Hotel Ottilia: The first hotel in Carlsberg City District

The hotel in Carlsberg City District is located in two prominent, protected buildings, Maltmagasinet and Lagerkælder 3. In the past, these structures housed giant barrels of beer behind their red brick walls and iconic golden discs. Today, they are home to Hotel Ottilia.

The hotel is named after the brewer Carl Jacobsen’s wife, Ottilia (1854-1903). You can spot her beside him on the Dipylon Gate, a large gate adjacent to Maltmagasinet. Ottilia’s presence is also felt in the hotel’s decor, where thorny thistles, featured in ceramics among other places, are a recurring motif. The thistle, Scotland’s national flower, was the Scottish-born Ottilia’s favorite.

The Old Buildings

Hotel Ottilia is housed in two distinctive buildings that have undergone a transformation, respectful of their original features and history.

The old Maltmagasinet with its weathered copper tower dates back to the original Ny Carlsberg Brewery and was built in 1881. Designed by architect Vilhelm Dahlerup (1836-1907), it was a central building in Carl Jacobsen’s Ny Carlsberg Brewery. It once housed the Ny Carlsberg Brewhouse, the engine center, and malt warehouses. Today, it contains the hotel’s lobby, bar, and conference rooms.

Vilhelm Dahlerup also designed the Dipylon Gate alongside Maltmagasinet. Built in 1892, this double-curved brick portal served as the entrance to Ny Carlsberg. Originally used for storing malt, it now hosts a lounge with a fireplace.

Adjacent to Maltmagasinet is Lagerkælder 3, designed by architect Svenn Eske Kristensen (1905-2000) and built in 1969. “Lagerkælder” translates to “storage basement” in Danish, but despite its name, it’s not actually a basement. It earned its name because it was used for storing beer in large horizontal tanks, a storage method typically associated with basements. The building’s signature feature is the facade’s original leaf-gold discs – symbolizing the horizontal beer tanks inside. Today, behind these discs, most of the hotel rooms are located.

The Transformation

While much has been preserved, including old grain silos, malt storage, and machinery as part of the decor, the transformation has also affected the building’s appearance.

Vertical windows have been added alongside the golden discs on the facade, allowing light into the rooms. A similar change occurred on the opposite side of the building, where old brick circles were replaced with round windows.

The hotel’s roof now features a restaurant with an accompanying rooftop terrace, offering views over the district and the rest of Copenhagen. The two lower floors of the buildings house an luxurious spa area beneath the old vaulted brick ceiling, although it’s not directly part of the hotel and must be booked separately.

Near Hotel Ottilia

From Hotel Ottilia, guests can explore Carlsberg City District and walk through the two iconic gates, the Dipylon Gate and Elephant Gate, on Ny Carlsberg Vej. For those desiring a longer stroll, Enghave Plads is a destination. Along the way, visitors can walk through Humleby and Enghave Park and pass by the VEGA venue.