Thon Hotel Andrikken

The rooms are roomy and comfortable, but breakfast was lousy compared with the other hotels we stayed at in Norway: very limited choice and only average quality. The gym claim felt like a blatant lie. It’s closed in the evening and doesn’t open until 10 a.m., which means travelers, who arrive at night and leave in the morning, can’t use it. They should stop saying there’s an available gym.

The friendly staff were dealing with a brand-new summer employee, so service took time. I don’t personally mind, but it may be useful to know if you’re visiting during summer or the holiday season. Parking was very full when we arrived, with construction company cars taking up most of the spaces. The hotel feels dated and costs far too much for what it offers. Rooms are small, with wall-to-wall carpet that made me feel like I’d walked into an old aunt’s home. It was clean, but the lingering smell remained. The TVs weren’t connected to the internet, so we were left with Norwegian sitcoms. Breakfast dishes were prepared before 07:00 and kept in ceramic containers that continued cooking the food until breakfast ended at 10:00. At 09:00 the eggs were rubbery and the potatoes very dry after more than three hours. The dog fee was 400kr, twice the 200kr charged by competitors like Scandic Hotels. A fair rate for this place would be about 60% lower than current prices.

Breakfast was decent, with an acceptable selection. Our family room was spacious, but on the ground floor facing the street, so we didn’t want to leave the curtains open. The lighting was poor, with very few lights and no proper ceiling lights. Once the curtains were shut for privacy, the room felt far too dim, especially at night. They only take card payment for rooms, not cash. That’s unacceptable to me, and I won’t be coming back.

Breakfast was very good and had lots of choices. Still, it’s a bit overpriced for what you get, with somewhat old equipment, and no blackout curtains. Fine for a one-night stay.