Thon Hotel Kristiansand

We had a comfortable four-person room that worked well for our family or a small group of friends, and the price seemed reasonable for the location. The hotel is handy for getting around Kristiansand: the nearest bus stop is a two-minute walk away, and the main bus and train stations are about five minutes away. The center and most main sights are easy to reach on foot. Check-in was quick and straightforward, too. A pleasant base if you want to stay near the sights without paying extra just for being close.

The location is fine, but service let the place down. The front desk staff were rude and unhelpful, so I wouldn’t recommend it for the service. Basic things were missing from the rooms, like drinking water and proper coffee, and charging an iPhone was a challenge because the chargers were so odd. It felt as if they assumed only locals would stay here. Very disappointing.

The toilet was squeezed so close to the wall that even I, though slim, had only a few centimeters of space. Everything else was lovely: a cozy spot on the shopping street, a neat and simple room, and a wonderfully comfortable bed. Service was great, and breakfast was simple but good.

At 165€ a night, which felt like average Norwegian pricing for this quality, I found the hotel pretty convenient. It’s next to the ferry terminal and in the city center. My room was spacious, clean, and tidy, and seemed recently refurbished, although the bathroom looked a bit dated. The staff were friendly and helpful, and check-in and checkout were quick. There’s a restaurant on the ground floor, parking is possible in the garage in the same building or nearby, and the WiFi was fast.