Thon Hotel Opera

I wanted a wonderful stay, but this was just okay. My hopes for the hotel were probably too high, so it wasn't a great fit for me. Some small details kept getting in the way. There were two marked spots for a glass but no glass in the bathroom, so I used the minibar wine glass to rinse toothpaste. The toilet roll holder was empty, though there was a spare. It wasn't replaced, so I had to be careful not to run out during the day. There was no safe in the room. In the shower, there was one 'hair-body-everything-wash' dispenser, where I'd expected a shampoo, conditioner, and body wash trio from a hotel of this standard. Party music, either in the hotel or nearby, played every night past 11 p.m. I could hear it, but mostly felt it as vibrations in the room. Those are minor things, but the attention to detail is what takes a hotel from good to great. It also rubbed me the wrong way that everyday things were missing while other things were visibly available for an extra fee. It gave the place the feel of a cheap holiday where you pay extra for everything, which I don't think is the look this hotel is going for.

Melissa checked us into a beautifully updated room, and the friendly reception team made us feel looked after. The hotel is large, but the staff give it a personal feel, and the room was very well equipped. It's right by Oslo train station in the city centre. We’re already looking forward to coming back in a few days.

The breakfast had a good spread, though service doesn't start until 7am. The hotel is right beside Oslo train station, and if you're coming in by cruise ship, it's only a short taxi or Uber ride. Uber is probably the cheaper option.

The rooms were clean and comfortable, and the restaurant did both breakfast and dinner buffets very well. That combination is unusual in US hotels, in my experience. The hotel itself is huge, with an impressive lobby. It's also handy for getting around: the opera and library are close by, with the fjord on one side and a shopping and restaurant street by the station on the other. The National Museum and Nobel Peace Center are within walking distance too.