Copenhagen Food Collective has opened its second hotel in the Danish capital, Hotel Bella Grande, following the success of a similar project by the Tonen Agency. The new property, located in the city’s old town near City Hall Square, is housed in a 1899 purpose-built structure with plenty of character. It originally hosted Hollywood celebrities, politicians, and 1960s rockers before needing refurbishment. The design team, consisting of Malene Bech-Pedersen and Mette Bonavent, took inspiration from a Venetian palazzo they visited, aiming to celebrate the building’s classic features while bringing it up to date. This new venture sits alongside 18 restaurants operated by the hospitality group.
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The hotel’s Italianate style marks a departure from the agency’s customary Scandi chic. In its heyday, the building hosted Hollywood celebrities, politicians, 1960s rockers, and jazz legends, but after more than a century, it was in need of refurbishment. The agency installed soundproof windows for all rooms overlooking the pale-pink courtyard and acoustic foam to cover internal walls. Natural light comes into the center of the building via the roof light at the top of the big atrium, a welcome addition that will illuminate the space even in the cold winter months. The ground-floor areas – reception, lounge, restaurant, atrium yard, bar, and gym – have been refurbished with carpets and textiles in bold colors and patterns.
The design team sourced vintage objects and artworks, setting them alongside contemporary pieces including furniture from &Tradition, bedside lamps by Tom Dixon, and side tables from Polspotten. The detailing includes coordinated upholstered armchairs and fabric lampshades from Danish company Oi Soi Oi. While the hotel’s ground-floor areas feature bright colors, the 109 rooms and suites over five floors offer a tranquil break from the hubbub of the nearby streets. The tones here are muted, with cream, white, burgundy, and gold, incorporating some 1980s chrome elements. Glamour is implied in the use of bespoke dressing tables by Københavns Møbelsnedkeri instead of desks.
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The signature style here is rounded forms, from the armchairs and lamps to the mirrors and headboards, all contributing to a bygone, grandiose aesthetic. The bathroom walls have alternate rows of red and cream tiles, and the corridors’ brown carpet has an ornate gold pattern of foliage. The Italian restaurant, Donna, has been given a glossy dark-red ceiling, blood-red sofas, and pink curtains, which allow very little daylight in. The designers say they fell in love with the restaurant-nightclub feel they found in Italy. Their aim was to create an air of romance while allowing the space to take on a nightclub vibe later in the evening. “It’s moody and mysterious, but most of all it’s an atmosphere of wanting to conquer the night,” say the designers.
