My Favorite Airbnb: A Cozy Copenhagen Apartment With Wool Blankets and Vinyl Records

By Lara Kramer

When my husband and I planned a trip to Copenhagen this September, a place we had never been before, we were determined to find an Airbnb that made us feel like we were a part of the city.

When booking places to stay, we ordinarily find ourselves drawn to features like modern kitchen appliances and luxury king-size beds, but this time we were excited to abandon our usual criteria and embrace a pleasant Nordic vibe: the Danes call it hygge.

A term as charming as it is hard to pronounce, hygge (pronounced Hoo-Guh) translates most closely in English to "cozy"—that which provides feelings of contentment or well-being.

It's an aesthetic and philosophy that has surged in popularity over the last decade. Hygge doesn't need to be grand in its presence. In fact, it's often found in small moments: freshly baked cinnamon rolls, a warm fireplace, time spent making holiday cards around the kitchen table, a mug of hot cocoa cradled in two hands. This north star guided us as we scoured the Airbnb listing pages until we found Kimmie's place.

Located in Vesterbro, a newly hip neighborhood in western Copenhagen, the apartment complex was on the ground floor of an old building built in 1899. Walking through a giant red door, we found ourselves in a shared courtyard filled with bright, basketed bicycles and gravel paths peppered with potted plants.

Kimmie's unit was the first door on the right, making access incredibly convenient—a nice perk for heavy packers. Once inside the apartment, a short hallway led past the street-facing bedroom before opening into the kitchen and living room, the real heart of the home, where we spent the majority of our time.

In the dining cove, we ate cinnamon and apricot Danishes around a circular wooden table that was outfitted with a small cream lamp, woven chairs, candles, and a wool blanket. In my favorite corner, we sank into an engulfing tan leather chair, reading books next to a sunny windowsill full of tiny plants. On a museum-worthy wall, a smattering of framed artwork hung, lit by a hanging lamp that spilled soft light. From a vintage stereo receiver, the sounds of the hosts’ vinyl record collection played.

Punchy art posters splashed the walls with shapes and colors.

The shared courtyard was full of bicycles.

The only element of the apartment that was not flawlessly comfortable was the lack of air conditioning, which is generally the case throughout housing in Europe. Given Denmark's commitment to reducing 70 percent of emissions by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050, it came as no surprise. And it seemed like a fair trade-off to sleep under thin sheets on a summer night for the planet's sake.

The joy of our Airbnb continued as we stepped out of the home and onto the street. The location in the heart of Vesterbro was an ideal base for our adventures. Once a part of town where prostitution and other nefarious nighttime activities took place, Vesterbro is now home to artsy bars, destination restaurants, and stylish boutiques. Its edgier past lives on in the tattoo shops and dive bars that remain.

One of our favorite cocktails of the trip, a refreshing concoction of prosecco, limoncello, and soda, was a half-block from our Airbnb at JOJO, a chic, colorful bar where handcrafted cocktails—palomas, negronis, espresso martinis—were on tap. And those morning pastries that we gorged on daily? A two-minute walk away. Plus, our location was convenient to the rest of Copenhagen's must-sees. It was a five-minute drive to Tivoli Gardens and a twelve-minute drive to Nyhavn, that postcard view of colorful 17th and early 18th century townhouses that line the canal.

As one of the happiest countries in the world, it's hard to have a bad time in Denmark. However, getting to spend our mornings and evenings at Kimmie's place made us love Copenhagen even more. Her home played no small part in making it one of our most treasured cities. Until we’re able to return, we’ve committed to bringing a little bit of hygge to our two-bedroom Boston apartment. This fall, you’ll find me curled up with a book in my newly redesigned reading nook, where knitted blankets and wool socks abound.