Wilhelmsen House

At 11 pm, a fire alarm woke us and we had to wait outside for a while. It was startling to find there was nobody on site to help. I've visited 90 countries and countless hotels, but hadn't realized a place could operate like this. Worse, when we asked for part of our money back, they ignored us without even replying.

The check-in problem left my British cousin and his wife without a room, and we still haven't had it resolved. They booked Wilhelmsen House (WH) through Opodo, and I was there to help when we arrived around noon on Sunday, August 4. We knew check-in wasn't until 3 pm, but hoped to leave their bags. There was no reception or luggage storage. The hall's self check-in machine asked for a confirmation code we didn't have, so we called the service number beside it. The representative said an SMS with the needed information would arrive before 3 pm. The message came just before 3, as promised, but it had no confirmation code. I don't understand why WH left out the key detail needed to check in. We called right after 3 and got an automated message saying the service office had closed at 2 pm. Why have check-in begin at 3 if support closes an hour earlier? We ended up taking my cousin and his wife from Tønsberg to Oslo. The next day they had to take a train back to Sandefjord for their flight to London. We were lucky to be there to help. Apparently, the code had been emailed to Opodo, but Opodo never passed it on to my cousin. When we complained to Opodo, they told us WH had claimed we checked in. We didn't, and our train tickets show the trip. The machine required a code we never received; WH should be able to see that the code or key was never issued to us. Their claim is also preventing us from getting a refund. I strongly warn people against booking WH. Who closes support an hour before check-in starts? I expect Wilhemlsen House to apologize, in Norwegian or English, and my family in London to be refunded for the room they couldn't use. This isn't how I want my family to be treated when they visit Norway. They were asked for a receipt for the alternative hotel, but there isn't one because I took them home with me in Oslo. Roy on behalf of C. Müller I saw the owner's reply in the comments, but we're not allowed to respond there, only edit our review, so I'm adding this here. It took them eight months to respond, and the reply clearly shows they haven't read the review. That says a lot.

It was clean and quiet, though there isn't much around. The town center is a 20-minute walk away. Weekend breakfast was very limited, so get up early if you want anything decent.

Set in a traditional-era building, this is a beautiful, modern hotel, and everything runs automatically, so you don't need to see staff. There aren't any views, but this is Norway, for Christ's sake. If you want a view, just go around the corner! Prices are reasonable for Scandinavia, and I'd recommend the place wholeheartedly.