- Introduction: Oslo In Winter
- Review: United “Polaris” Business Class 787 Houston To Frankfurt
- Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport Terminal A
- Review: Lufthansa A321 Business Class Frankfurt To Oslo
- Review: Park Inn By Radisson Oslo Airport
- Review: SAS Museum Oslo Airport
- Review: Clarion Collection Hotel Folketeateret Oslo
- How To Sled Oslo’s Korketrekkeren Like A Boss
- Review: Clarion Collection Hotel Bastion Oslo
- 10 Things To Do With Kids In Oslo
- Review: Radisson Blu Oslo Airport
- Review: SAS Lounge Oslo Airport
- Review: SAS Plus Oslo To London Heathrow On A 737
- Review: United Club London Heathrow
- Review: United Polaris Lounge Chicago
Given our early departure the following morning, we decided to spend the last night of our trip at a hotel at the Oslo Airport.
Having stayed at the Park Inn by Radisson Oslo Airport on the first night of our trip, we decided to try the Radisson Blu Oslo Airport this time. In my experience, both of these hotels are comparable in price with the Radisson Blu maybe just a few dollars more.
We rode the NSB train from Oslo Central Station to the airport and then walked over to the hotel. The Radisson Blu is the closest hotel to the airport, but you still need to exit the terminal to get there. It’s an easy walk that takes only a few minutes.
Walkway to Radisson Blu Oslo Airport
After you cross the street outside the arrivals level, the rest of the walk is in a mostly enclosed walkway that shields you from the elements. I’d guess that it’s about half as far as the walk to the Park Inn, which also has an enclosed walkway.
Covered Walkway to Radisson Blu Oslo Airport
We actually borrowed a luggage cart from the airport, pushed it over, stowed it for the night, and then brought it back. That seemed to be a reasonably common thing to do.
We headed to the reception desk where check-in was quick and efficient.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Reception
The check-in agent was friendly, recognized my Club Carlson Gold Status and said that I had been automatically upgraded to a business class room. She told me that the restaurant would be serving a breakfast buffet in the morning, and that while it wasn’t included in my rate, since I had been upgraded to a business class room, room service breakfast would be included.
Buffet included? No. Room service included? Yes. That sounded backwards, but hey, I wasn’t going to argue.
I later had to call to clarify how many people the room service benefit would cover as the room was booked with two adults and one child, as that’s what the website would allow me to do. She said it would cover all three.
We headed up to the room.
The hotel has an interesting design that consists of multiple blocks of rooms connected by walkways, some of which are like catwalks that look down on the main level.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Corridor
Our room was an oversized corner room at the far end of the corridor.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Floorplan
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room
I’m not sure if the half bottle of Coke by the door was a welcome amenity or not, but in Norway it was probably worth close to $5. It was still there in the morning. We left it for the next guest.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport
Compared to our room at the Clarion Collection Hotel Folketeateret in central Oslo, it was a massive space.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room
Just like at the Park Inn, our room came with a portable heater. I can’t imagine needing it, but then again I’m usually more worried about my room being too hot than too cold.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room Portable Heater
The closet was a good size, easily able to fit all of our stuff had we chosen to put things away.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room
The bathroom had a shower/tub combo with the short shower glass that is common in the area.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room Bathroom
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room Bathroom
It featured the usual Radisson Blu toiletries.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room Toiletries
I’m a big fan of hotels that have windows which open. Just like at the Park Inn Oslo Airport, the external walls here were super thick such that there were double windows that sort of form an airlock and are probably very efficient.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Business Class Room
We had a nice view of the terminal out one window and could see the Park Inn Oslo Airport a short distance away out the other.
View From Radisson Blu Oslo Airport
You can also look down on the train station from various points in the hotel.
View From Radisson Blu Oslo Airport
A little while later the real welcome amenity was delivered to our room. It consisted of a fruit plate and a bottle of still water. The fruit plate was a fraction of the size of the one at the Park Inn Oslo Airport, but still appreciated.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Welcome Amenity
This is a large hotel with a conference center on the lower level, so as I usually do, I grabbed a kid and headed out exploring. No one was around in the conference area.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Conference Center
Just like at the Park Inn Oslo Airport, the conference center area had refreshment stations with both still and sparkling water on tap as well as coffee machines.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Conference Center
I’m not sure whether we were supposed to or not, but there were a stack of glasses, so I helped myself. I’ve become a big fan of sparkling water, so having it readily available is a nice benefit, even if you have to walk downstairs to get some.
We then walked by the restaurant.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Restaurant
And thought about how we wouldn’t be eating breakfast here. Because room service!
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Restaurant
The prices were high but not insane by Norway standards.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Menu
My kids enjoyed playing with the large illuminated globe in the lobby just outside the restaurant. My daughter is pointing to where the Arctic explorers went that she learned about at the Fram Museum.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport
We then headed over to the gym, which is in a bit of an odd location. A minimally marked door between the entrance and the reception desk leads to the basement where you go through a few more doors, before arriving at the gym. Once you get there, it’s quite nice.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Fitness Center
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Fitness Center
Like the Clarion Collection Hotel Folketeateret, there was food in the fitness center if you need a free bite to eat.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Fitness Center
Interestingly, there was a golf simulator in one section of the gym but it was out of service.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Fitness Center
There is a separate fee for the golf simulator. They even promised to laugh at my swing.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Fitness Center
There is also a sauna in the locker room. Unfortunately, I didn’t come down until after the kids were asleep, and by then it was apparently turned off. I mean, the room was still open, and fairly warm, but it wasn’t hot. I just figured that’s how it was until a Norwegian guy showed up, sat there for about two minutes, and then grumbled that it was too cold and left. It seems like they should keep it open later than 9 PM.
We hung our room service order on the doorknob and set our alarms for oh-dark-thirty. Then again, it’s not hard to get up in the dark when visiting Norway in the winter. We ordered for three people.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Room Service Menu
Our breakfast arrived about 20 minutes later than expected, but fortunately we allowed ourselves some buffer in the schedule. I don’t think we’ve ever had room service with the kids, so it was a real treat. It was a lot of food and in Norway, probably worth at least half the cost of the room.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Room Service Breakfast
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Room Service Breakfast
Sadly, we didn’t have time to really enjoy it, so we mostly stuffed our faces and packed up our bags to head over to the terminal.
Radisson Blu Oslo Airport bottom line
The Radisson Blu Oslo Airport is the most convenient hotel to the airport, a short walk from the terminal.
The Carlson Gold status recognition was excellent with an upgrade to a noticeably larger business class room, a welcome amenity, and room service breakfast included.
The service was excellent, and you can’t beat the location.
That's the saddest welcome amenity I've ever seen...two orange segments, one strawberry (sliced in two), two tiny watermelon squares, a few grapes, and some apple slices. Truly pathetic.
I stayed at the hotel some years ago, totally unexpected. We had a very nice experience: quick check in; nice design; good dinner at the restaurant, with a very kind service. And they have a terrace. As it was a Sunny day in September we sitted there while waiting for the afternoon flight to Brussels.
Are they cool with you booking a room for two adults and a kid and then bringing 3 kids? No problems with fire codes etc?
Thanks for the review, in fact all of your trip basically, well written and interesting.
Oh gotcha! haha, makes sense!
Great reviews Travis. I enjoy your reviews thoroughly.
Donald -- Oh, those prices are sort of reasonable-ish, LOL. The Park Inn had a burger for $36 -- I think I have the menu in that review.
EZ: I have 3 kids. Leaving them all with my wife in the hotel room usually leads to chaos, so I usually take one of them with me when I go wandering around the hotel.
Wow the prices on that menu! They certainly seemed out of this world high to me, especially for a mid-level hotel dining room. From the ones I could make out....$6.65 for a Coke, $16.50 for Apple tart with ice cream, $29.63 for a burger and $32.75 for some salmon and cabbage! I can certainly see why having breakfast and dinner is such a priority--and necessity! I can't imagine an expensive restaurant.
What do you mean by "grabbed a kid and headed out"?
Thanks for sharing your experience Ole. But now I'm sort of regretting not asking for a suite, haha. Maybe next time.
I am Norweigan and stay quite frequently at this hotel. Same status as you, Club Carlson Gold, and more than 50% of the time I am upgraded to a suite. The rest of the time I get a business class room. Actually, I can never think of a stay there where I haven't been upgraded.
I guess they are competing with the nearby Park Inn for the most frequent travellers or something, as the upgrades on this hotel are really frequent and good.