish art scene are on display throughout the property.)
There are 92 elegant guest rooms (including 55 suites), all of which are individually decorated in tasteful and calming earthy neutrals.
The hotel's crowning gem is the Royal Suite, which marries old world luxury and stylish contemporary accents. At 2,690 square feet, the lavish suite (which was designed to feel like a private apartment) boasts one of the largest hotel balconies in the city, with an unbeatable view over all the comings-and-goings around Kongens Nytorv.
The tranquil spa on the property's lower level feels like a hidden oasis, with a sleek and contemporary pool that is, in fact, the only indoor swimming pool in inner Copenhagen.
The hotel's signature restaurant plays homage to its original owners with its swanky fine dining restaurant, Marchal. The French Nordic-inspired nabbed its first Michelin star in 2014, and has maintained its one-star rating ever since.
The restaurant is helmed by chef Alexander Baert -- an English-born chef who was raised in France -- who trained under culinary greats including Alain Ducasse, Anne-Sophie Pic, and Rasmus Kofoed of Copenhagen's famed Geranium restaurant.
The a la carte and 6-course tasting menus lean luxe, starting with a "parade of canpés"(think petite crab tartlets in gelée decorated with edible flowers, smoked salmon topped with caviar, and foie gras on brioche with 23k gold). French classics like canard à la presse, pithivier, and crêpes Suzette adorn the menu, but are given Nordic flair, and modern and refined plating.
When the weather allows, guests should not miss the opportunity to dine on the popular terrace across from Kongens Nytorv, where it seems you can watch all of Copenhagen bustling by.
Before of after dinner at Marchal, be sure to stop by Balthazar bar (the name of a 12-litre bottle of Champagne) for a glass of bubbly in another one of d'Angleterre's glamorous see-and-be-seen destinations that are popular with visitors and fashionable locals alike.
D'Angleterre's prime location on King's New Square makes it easy for guests to explore the city. Metro and bus stops are literally feet from the hotel's doors, and countless top attractions are a quick walk or bike ride away. Walkable destinations include: