Which hotel in Oslo?
 

Oslo has a wealth of Carlson properties:

1. Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel Oslo
2. Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Oslo
3. Park Inn By Radisson Oslo
4. Radisson Blu Hotel Nydalen, Oslo

Which offers the best combination of location and comfort for a first time tourist?

Nydalen is a 8 min subway trip from downtown.

Park Inn is the cheapest solution, but the rooms are much smaller and the restaurant/breakfast area is not as nice. The location distance wise is good, but the area is not the best, especially at night (not dangerous though).

Both the radissons are in good locations, the Scandinavia is closer to western part of the city, while the Plaza is right next to the central station and subway. You can't go wrong with either, but my preference would be Plaza.

Thank you, chrisljo, that's very helpful.

I don't know if you have status with CC, but Plaza is for sure the most luxurious hotel of them all and they have nice upgrades for CC elites (business class for gold, junior suites for concierge). Scandinavia is in a calmer but still excellent location but has no clue when it comes to recognising CC elites. I've received outright bad rooms despite being Concierge (and received tons of CC points after complaining to CC about it).

I stayed at the Plaza a few weeks ago, great location for a tourist and easy to walk anywhere. The Super breakfast buffet is very busy, but it's free, so hard to complain about that.

Do you think they give breakfast to guests staying on points?

Breakfast is always included.

It's listed in the rate details. E.g.

If you get a room upgrade the Park Inn by Radisson is very good, I prefer to stay there over any of the other Radisson properties in Oslo. I've not stayed in a hotel in Norway where breakfast isn't included on the room rate. The Plaza and Scandinavian are both pretty tired and badly in need of renovation, they are not worth the premium over the Park Inn, plus the Plaza is in a crappy part of town, if you like drug dealers and hookers it might appeal.

I would definitely pick the Scandinavia. The area is much nicer, close to the Castle and on the "right side of town."

What has happened during the last year on the backside of the Plaza is that gypsies have set up camp there and 50-80 gypsies sleep there every night. They also cook their dinners, go to the toilet etc etc there... its a little park with no facilities, so its really messy.. I really would avoid this area.

The area around the Plaza was never charming anyway imo, but very central and 1 minute walking from the central station. Hotel itself has decent elite recognition, usually upgrades to business class room and gives welcome amenity to Golds.

Ive never seen any prostitutes around the Plaza, but you will find some drug addicts, usually begging on the walking bridge to the central station.

The Scandinavia on the other hand is in a very nice location, feels much safer and is still very central. For tourist activities I would say it is a better location than Plaza. Rooms can be rather dated, elite recognition not very good. Honestly you wont get great elite recognition at any Oslo hotel anyway, so just pick the better location and enjoy the outdoors.

Oh, and I have stayed at the Park Inn once. Its a more basic hotel brand in the CC family, rather new and basic but good standard. Free breakfast for all but much less elaborate than the Radissons mentioned. Very central location as well, but I did notice a lot of prostitutes popping up in the evening in the surrounding streets, if that is bothersome. Zero elite recognition at this hotel.

Nydalen is a residential area a bit north in the city, I would not stay there as a tourist if there is not something particular you want in that area. Area is nice and quiet.

Enjoy Oslo!

Defining the "right" side of town is definitely not an exact science :)

If you're traveling with children I might agree with staying at the Scandinavian, but Plaza is a better hotel and closer to subway / trams that get you to tourist attractions. In addition, it's closer to Grunerlokka, Gamlebyen and Groenland which many consider far more interesting than the Bislet/Lower Majorstua area.

Agreed! It is highly subjective. Hence the ". I enjoy Grunerlokka and Gamlebyen a lot, I just dont care much for the area around the Plaza and central station. But then again I feel that way about a lot of central stations in larger European cities.

The Plaza is a better hotel, but my point is none of them are great so I would pick depending on the location one prefers.

Come on guys, we're talking about a city with an excellent public transport system and where you can cross the whole downtown area with a 10 minutes walk :)

Anyway, I give +1 for the Scandinavia. Have stayed in Plaza 5 or 6 times, have been upgraded once as Gold (to a "business class" room). The usual status recognition is that they give you one of their renovated rooms. Also stayed in Scandinavia once, where I got a proper standard room, which I prefered over both the standard and the upgraded room in Plaza. Both hotels would need renovation, but the corridors in Plaza are outright depressive.

Plaza is slightly better when it comes to airport access, but this means only every second train will take you to Scandinavia, whereas every train is good for Plaza. No such issue if you take a cab, but check the price levels if travelling to Oslo for the first time (hint ;))

I'm going back next week, booked Scandinavia without hesitating.

PS. Also stayed @ Radisson Blu Park Hotel twice, will not repeat this mistake again. That place is a remain from the time Fornebu (FBU) was the main airport serving Oslo.

Agreed on Scandinavia. Although in an isolated sense Plaza is the more luxurious, the surroundings and the people in them really bring it down.

By the way, if you're visiting Norway for the first time, I'd say you're better off going to Bergen or Stavanger rather than Oslo. :)