Radisson Blu Park Hotel, Oslo

There are no convenience shops nearby, and we had to hang our clothes around the room because there’s no wardrobe. The bathroom was tiny, and the double bed was actually two singles pushed together. We were a couple, and the bedside tables were too small as well. The rooms are compact, with small washrooms, as is typical in many European hotels. Even with those inconveniences, it’s still a pleasant place to stay.

Everyone at the hotel was super welcoming, and João at reception deserves a special mention. He knows Oslo well and gave us excellent tips for exploring and enjoying the city. We followed his advice and were glad we did. The area is quiet, with a great location and good transport into the city center. The rooms are a bit small for a couple, though, and not great if you’re planning to relax in the room since there isn’t much space.

Breakfast was nice, but otherwise this is a pretty average hotel, nothing out of the ordinary. You can see its age starting to show in the corners and seams, though that’s to be expected. For some reason my room had two TVs, but there was only a remote for one.

The hotel was spotless and felt to a high standard, and the arena location was perfect for the RAYE concert. It’s a short walk through an underpass straight to the venue. Getting back into OSLO city afterward would have been a pain, so having the hotel nearby was brilliant. We arrived at 1pm on Thursday, but check-in was strictly at 3pm, leaving us two hours to fill. There isn’t much to do in this mostly working district. Reception pointed us to Sjoflyhavna Kro, a lovely restaurant with great food and service. It was about a 20-minute walk, a nice stroll. The hotel also upgraded us to a corner suite overlooking the Fjord. Highly recommend it, especially for the arena.