hotel tales with avantika vandanapu + w hotels

Dennis Stenild.

There are hotels that impress, and then there are hotels that transport guests somewhere else entirely. In the heart of Copenhagen, tucked beside the glowing gates of Tivoli Gardens, Nimb Hotel feels less like a place to stay and more like stepping into a living fairytale.

Built in 1909, the Moorish-inspired property began not as a hotel, but as an elegant restaurant serving warm meals to Tivoli guests. Over a century later, that spirit of hospitality still defines Nimb. What began with just 17 rooms has since expanded into a 38-room luxury boutique hotel, all while preserving the intimate, deeply personal atmosphere that makes it feel more like a private residence than a grand destination.

From the moment guests arrive, it is clear why Nimb has become synonymous with refined Danish hospitality. Wristbands grant unlimited access to Tivoli Gardens through Nimb’s own private entrance, turning a visit to the park into something closer to belonging than sightseeing.

Dennis Stenild.

During the festive season, Tivoli transforms into something unforgettable. The gardens glow beneath thousands of lights, Christmas trees shimmer against the dark Nordic sky, mulled wine warms cold hands and the scent of roasted almonds and pastries drifts along the pathways. Skaters circle the ice rink, and as snow falls it dusts the rides and rooftops until the whole park resembles a winter wonderland fresh from a storybook.

Nimb anticipates its guests with the same quiet care, from thoughtful in-room touches to private experiences within the park, such as behind-the-scenes tours of the theatre and rollercoasters. The attention to detail feels considered rather than performative — indulgent without ever losing warmth. It is the balance of sophistication and playfulness which defines the hotels character.

Dennis Stenild.

The culinary offering is equally memorable. Nimb Brasserie serves French-inspired cuisine throughout the day in a setting that feels classic yet relaxed, and breakfast is an event in itself: flaky Danish pastries, rye breads, seasonal fruit, cheeses, hot pancakes, fresh juices, yoghurt and made-to-order eggs, arranged in an abundant spread to encourage lingering conversations over coffee. At dinner, comfort dishes arrive elevated with Nordic elegance – a creamy gigli pasta with lobster and a risotto layered with smoked Vesterhavs cheese, rich enough to become an instant craving.

Inside Tivoli, Fru Nimb celebrates traditional Danish cuisine through beautifully prepared smørrebrød, the country’s famous open-faced sandwiches, served in a setting that feels timeless and refined.

Dennis Stenild.

Then there is the historic Nimb Bar. Originally built as a ballroom in 1909, the chandelier-lit space now hosts afternoon tea by day and inventive cocktails by night. Under the direction of Head Mixologist Damiano Pezzi, the bar’s whimsical ‘Fairy-Tale Menu’ pairs imaginative drinks with storytelling drawn from popular fables, reinforcing the sense that Nimb exists somewhere between fantasy and reality.

Throughout the property, thoughtful design reveals itself slowly. The interiors blend clean Nordic lines with hand-picked antiques from the Far East and artwork that lends warm, residential touches. Seasonal floral arrangements tie the hotel visually to Tivoli Gardens, while Nimb’s peacock emblem appears throughout – and, occasionally, wandering the gardens themselves.  

Dennis Stenild.

Even the sense of luxury here carries an awareness of responsibility. The hotel offers bicycles and cargo bikes, and its car service runs on fully electric vehicles. In 2024, Nimb received the Horesta Green Key certification for its sustainability initiatives – proof that environmental awareness and fine hospitality can coexist.

Yet perhaps the clearest reflection of Nimb’s philosophy is its service, guided by a simple principle: never say no. It is also the only hotel in Denmark with three Les Clefs d’Or concierges – among the most elite hospitality professionals in the world – capable of arranging experiences and access that few others can.

Despite all its polish and prestige, Nimb never feels intimidating; it feels personal. Whether guests arrive as a couple seeking romance or a traveller longing for beauty during the dark winter months, the hotel has a rare gift for making them feel genuinely cared for – a reminder that luxury is less about opulence than emotion: the feeling of being welcomed, delighted and quietly transformed. Some hotels are destinations; others become memories. Nimb, especially at Christmas, becomes part of the story.

Find out more about Nimb Hotel here.

words. Sheri Chiu
edit. Olivia Cichero
photography. courtesy of Dennis Stenild

A hotel that takes its name from the neighbourhood where it’s located leaves no doubt: it has an unwavering affinity with the area. Such is the case with Le Pigalle, the 40-room bolt hole in Paris’s 9^th arrondissement. The hotel sits at the heart of its namesake neighbourhood on rue Frochot, one of the streets that branch off Place Pigalle. While it’s housed in a traditional Haussmannian building – a fact which makes it irrevocably Parisian – its identity is first and foremost defined by the streets that surround it.

To fully understand the hotel, you therefore first need to know a little about the area. Named after the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, it became a hotspot for nightlife in the late 1880s, with the opening of several cabarets (perhaps none more famous than the Moulin Rouge). This would lay the foundations for the next decades: Pigalle became the place to go for music halls, theatres, bars and brothels. Since then, it has evolved and today is defined by a new energy, but vestiges of its former character remain present.

The hotel taps into this history of art, performance and pleasure. The leopard-print floor runner in the main areas nods to the area’s red-light days, while the walls in the rooms are decorated with framed art, show posters, programmes and book pages that become a local archive. None of it is overdone: the decor strikes the right balance between nodding to the past and appealing to contemporary aesthetics. Mid-century modern furniture – including a turntable console with a selection of choice records – and Le Labo toiletries lend a universally sophisticated mood, while the typical Parisian wooden flooring, the distant rumble of the metro and details such as vintage light switches remind us that we’re in the French capital.

Not everything about Le Pigalle celebrates the past; it also has a strong link with the neighbourhood’s present. The hotel collaborates with several local businesses: the breakfast pastries come from a boulangerie around the corner and merch features illustrations from an artist based up the road in Montmartre. However, the ties run deeper than just collaborations. It starts with a sense of stylised casualness which perhaps best defines Pigalle by day now – shops and eateries have a highly curated informality to them – and which is conveyed the moment you walk through the door. At Le Pigalle, there is no dedicated reception desk or lobby; rather, when Schön! alive arrives to check in, the hotel team is sitting, working at a large quartz table near the entrance. No uniforms or name tags set them apart; they exude the trendy energy of Pigalle and blend in with guests relaxing or working on laptops around them.

Like other hotels of its generation, Le Pigalle has very much adopted the concept of a third space: the ground floor is multi-functional with a bar and a restaurant through which people flow all day long. This is reflected in the menu, which spans everything from coffee to cocktails, breakfast to late-night snacks. Food is served from 7am to 11pm on weeknights and until 2am on weekends. Certain dishes are even available all night for room service. The menu fuses Parisian classics with global food trends, resulting in an offering that is uniquely its own: croque-monsieur sits side-by-side with a roasted carrot and grilled halloumi dish, for example. On the dessert menu, chocolate mousse and crème brûlée share the spotlight with a half-baked cookie.

Some hotels feel like closed worlds meant only for overnight guests. This isn’t the case at Le Pigalle. Hotel guests drift down from their rooms; others wander in from outside, whether for business meetings, cocktail catch-ups or a leisurely meal. In the evening, the crowd is a real mix. The large quartz table at the entrance (the one at which Schön! alive had checked in earlier in the day) has been reserved by a large group of sequin-clad party-goers while a couple of regulars get comfy on a nearby sofa for a post-yoga drink and snacks. As dinner ends, a DJ starts his set. On Fridays and Saturdays, resident DJs take over the decks from 10pm, transforming the space into a party hive in keeping with Pigalle’s reputation as a nightlife destination.

It’s easy to get caught up in the moment, and guests needn’t worry about partying the night away. In that respect, Le Pigalle breaks with hotel conventions: breakfast is available until 4pm and is a typically Parisian affair. Instead of a buffet, guests build their own combination following a menu-based formula reminiscent of the city’s ubiquitous café breakfast: choose a soft drink, a hot drink, a viennoiserie and a savoury dish. During the week, it’s a popular hotspot with Parisians for breakfast meetings, but on a Saturday morning when the neighbourhood is still waking up, a few early birds settle on the terrace outside to people-watch while sipping a flat white.

This brings us to another important cornerstone of Le Pigalle. While coffee has long been the drink of choice in French cafes, France was late to third-wave coffee. The hotel was one of the forerunners in introducing an already globally popular coffee philosophy to Parisian streets: it opened Café Pigalle next door at a time when few such establishments existed in the city.  Here too, Le Pigalle has made a point of nurturing ties with local businesses: Lomi, roasters based in the nearby 18^th arrondissement, supplies the beans for both the coffee shop and the hotel.

When we travel, many of us want to connect with the place as authentically as we can. In that sense, Le Pigalle has achieved what it set out to do: it gives guests a glimpse into the neighbourhood’s past while also capturing its current energy. The hotel exists in a continuous, evolving dialogue with its surroundings and guests are warmly welcomed into that conversation.

Find out more about Le Pigalle here.

words. Ginger Rose Clark
edit. Huma Humayun
images. Courtesy of Le Pigalle

Bovey Castle, Dartmoor National Park, Devon

It’s been over 30 years since there was a major film adaption of Jane Austen’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’, so it’s unsurprising that Austen fans have been eagerly awaiting the latest cinematic interpretation. The wait is almost over as the 2026 version, directed by Georgia Oakley and starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles in the leading roles, hits the big screens today.

To mark the occasion, this autumn, PoB Hotels has created a range of experiences for fans seeking real-life Regency inspired romance and drama. From historic houses to sweeping country estates, PoB is a collection of some of Britain’s finest independent hotels, providing the perfect setting for a ‘Sense and Sensibility’ style escape.

Start by sampling one (or more) of four signature cocktails that take their cue from the film: ‘The Sense’ is fresh, refined and botanical, reflecting Eleanor Dashwood’s character, while ‘The Sensibility’ is fruity, floral and expressive to match Marianne’s temperament. ‘The Sense and Sensibility’ cocktail achieves a happy equilibrium between the two and ‘A Regency Twist’ gives each hotel the opportunity to create its own period-inspired concoction. Ingredients range from English sparkling wine, elderflower and lavender to local honey, home-grown botanicals and Devonshire apples. The classic afternoon tea will also receive a playful and floral flourish.

Left. ‘Sense and Sensibility’, 2026. Right. Royal Cresent Hotel & Spa, Bath

The narrative of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ follows the Dashwood sisters from country piles to humble cottages and from wild woodland to high society balls. So, for those craving a fuller immersion, there’s a five-night Regency road trip through 162 miles of England’s most cinematic landscapes. The first stop is The Priory, a former monastery on the River Frome in Dorset, with visits to two of the locations featured in the film adaptation, namely Kingston Russell House and Parnham Park, followed by riverside drinks, dinner or a boat trip. Next up is The Royal Cresent Hotel & Spa in Bath, a city that featured prominently in both Austen’s novels ‘Persuasion’ and ‘Northanger Abbey’, as well as in her own life. Stroll along the honey hued stone facades of the Georgian streets before retiring to the hotel with its gorgeous garden and glorious views.

Hartwell House & Spa, Buckinghamshire

On to the Cotswolds and The Painswick, a Palladian house overlooking the Slad Valley. Historic properties such as Wroxton Abbey, Blenheim Palace and the 14^th century Broughton Castle are within easy reach. The latter was not only a major filming location for ‘Sense and Sensibility’ but also featured as Mr Knightley’s estate in the 1996 adaptation of ‘Emma’, starring Gwyneth Paltrow. The final stop is in Buckinghamshire, at the part Jacobean, part Georgian Hartwell House and Spa, where Louis XVIII of France once spent his exile. From here, guests can explore the lavish interiors and landscaped parklands of Knebworth House and Wormsley Estate and the picturesque scenery of the Misbourne Valley. Austen is thought to have taken the name Dashwood from the real-life (and rather rakish) family that owned nearby West Wycombe Park, which was also the setting for 2013 film ‘Austenland’.

Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Bath

Much of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ is set in the gorgeous countryside of Devon. PoB is therefore offering readers the chance to win a three-night escape to Boringdon Hall Hotel and Spa, a five-star manor house on the edge of Dartmoor. Make like the Dashwood sisters with horseback rides across the wild moors, guided walks through woodland and a visit to an 18^thcentury stately home and its grounds. And when you’ve had enough of outdoor pursuits, return to the manor to partake of champagne afternoon tea, spa treatments and dinner at the Michelin-starred Àclèaf restaurant. If you’d rather tailor your own itinerary, PoB has also partnered with Cineworld on a prize that can be redeemed on stays, dining and experiences across the collection.

The Painswick, Cotswolds

‘Sense and Sensibility’ is in UK cinemas from 25^th September.

Discover PoB’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’ season here.

words. Huma Humayun
images. Courtesy of PoB Hotels + Universal Pictures International