Scandic St. Olavs Plass: Quiet Oslo without the chaos

The location is the trick here. St. Olavs Plass sits on a quiet square a few blocks north of Karl Johans Gate, which means you're five minutes from the National Gallery and the Royal Palace grounds without the street noise that often plagues with such a central location. The square itself is calm. The building shares space with the Edderkoppen Theatre, which gives the lobby a slightly more interesting feel than your average Scandic.

The breakfast is good. Fresh salmon, proper bread, solid hot options. It's the kind of spread that makes you skip lunch.

Now, the rooms. The standard and economy categories are small, somewhere around 12 to 15 square metres. Upgrade to a Superior if space matters, and ask for a room with a balcony, because a surprising number of rooms have one. Request a courtyard-facing room if you're a light sleeper, or a high floor facing the square if you want a view.

There's no real air conditioning. The system is more of a gentle suggestion than actual cooling. On a warm summer day, the rooms get stuffy. Opening windows helps but lets in early morning light. Some hallways and bathrooms look tired, a bit institutional. Clean, but not fresh.