Nuuk Hotel Apartments by HHE

Rooms and decor

Picture an apartment-hotel sitting in the middle of Nuuk, Greenland's capital — pastel-painted houses scattered over the rocky slope above the bay — and that's the setting for Nuuk Hotel Apartments by HHE, the apartment wing of the city's longest-running hotel group. Inside, the style is modern Scandinavian with a working-class honesty to it: pale wood floors, white walls, simple furniture that does what it's supposed to do. It reads more like a Greenlandic friend's well-kept flat than an anonymous hotel room. The units lay out a sleeping zone, a sitting area with a sofa, a dining table, and an open kitchen that's the real centrepiece. City-facing units wake up to red and yellow rooftops dusted with snow; the better units face Nuup Kangerlua fjord, where on a clear morning you can spot Mount Sermitsiaq's 1,210-metre peak rising straight from the dark blue water. Every unit gets a Smart TV and free Wi-Fi — fine for streaming and the occasional video call, though Greenland's broadband isn't European-city fast, so don't plan a four-hour livestream from here.

Food and amenities

The kitchen is the reason most guests pick this place. It's not a token kitchenette — it's a full kitchen with an induction stovetop, a real fridge, microwave, dishwasher, and enough pots, knives, and dishes to cook dinner for a family. That matters in Nuuk, where restaurant mains run roughly $35-$60 because almost every ingredient is shipped or flown in. Most guests build their stay around stops at Brugseni or Pisiffik supermarket just down the road, picking up Greenlandic halibut, cold-water prawns, musk ox, or lamb, and cooking in the apartment. The savings add up fast on a four-night stay, and you get a home-feel evening that no restaurant gives you. The in-unit washer-dryer is the other secret weapon — a quiet gift for long-stay guests, cruise-stop visitors who hit Nuuk between port calls, or anyone running daily fjord excursions and coming home in wet gear every night. Throw it in when you get back, dry by morning. On top of that, apartment guests get free run of the parent Hotel Hans Egede facilities: a fitness room with cardio and weights, a lounge for hanging out, the Sarfalik restaurant that serves reindeer, musk ox, and halibut, and the rooftop Skyline Bar with the best city view in Nuuk.

Location and getting there

Location is the other big card this place plays. The building sits dead centre in Nuuk Centre, the business and tourist heart of the city. A 5-minute walk from the front door puts you at the Hans Egede statue — the 18th-century Danish-Norwegian missionary who founded the city, now bronzed and gazing over the bay — and probably the most-photographed spot in town. Another 7 minutes gets you to Katuaq, the Greenlandic cultural centre whose roof was designed to mimic the northern lights, with a cinema, a warm café, and rotating art exhibitions inside. The Greenland National Museum, which displays the 500-year-old Qilakitsoq mummies, is also walkable. For shopping, the Nuuk Center mall sits nearby; for food, you can reach Sarfalik, Hereford Beefstouw, Cafétuaq, and "Daddy's" on foot. From Nuuk Airport (GOH), a taxi or hotel transfer takes 10-15 minutes. Anyone heading out for a fjord cruise or whale-watching trip will find Nuuk Harbour a short walk away too. Bottom line: every first-time Nuuk sight is within walking distance, and you'll rarely need a taxi if you can handle a short stroll in cold weather.

Things to know before booking

Three honest notes before you click book. First, check-in is at the Hotel Hans Egede lobby, not the apartment building. You collect the key there and walk over with your luggage. It's a small thing, but if you arrive late after a delayed flight or with three suitcases, message the front desk ahead so they can prepare a smooth handover — anything after 22:00 especially. Second, there's no restaurant or bar inside the apartment block itself. You can walk across the street to HHE for meals, but Nuuk winters mean strong wind and sub-zero temperatures even for a 2-minute crossing, so bring a proper coat. If you plan to cook in your unit this isn't an issue; if you were counting on a hotel restaurant downstairs, factor it in. Third, the style is function over flash. Some guests describe the feel as closer to a serviced rental than a full 4-star hotel — clean and well-equipped, but not the plush carpet, turndown-service experience. If you want concierge-style service and a hotel restaurant on speed dial, the main HHE tower is the better fit. Finally, parking is free but limited; if you've rented a car, confirm a spot at booking rather than gambling on street parking under heavy morning snow.

Our take

After reading the actual guest reviews and weighing this against the (small) field of Nuuk hotels, Nuuk Hotel Apartments by HHE earns its spot as the most practical pick for families, friend groups, long stays, and travellers who want to live in Nuuk like a local. The full kitchen and in-unit laundry change the math of a Greenland trip — they cut the food bill in a city where dining out adds up fast, and they make a 5-night stay feel restful instead of grinding. The location does the rest: the Hans Egede statue, Katuaq, the National Museum, and the harbour are all on foot, and the bonus access to HHE's gym, lounge, Sarfalik restaurant, and Skyline Bar genuinely sweetens the deal. The honest counterpoint: if you want a full-service hotel where someone takes your bags at the door, the restaurant is in the same building, and the styling feels overtly luxe, the main Hans Egede tower or Hotel Aurora over in Nuussuaq fits better. Net-net we score it 8.6/10 — best for families needing space, anyone staying multiple nights, cruise passengers wanting to do laundry, and travellers who value home-feel over hotel service in a cold-but-stunning capital.