Luxury Hotels in Oslo

1.Hotel Continental

Oslo, Norway

Best overall

Booking9.1· 672 reviews

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Why this position: Leads the ranking: a higher guest score than #2 (9.1 to 9.0).

Hotel Continental is for guests who want old-school polish in the middle of Oslo. The National Theatre is across the street, Karl Johan is a short stroll away and the Royal Palace, the harbour and most sights in the centre can be reached on foot. Inside, Munch lithographs in the lounge, individually decorated rooms and Theatercaféen give the house a sense of history. Guests talk most about the staff, who are described as warm and attentive, and about a breakfast served in its own dining room. The classic style also has its limits. Some rooms are on the small side or feel a little dated, and rooms at the back can pick up noise from a nearby club late at night. There is no pool or spa, and the gym is modest. Travellers who want a central base with attentive service will feel well looked after; anyone after a wellness hotel should look elsewhere.

2.Sommerro

Oslo, Norway

Private pool

Booking9· 1,189 reviews

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Why this position: Rests on more guest reviews than #1 (1,189 to 672), at a slightly lower score (9.0 to 9.1).

Sommerro is for travellers who want a hotel that is an experience in itself. The art deco building in Frogner has a stylish, high-end interior and holds seven restaurants, a rooftop bar, a pool on the roof and a spa with a public bath and sauna. The Royal Palace and the city centre are within walking distance. Guests are most enthusiastic about the breakfast, which many describe as the best they have had in a hotel, along with the spacious rooms and the friendly staff. The flip side is that so much is going on. The pool and sauna must be booked, which some guests found fiddly, and service can be uneven across the many outlets. Value for money draws the most criticism, especially in smaller rooms. Couples and food lovers who want design and wellness under one roof will be well served; budget-minded travellers may find better value elsewhere.

3.Savoy 1918

Oslo, Norway

Design

Booking9.3· 124 reviews

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Why this position: Highest guest score of the 6 hotels we rank here — 9.3 from 124 reviews. Scores higher than #2 (9.3 to 9.0), on a smaller body of reviews (124 to 1,189).

Savoy 1918 is for travellers who want a personal boutique hotel in the middle of Oslo rather than a large grand hotel. With 92 individually furnished rooms in a vintage-inspired style, it feels intimate, and guests notice the details, from high-quality fixtures to a handwritten welcome card. What they praise above all is the staff, closely followed by beds that many call the most comfortable they have slept in. A wellness area with sauna, Cafe Watt and Savoy Bar round off the stay. The central location has a price at night. At weekends some rooms hear the street and a nearby nightclub, though closed windows help. Breakfast divides opinion slightly, with some finding it busy or limited, and the older building means long corridors and the odd practical quirk. There is no pool. Couples and city-break travellers who want warm service and a calm room will be very well looked after; light sleepers should plan around weekends.

4.Hotel Bristol

Oslo, Norway

Spa & wellness

Booking8.8· 2,187 reviews

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Why this position: The largest body of guest feedback on this page: 2,187 reviews, averaging 8.8. Rests on more guest reviews than #3 (2,187 to 124), at a slightly lower score (8.8 to 9.3).

Hotel Bristol is for travellers who want a classic Oslo hotel with a sense of history. It stands two minutes from Karl Johans gate, with the National Theatre and the National Gallery a short walk away, and its antique-style rooms, beautiful lobby and the Library Bar, a meeting place since the 1920s, give it an old-world character guests clearly enjoy. The breakfast buffet is the star of a stay, and guests also praise comfortable beds, clean rooms and helpful staff at the front desk. The drawbacks are mostly about extras and age. Access to the spa and sauna costs extra, as does parking, and some rooms feel dated, with small wardrobes or views onto rooftops at the rear. Service in the lobby bar can be uneven. Travellers who value a central address and traditional surroundings will be well looked after; anyone who wants modern design or wellness included should look elsewhere.

5.The Thief

Oslo, Norway

Booking8.7· 386 reviews

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Why this position: Sits behind #4 on both the score (8.7 to 8.8) and the sample it rests on (386 to 2,187 reviews).

The Thief is for travellers who want Oslo's waterfront at its most polished. It stands on Tjuvholmen, a few minutes from the restaurants of Aker Brygge, with 102 artworks in the hotel and free entry to the Astrup Fearnley Museum. Guests come back to the location again and again, and they speak warmly about the breakfast, the attentive staff and rooms that are clean, well designed and full of small comforts. The spa, with its pool, hamam and sauna, adds a calm counterpoint to the city. The main drawbacks are practical. Several guests struggled to get the room temperature right, and prices are high even by Oslo standards. Spa sessions need to be booked in advance, the gym is modest and the rooftop opens only in summer. Couples and design lovers will find a stylish, well-run base by the fjord; travellers on a tighter budget can find better value elsewhere.

6.Lysebu Hotel

Oslo, Norway

Romance

Booking8.7· 748 reviews

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Why this position: Guests rate it above #5 (8.7 to 8.7) and on more reviews (748 to 386).

Lysebu Hotel is for travellers who want Oslo with the forest on the doorstep. It sits on Tryvannshøyden, high above the city, with views over Sørkedalen, hiking trails close by and skiing in winter, yet the metro from Voksenkollen reaches the centre in 40 minutes. Guests describe a cosy, characterful house with a national romantic feel, Nordic art on the walls and freshly renovated rooms, and they praise the breakfast, the caring staff and the indoor pool and sauna. The restaurant's monthly five-course menu and the wine cellar make it easy to stay in for the evening. That distance is also the main trade-off, as there is little within walking distance beyond the woods. Some bathrooms are small, a few room details need attention, and service at breakfast and dinner can be uneven. Couples and outdoor lovers will find a calm, well-kept retreat; anyone who wants the city at the door should stay downtown.