Hotel Continental Oslo

Stayed in November 2005. Oslo in general was one of the most expensive cities I have travelled to.

This hotel was excellent, great rooms. My rate included breakfast which was very good. The service was top notch, they all spoke English.

Incredibly conveniant to the airport by express train.

I would definitely stay there again.

This was touted as one of the 2 best hotels in Oslo - if that is true, then Norwegians have no idea about nice hotels. It is old, (centrally located) and by no means luxurious by any standard in the rest of Europe or the US. It is expensive but the rooms are small and dingy. The bathrooms (and specifically the showers) are very small in difficult to use. Like all the hotels in Norway, there is no air conditioning so if it is hot (as it can be in July and August), you're in BIG trouble as the windows open about 3 inches. There is absolutely nothing special about this hotel.

Worst of the hotels I stayed with in Scandinavia. This hotel was disgraceful, not nearly what one would expect of a five-star more like a two-star. It is a hotel in MAJOR need of renovation. The hallways were putrid. There was a moldy smell coming from the air conditioning vent. The bed cover and dust cover were old, stained(??) and musty (perhaps only God knows how long ago both were thoroughly washed). The room dusty. The wallpaper outdated and peeling from the wall. The carpet filthy. To it's advantage (begrudgingly): the hotel is well located, has fresh buttered croissants in the morning for early,pre-breakfast hour, risers, and has cloth handtowels in the hotel "public-area" restrooms. In all fairness, try the SAS Radisson instead, you'll live happier.

We had high expectations for this hotel as we have never been let down by a member of the Leading Hotels chain. This hotel did not meet those standards and is really in need of a total makeover and cleaning.

The positives for this hotel are great staff and great location. The people at the front desk are very helpful and knowledgeable about the city. The location of this hotel is also fabulous. Right down the block from the beautiful Radhuset - City Hall and the Aker Brygge waterfront area where you can shop, eat, and catch a boat to Bygdoy where you can see some great museums (Viking ship, Kon Tiki are the best two) The hotel is also right across the street from the National Theater train station which is great for exploring the city (I would recommend Vigeland sculpture park and museum as well as the Munch Museum) as well as for a train to the airport.

The fact that Oslo is such a great place to visit made the Continental Hotel espeically disappointing. The hotel needs a face lift. Our bedroom was dingy and the bathroom had tons of mold in the shower area and was really disgusting. The closet in the room smelled funky and the furniture in the room was old. We did luck out and get a room on the top floor with a balcony which was fabulous. (it was a Superior Deluxe Room) The breakfast in the hotel was average although the room itself was cheery enough. I would look elsewhere for a hotel in Oslo if you are looking for a 5 star hotel. This is a 3 at best.

A disappointment. I stayed here because of the relatively good reviews and their membership in "Leading Hotels of the World" which mostly is a guarantee for at least some basic quality. The bed was terrible and filthy. The comforter was old, torn and not clean. The room also was not at its cleanest. No broadband internet as advertised. The room was tiny and had the feeling of a cell. The breakfast buffet was taken care of by just two people which meant that my only interaction with them was one instance of "Tea of coffee?" If you like to sleep to an open window and it is weekend - as in my case - you also need to put up with plenty of noise until about 4am. Overall, I also missed the basic polish and service attitude of a 5-star; the Continental is more of a 3-star.

Stayed here Aug 27-30th.

Like the majority of the other reviews, I would rate this hotel highly. The location is excellent for sightseeing. The rooms are well decorated and a good size. The bed we had was EXCEPTIONALLY comfortable, and I am picky about my beds! The only issue is the street noise. With the windows closed, it is absolutely silent. If you need to have them open (it was not hot when we were there), it would be difficult to get a good sleep. Earplugs required! If I was being really nit-picky, I would say the service in the breakfast room wasn't great; it took AGES to get a cup of coffee. But as it is otherwise buffet, this is really just a minor annoyance. I would stay here again.

I was very happy with our accommodations at the Hotel Continental. The location was great-we were able to walk to most of the things we wanted to do. The room was large and the bathroom was bigger

than I expected it to be. It also had a heated floor, which was a pleasant surprise. The hotel has an old-world elegence and the staff

is very helpful. They recommended a very good restaurant-"Terra" that was just a block or so from the hotel. I would highly recommend this hotel.

I just checked out of the Continental after having spent one night in a delux double. I stayed at the Continental to compare it with the Grand Hotel, and here are my findings:

Like the Grand, this is an old hotel with traditions. The building and everything in it is not as pretty and elegant and 'ritzy' as the Grand. It has more of an old world charm. Generally I had the feeling that rooms (and corridors) feels a bit faded and may need a face lift. My room was large and airy, but the bath was on the small side. I also got to look at a standard double on the top floor with a balcony. These rooms are quite small. Because of this I opted for the delux room.

Now for the good news: Very nice and helpfull staff. Nice toiletteries (own brand with hotel logo). Good information in room elegantly presented in leather bound folders. Nighlty turn-down service (not often seen in Norway, I believe). Generally, they made me feel very welcome and at home, which is much of what good hotels are all about.

All in all I would say that while the Grand is a nicer building, the Continental is a much better hotel. Possibly the best 5-star in Oslo.

Great location! Stayed on 7th floor in July. No air conditioning or fans. Had to open windows. Night clubs from the street below kept us awake until after 3 a.m.! Hotel staff did not tell us of potential noise problem on check-in and did not offer to relocate us after being notified of late noise.

Wonderful Hotel Continental, brilliant people and helpful. There was nothing that was too much trouble. All the staff were kind and courteous and offered information and knowledge that was unsurpassed.I would go there again for business and pleasure.Wendy Emmerson