Settling into Oslo - Norway - page 88

are large enough for families of three or four; although bathrooms have only
minimal space, they do contain tub/shower combinations.
Grensen 19, N-0159 Oslo 1. & 23-31-80-00. Fax [phone]. www.rainbow-hotels.no/norrona. 93 units.
850NOK-1,310NOK ($121-$186) double. Rates include breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 160NOK ($23)
nearby. T-banen: Stortinget. Tram: 11, 12, 13, or 17. Bus: 17. Amenities: Restaurant; lounge; laundry serv-
ice/dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV, dataport.
Scandic KNA Oslo City Hotel This hotel looks deceptively new, thanks to a
futuristic-looking mirrored facade that was added in the 1970s to an older core
that was originally built in the 1940s by the Norwegian Auto Club. A renova-
tion also last occurred in 2004. Inside, you'll find a cozy lobby-level bar and
restaurant serving Norwegian food, a deeply entrenched kind of informality, and
a reception staff that's a bit inexperienced. Bedrooms are simple, clean, and a bit
spartan-looking. The small bathrooms are shower-only. Room rates rise steeply
in winter, but if you come in summer, it's a real bargain. The low summer prices
and a neighborhood that's calm, quiet, and close to the Royal Palace make up
for the shortcomings. If you're a self-motivated kind of traveler with a clear idea
of what you want to see and where you want to go in Oslo, without much need
for attention or advice from the staff, this might be an appropriate choice.
Parkveien 68, N-0254 Oslo. & 23-15-57-00. Fax [phone]. www.scandic-hotels.com/kna. 189 units.
Sept-May Sun-Thurs 1,575NOK-1,775NOK ($224-$252) double, Fri-Sat 890NOK-1,090NOK ($126-$155)
double; June-Aug 890NOK-990NOK ($126-$141) double. No discounts on weekends June-Aug. AE, DC, MC,
V. Tram: 12 or 15. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; health club; sauna; 24-hr. room service. In room: TV, minibar,
trouser press.
WEST END
EXPENSIVE
Frogner House In 1992 a turn-of-the-20th-century redbrick apartment
house was transformed into this stylish, upscale hotel. In the affluent Oslo sub-
urb of Frogner, about .8km ( 1 ⁄ 2 mile) west of the city's commercial core, it's out-
fitted in conservative but cozy English style, with lots of lace curtains, a scattering
of antiques, and soft cheerful colors. This hotel has built its reputation by cater-
ing to international business travelers, many of whom are involved in shipping
and real estate. This is an upscale bed-and-breakfast, loaded with attentive serv-
ice and comforts, but most luxuries must be arranged through outside suppliers
by the reception staff. Each medium-size-to-spacious room is well maintained
and equipped with a well-kept bathroom with a tub/shower combination.
Skovveien 8, Frogner, N-0257 Oslo. & 22-56-00-56. Fax [phone]. www.frognerhouse.com. 60 units.
Sun-Thurs 1,530NOK ($217) double, Fri-Sat 1,040NOK ($148) double. AE, DC, MC, V. Tram: 12. Amenities:
Lounge; limited room service; laundry service/dry cleaning. In room: TV, dataport, minibar, hair dryer.
Hotel Ambassadeur One of the most consistently reliable hotels in Oslo,
the Hotel Ambassadeur, a Best Western, was built around 1890 as an apartment
house. Near the Royal Palace, in an upscale residential neighborhood, it boasts
a well-upholstered salon with tapestries and antiques. The theme-decorated
guest rooms were fully renovated in the 1990s with minor repairs made as
needed since then. Rooms have double-glazed windows and good beds; the
small, tiled bathrooms have tub/shower combinations and heated towel racks.
Suites are more elaborate.
Camilla Colletts Vei 15, N-0258 Oslo. & 800/633-6548 in the U.S., or 23-27-23-00. Fax [phone]. www.
bestwestern.com/no/ambassadeur. 41 units. Mon-Thurs 1,415NOK ($201) double, 1,900NOK ($270) suite;
Fri-Sun 935NOK ($133) double, 1,500NOK ($213) suite. Rates include breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Bus: 21.
Amenities: Bar; sauna; laundry service/dry cleaning. In room: TV, dataport, minibar, hair dryer, trouser press.