The DGI-Byen is a three star hotel just to the West of Copenhagen's central station and ten minutes walk from Tivoli. The hotel, built in 1999, has 104 rooms.

I booked a single room for a three day visit in September 2003. The room was small but clean, comfortable, not without rail noise and decorated in a modern Scandinavian style, with wooden floors and solid colour walls. I had a single bed, coffee making facilities and a TV with around a dozen channels in Danish, English and German. The bathroom had a shower but no bath. Internet access was nominally available through the TV and a keyboard available from reception, though I failed to achieve a connection.

Included in the price was a buffet breakfast served in the hotel restaurant each morning. This consisted of bread, fruit, ham, cheese, cereal, boiled eggs, yoghurt, danish pastries, with coffee and fruit juice. A good opportunity for a decent start to the day and if need be, a chance to get away with a light lunch.

The unique selling point with the DGI-Byen is its sporting facilities. DGI stands for the "Danish Gymnastic Institute" and the hotel is only part of a complex which includes a swim centre, a spa, a bowling alley and a gymnasium. Indeed the first view many will get of the hotel when arriving from the station is the 18m high climbing wall which acts as sign post for the complex.

While these facilities can be used by anyone on a pay per visit basis, hotel guests have free access to the pool and are entitled to a basic spa treatment during their stay.

I never made use of the spa; however, I did get my money's worth in the swim centre. The swim centre consists of a number of pools located in two halls. In the first hall is a fun pool which also has jacuzzis. In the second hall is a very innovative pool. This consists of an oval pool in which to swim laps - each of which is a full 100m. In the centre of this pool is a smaller pool with a hydraulic floor to allow its depth to be changed. This tended to be used by youngsters with pool toys and was also used for teaching purposes. The second hall was completed with a dive pool, which in addition to dive platforms featured a climbing wall from which to jump. The pools had attendants though these seemed to be fewer than I am used to in the UK.

The changing room shower area also offered a sauna which guests were free to use. Bring a 20kr for your locker - you get it back afterward.

In conclusion, the hotel offered a modern take on three star facilities. The staff were professional and the hotel is strongly recommended if you feel that during your visit, you would like to escape the city for a bit and do a little relaxing.