Hotel Continental Oslo

A 125-year-old family-run hotel with real character, a private Munch collection, and one of the city's most iconic restaurants on the ground floor.

Step off the Flytoget airport express at Nationaltheatret station and the hotel entrance is 50 meters away. No taxi, no dragging luggage through slush. That alone puts the Continental in a different category from every other high-end hotel in Oslo.

This is a family-run place that's been open since 1900, and it feels like it, in a good way. The lobby corridors double as a gallery of original Edvard Munch lithographs. Downstairs, Theatercaféen is a Viennese-style grand café that's been pulling in locals for over a century. It's loud, theatrical, full of suits and scarves. Not a tourist trap.

The rooms are a different story. Entry-level singles and petite doubles clock in around 18 to 20 square meters. That's tight for what you're paying. The finishings are high quality, the beds are absurdly comfortable, and bathrooms come with proper toiletries, separate shower and tub. But the square footage is modest. You're paying for the address and the service, not the space.

Rooms facing Stortingsgata get street noise, especially on weekends. Request a room facing the inner courtyard if sleep matters more than the view. Dead silent back there.

No pool. No spa. The gym is fine, TechnoGym equipment, open 24 hours, but windowless. If you want a rooftop pool and a buzz, Sommerro is more for you. Also check you the Grand Hotel a stone throw away, featuring both a pool and a spa. The Continental is for people who'd rather drink coffee in classic surroundings than pose by an infinity edge.


Star rating
5

Hotel category
Luxury

Best Breakfast
Historic Gem
The Splurge

Skip the airport transfer. The Flytoget drops you at Nationaltheatret station, literally across the street. 25 minutes, a fraction of the taxi cost.


Dead center of Oslo. The Royal Palace is a two-minute walk, Aker Brygge waterfront and National Gallery five minutes. You're on top of the main transit hub and surrounded by restaurants, theatres, and parks.

What to do nearby


0.4km Insider pick
The largest art museum in Norway exhibiting some of the most iconic Norwegian paintings, including the original Scream oil painting and famous national romantic paintings like The Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord that define Norway's national identity, all in one building.
0.4km
A compact ceremonial forecourt that provides the classic axial view along Karl Johans gate and direct access to the Royal Palace and Palace Park.
0.5km
The working residence of Norway's King and Queen through lavish 19th-century state chambers during summer, or year-round you can watch the daily Changing of the Guard ceremony.

Other hotels nearby


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A centrally located hotel with real Norwegian character.
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A central, no-nonsense base where you can reach most major sights on foot in under 15 minutes.
0.5km
Upper-floor fjord views that rival any hotel in Oslo. One of the few central Oslo hotels with an indoor pool and sauna.