We spent part of our stay in Oslo at the Hotel Folketeateret, but decided we might as well give another Clarion Collection property a try. That's not to say there was anything wrong with the Hotel Folketeateret per se, as it's truly a wonderful property with excellent service. It's just that their rooms were a…
Continue reading: Review: Clarion Collection Hotel Bastion Oslo
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If you would have checked in here first you probably wouldn't have ever met Kate Moss.
Donald -- LOL, yup, sometimes things happen for reason. But yeah, we would have DEFINITELY stayed here the entire time.
I stayed there last summer - to answer a few of your questions/observations about this hotel... My room door would lock automatically after about 20 seconds, if I didn't lock it myself first - the evening meal hot dish was written on the blackboard in the dining room at breakfast - and there are two elevators - one right by the reception (which you used), and a very small one in the conjoined building (accessed from reception through a door and along a corridor). Beware that some rooms are very small, and most rooms only have a shower room, which is a very tight space compared to the bathroom that your room had!
Great review and very timely for me since I am staying @ the Bastion in less than a month. In fact, I'm staying in Clarion Collection hotels in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Oslo, and Bergen on this trip. Chose them for the inclusive meals just like you mentioned. Thanks for the write up!
Ben -Sounds like an awesome trip. We stayed at the Hotel Havnekontoret in Bergen in 2013. That's still the gold standard of Clarion Collections in my opinion. Beautiful building, fantastic meals. You'll love it.
Travis, I have truly enjoyed reading your hotel reviews. They've been highly informative yet whimsical. I'm still chuckling over Facebook's accusation that you were hanging out at a sex club.
Did your kids ask any uncomfortable questions about the Kate Moss sculpture?
Travis, we had a similar experience on an award stay at another Choice Hotel in western Norway. We arrived late, walked into the lobby, and the front desk clerk said "Mr. ______ ? " I replied "yes." He handed me the room key, told me the room #, and pointed me to the elevator. No check-in formalities, id, or anything. Same thing on checkout! What a refreshing change from having to turn over your passport and have it photocopied!
I had a similar experience last year when I spent a few nights in various hotels in Norway. Check in was just key handover. Nothing with passports or creditcards. When I tried to offer my CC at check-in they were almost insulted and said 'you pay after your stay, not before'. It was a truly refreshing experience. And has never happened anywhere else to me.
Bill and Ron -- Now that you mention, I don't think I showed any ID upon check in either.
Imperator -- Thanks for the kind words! Glad you've enjoyed them.
As I was doing the photo shoot of Kate Moss, my 5-year old son wandered up and said he wanted one with him it. So he sat down next to her and I took it. My wife said it'll make a great pic to show at his wedding someday.
When I 1st saw the headline, my 1st thought was "god forbid Lucky is slumming it at a Clarion"
Nice review, never heard of the Clarion Collection. I know Best Western has some really nice properties in Europe. Is Clarion the same?
As soon as I saw the pictures and read the bottom line I realized immediately this was not written by Lucky.
Thanks for posting! Taking our kids to Oslo in August,and you just helped me decide where to stay!
Nice review Travis!
I believe the thing about the doors not locking automatically, dates back to one of the worst hotel disasters in Norwegian history, the fire at the Caledonien hotel in Kristiansand, with 14 fatalities. Guests tried to escape from their rooms, without their keys, but when they couldn't reach the staircase due to the flames, they were suddenly locked out of their rooms, with no way to get back in.
I stayed at the Bastion quite a few years back, when it was fairly new and part of Best Western. All I remember is that I really liked it, and then it got too pricey.
The food provided is quite generous by Norwegian standards: breakfast, afternoon coffee and waffles, and soup are generally offered, at least on weeknights, but a dinner buffet is unusual.
Wow, a family suite in Oslo for USD 120? What a deal! Did you specifically book a suite or did they just give it to you based on the number of people in the room? What would you have done if they just gave you a standard room?
I have never thought about Clarions before and am not a member of the Choice program (actually I lied, I signed up speculatively last summer when planning my Southwest road trip).
Does Choice sell points at a discount regularly? Was it difficult booking within the 30-day window?
John -- I booked a room with 2 adults and 2 kids. It then shows a room with a double bed and a sofa bed. I think that's their code for the family suite. What if we hadn't gotten a suite? See here: https://onemileatatime.com/hotel-folketeateret-oslo-review/
I acquire my Choice points using the cash and points strategy.
https://onemileatatime.com/buy-choice-hotels-points/
And no, I don't think Oslo hotels are that busy in the winter so we had no problems with the 30 day window.
May Lim -- Neither Hotel Folketeateretor nor Bastion had a safe in the room. Folketeateretor had a stored luggage room near the reception desk, and it had safes in it for guest use. I'm not sure if Bastion had something similar.