Frogner House - Nationaltheatret

The location is quite nice, near the park and within an easy walk of the waterfront, main restaurants and many sights. We had a decent enough stay, and I can see Frogner House suiting young travelers or people looking for cheaper accommodation. Still, I’d pay more for somewhere nicer if I return to Oslo. The building and apartment weren’t in great shape. The carpets in the hallways and stairwell need work, and the apartment could use renovation. There was an unpleasant smell, maybe fried fish, in the hallway on our floor. The apartment was more cramped than I expected, with a tiny bathroom and shower. The sun-facing windows made it uncomfortably hot, there’s no air conditioning, and the windows didn’t open very far. The beds were comfortable, but the bedrooms were so small there was barely space for suitcases or unpacking. The living room TV didn’t work at all. They only supplied one roll of toilet paper for our couple-night stay in a two-bedroom apartment, which wasn’t enough. Check-in is at 3 PM, and we arrived in the morning, as travelers from the States often do. They let us store our luggage before then, but the storage room was in another building and a bit of a walk away.

The hotel was in a great location, but we booked a place shown as having two rooms for four people and found only two beds. It was extremely expensive for one person to add, and elsewhere in Norway I’ve paid much less for more space and accommodation.

The studio was cozy and very clean, and the neighborhood was quiet. We could adjust the temperature to our preference; it was set to 22°C when we arrived. We were on the top floor, though the elevator only reaches the fourth. The location is excellent, just two minutes on foot from Nationaltheatret train station. A direct train from the airport takes about 30 minutes, and Karl Johans Gate and the Christmas Market are around a five-minute walk away. I highly recommend it for the comfort and location.

The only real saving grace is the location. There’s also a laundry room in the basement, detergent is provided, and the Wi-Fi is high speed. Otherwise, the property feels old, worn out and like it’s falling apart. It has basic apartment amenities, but the design is very poor and things keep failing or breaking. The shower stall is barely four feet across, and the sink, only 9 by 12 inches, is too small to soak dinner dishes. The bed was much too soft, the room lighting was terrible, and the outlets are all near the floor. The bedroom is so cramped you can squeeze in from one side, with no room on the other.