I recently turned 30, and to celebrate, I headed to a place that’s been sitting at the top of my destination list for a long while – Denmark. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that my family are all tall and blonde or it’s something I’ve grown to love, but I’ve always had a thing for Scandinavian culture. The slower pace, Fika, post–classical music, cold winters, hygge and functional design all resonate with me on a deep level. There is little projected showmanship and fuss, but rather a quiet confidence in how things are made and how life is lived. With Proper being a platform which fundamentally comments on culture, I thought an insight into what I saw, where I stayed, and what I did would provide an easy-to-read, ideally enjoyable feature.
Having spent the week prior to the trip firming and reconfirming clothing for my Danish destination, with some time spent in front of the mirror practicing my pronunciation of the word ‘tak’, I was ready to go. For outerwear, I landed on the Forét Pine Wool Coat, accompanied by the Wax London Wool Crewneck. Now I just had to decide where to stay in the capital, Copenhagen.
Usually, I treat hotels, or more often hostels, as places to sleep and charge my phone, but this time I wanted to stay somewhere that reflected the city itself. Villa Copenhagen did exactly that. It sits right in the middle of everything, between Tivoli Gardens and the Central Station, and manages to be both beautiful and useful. Which, in Denmark, is basically the point of design.
The building used to be the city’s main post office, and you can still feel that sense of movement and exchange in its bones. It’s grand without being formal, restored with care rather than gare. Inside, it feels light, textured and warm – the kind of space that makes you slow down and not care what time it is on your watch. For someone who’s never stayed anywhere near a five-star rating before, I half expected it to feel stiff or pretentious. It didn’t. Everything just worked and made your life easy. No molicoddling or over-the-top service, just Danish manners and the provision of a peaceful place to come and go as you please. I absolutely loved it and wanted to showcase some images from the room and hotel because, to me, it embodied everything I love about Danish design philosophy. It sits on the subtle side of grandiose, not garish and stays away from adding superfluous details or over-the-top customer service. It’s functional, beautiful and humbly confident. Perfect.
You bet I headed up to the rooftop pool and sauna for a morning dip. It’s heated all year round and overlooks the city’s copper rooftops, making it great for half-awake viewings of the city starting its day. This might have been because I was doing some well-executed headstands and underwater acrobatics, but we were the only ones up there, which was a welcome delight.
The breakfast is another highlight: fresh sourdough bread, pickled things, omelettes made to order and strong coffee. Nothing fancy, just done right and situated in the basement level, where the lights make you feel all warm and fuzzy. A perfect visceral metaphor for those hazy first steps in the morning.
As much as we fancied staying tucked away within the soft walls of the hotel, curiosity got the better of us. The city was calling, and after years of wanting a proper wander, Copenhagen didn’t disappoint.
Whenever I land somewhere new, I fall into the same three rituals: find good coffee, go for a run, and look at clothes I probably can’t afford. Copenhagen, predictably, delivered on all fronts.
Everyone told me to visit Prolog and La Cabra – so I did. Both were perfectly Scandinavian in their precision: nothing extra, nothing missing. La Cabra happened to share a space with Another Aspect, a beautifully restrained brand making everyday staples with care and conscience. I almost bought a 100% wool scarf, came dangerously close, in fact, but blamed the caffeine jitters for my hesitation. I’ve regretted it ever since.
Running through Copenhagen feels like properly meeting the city. Everything’s clean, calm, human. I never take my phone, which usually means I get lost, but the canals had my back this time. There’s something about those runs – you see the details most people miss, the quiet rhythm of a place going about its day.
Shopping here is a test of willpower. Norse Projects, Le Fix, 66°North, Peak Performance, the usual suspects, all annoyingly good. Everything looks great, costs a bit too much, and everyone browsing looks like they stepped out of a hair and make-up trailer. Still, it’s nice just to look.
By the time I left, it wasn’t the coffee or the clothes that lingered most – it was how naturally everything fits together. Villa Copenhagen captures that spirit perfectly: simple, thoughtful, quietly confident. You step outside feeling a little more in tune with the world.
