A proper apartment in a proper Oslo neighborhood. Saga Apartments sits in an 1890s building on a quiet, tree-lined street in Majorstuen/Frogner, and the whole setup is designed to make you feel like a resident, not a tourist. The apartments run around 30 square meters, which in Scandinavian hotel terms is practically a ballroom. There's a dining table, a living area, a kitchenette with a Nespresso machine, stovetop, fridge, and microwave. The bathrooms have heated floors. Many units come with a private balcony.
That kitchen is the real money play. Oslo restaurant prices are brutal. Stock up at the nearby supermarket, cook your own meals, and you'll save hundreds of kroner a day. Free access to a commercial gym (Fresh Fitness) nearby sweetens the deal for longer stays.
There is no reception at the building. Check-in happens at the sister hotel, about 200 to 300 meters away. Then you drag your bags back. In the rain. In the snow. Through the front door and into an elevator that is small and slow. If you're traveling heavy, budget extra time and patience for multiple trips.
The internal walls are thin. You'll hear the elevator ding and neighbors in the hallway. The building has no air conditioning, which matters during the occasional summer heatwave. The Rosenborg tram stop is a short walk away, and Bogstadveien's shops and cafés are two minutes on foot. Frogner Park and Vigeland are less than a kilometer out.