Hospitality group Copenhagen Food Collective has unveiled its second hotel in the Danish capital, following a recent collaboration with the Tonen Agency. The new property, Hotel Bella Grande, opened in the spring and sits in the city’s old town near City Hall Square. It joins the agency’s existing Parisian-style Coco Hotel, which opened in 2021, and operates alongside 18 restaurants managed by the same group.
A historic interior reborn
The building itself dates back to 1899. Its Italianate style is a far cry from the agency’s customary Scandi chic. In its heyday, the structure hosted Hollywood celebrities, politicians, 1960s rockers and jazz legends, but it had not been updated in more than a century. The owners decided to celebrate its classic features while bringing the hotel up to date.
For inspiration, the designers took a trip to Italy, where they were taken by a Venetian palazzo with an open-air central courtyard and peach-coloured walls. Back in Copenhagen, they refurbished the ground-floor areas – reception, lounge, restaurant, atrium yard, bar and gym – with carpets and textiles in bold colours and patterns. Meanwhile, the big two-toned marble tiled floors, mirrors and many flower arrangements are intended to create an al fresco feel.
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The designers chose a specific aesthetic for the Italian restaurant, Donna. The space features a glossy dark-red ceiling, blood-red sofas and pink curtains, which allow very little daylight in. Their aim was to create an air of romance while allowing the space to take on a nightclub vibe later in the evening.
“We fell in love with the restaurant-nightclub feel [that we found in Italy],” say the designers. “It’s moody and mysterious, but most of all it’s an atmosphere of wanting to conquer the night.”
The 109 rooms and suites over five floors are designed as a tranquil break from the hubbub of the nearby Copenhagen streets. The tones here are muted – cream, white, burgundy and gold with some 1980s chrome elements. Glamour is implied in the use of bespoke dressing tables by Københavns Møbelsnedkeri instead of desks.
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.
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Modernizing a century-old structure
Throughout the scheme, Tonon 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 co-ordinated upholstered armchairs and fabric lampshades from Danish company Oi Soi Oi.
To help bring the hotel up to date, the agency installed soundproof windows for all the rooms overlooking the pale-pink courtyard, and acoustic foam to cover internal walls. This solves a common problem for historic buildings: the noise from the surrounding city can be intrusive. The windows effectively block out street sounds, allowing guests to rest in peace.
Natural light comes into the centre of the building via the roof light at the top of the big atrium; a welcome addition that will illuminate the space – and make it glow – even in the cold winter months. This architectural feature provides a bright focal point that contrasts with the darker, moodier tones of the restaurant and bar areas. The combination of modern acoustic engineering and historic Italianate architecture creates a unique environment.
