Radisson Collection Royal Hotel, Copenhagen

A Landmark That Changed Hotel Design

Few hotels have shaped design history as profoundly as the Radisson Collection Royal Hotel. Commissioned by Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) and completed in 1960, the hotel introduced a completely new vision of hospitality. At the time it was Copenhagen’s first skyscraper and the world’s first design hotel, conceived entirely by Arne Jacobsen—from the architecture and interiors to the furniture, lighting, textiles, tableware, and even the smallest details. It became more than a hotel. It became a manifesto.

Jacobsen’s Complete Vision

The Royal Hotel is one of the purest examples of what the Germans call a Gesamtkunstwerk—a total work of art. Jacobsen designed virtually every element of the building, introducing furniture that would become twentieth-century design icons, including the Egg, Swan, and Drop chairs. Functionalism, craftsmanship, and remarkable attention to detail combine to create interiors that remain as relevant today as they were more than sixty years ago. Nothing was accidental. Everything belonged.

The Legendary Room 606

One room has achieved almost mythical status. Room 606 preserves Jacobsen’s original interior almost exactly as it appeared in 1960, making it one of the world’s most celebrated hotel rooms. Design enthusiasts travel from across the globe simply to experience this perfectly preserved time capsule, where original furnishings, colours, and materials remain remarkably intact. It is less a guest room. More a piece of design history.

A New Chapter by Space Copenhagen

While much of the hotel evolved over the decades, a sensitive restoration by Space Copenhagen has reintroduced the quiet elegance that originally defined the building. Contemporary guestrooms balance warm materials, subtle luxury, and Scandinavian restraint while respecting Jacobsen’s architectural legacy. New Signature Suites, created in collaboration with Republic of Fritz Hansen, celebrate designers including Arne Jacobsen, Poul Kjærholm, Cecilie Manz, and Jaime Hayon through carefully curated interiors and exceptional craftsmanship. The conversation continues. Across generations of design.

An Icon That Still Looks Forward

Its central location opposite Tivoli Gardens makes the hotel one of Copenhagen’s most recognisable landmarks, but it is the architecture that continues to define the experience. Guests come not simply for accommodation, but to immerse themselves in one of the most influential buildings in modern design history—a place where architecture, furniture, and hospitality still exist as one carefully orchestrated composition. Very few hotels. Have changed the industry forever.

Why It Works

The Radisson Collection Royal Hotel succeeds because Arne Jacobsen approached hospitality as a complete design experience rather than a collection of individual spaces. More than six decades later, his vision remains astonishingly contemporary. Through thoughtful restoration and respectful evolution, the hotel continues to demonstrate that truly great design never becomes outdated—it simply becomes timeless.