Hotel Continental has been run by the same family since 1900, and it sits in the middle of Oslo, steps from the National Theatre, the Royal Palace and the shops of Karl Johans gate, with the waterfront a short walk away. The Parliament and the government quarter are close by too. There are 151 rooms and suites, each decorated individually with patterned wallpaper, soft textiles and art chosen for the room. At the top of the house, the suites look over the Oslofjord or the palace park, and the Continental Suite runs to 200 square metres. Art matters here. The family has long supported Norwegian artists, and the lobby bar holds one of the largest private collections of Edvard Munch in the country. Five restaurants and bars share the building. Theatercaféen, in the Viennese style, has been a meeting place for the city for generations, Bar Boman draws a lively local crowd, and the breakfast buffet is famous in its own right. It is a grand hotel in the classic sense, updated over the years with care rather than reinvented.
- Nearest airport
- Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL), 29 Miles / 46 Kilometres
- Rooms
- 151 rooms and suites
Insider tip Take a drink in the lobby bar to see the Munch works on the walls, then book a table at Theatercaféen next door for dinner.
Why I choose it Family-owned, central and full of art, with the city's favourite café downstairs. It makes a fine first stop before a journey into the fjords.