Hotels
Cosy boutique hotels in Oslo: six small hotels with character
Not everyone wants a big luxury hotel. These are the small hotels in Oslo with their own style and a warm atmosphere, from an ivy-clad villa in Skillebekk to an old theatre in the city centre.
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In short: cosy hotels in Oslo
Home Hotel Gabelshus in Skillebekk is the cosiest hotel in Oslo, with ivy on the facade and dinner under a glass roof. For the very centre, Hotel Christiania Teater and Hotell Bondeheimen are good choices. Saga Hotel suits travellers who prefer the quiet streets behind the Royal Palace park.
Best for atmosphere: Home Hotel Gabelshus
Best for a theatre weekend: Hotel Christiania Teater
Best location: Hotell Bondeheimen
Best for nightlife: Home Hotel Folketeateret
Newest in town: Hobo Oslo
Our top pick in Oslo: Check availability and prices at Home Hotel Gabelshus
In Skillebekk, a few minutes by tram from the National Theatre, a brick villa hides almost entirely behind ivy. Inside there is art on the walls and old furniture, and dinner is served under a glass roof facing the garden. It is the kind of hotel where you can tell someone has thought about every room.
Oslo has plenty of large hotels, and we have gathered the best of them in our guide to the ten best hotels in Oslo. This list is for travellers who would rather stay somewhere smaller, in a building with its own story. Every hotel here scores highly with guests, and we chose them for their atmosphere and location.
Home Hotel Gabelshus: the villa in Skillebekk
Gabelshus sits in a quiet residential area in Skillebekk, west of Aker Brygge, and the tram stops two minutes away. The house is covered in ivy, and inside you find dark colours and art on the walls. The restaurant has a glass roof and doors opening onto the garden and terrace. It suits couples who want a quiet stay with the centre close by.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Home Hotel Gabelshus
Hotel Christiania Teater
The arched windows at Hotel Christiania Teater let in the light from Stortingsgata.
Hotel Christiania Teater: rooms in an old theatre
The hotel occupies the old Christiania Teater building from 1918, a stone’s throw from the National Theatre and the Parliament. The interior is art deco, with brass and dark wood, and several rooms have large arched windows. Karl Johans gate and the Royal Palace park are a few minutes’ walk away. A good choice for a theatre weekend or a short city break.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Christiania Teater
Hotell Bondeheimen
In the lounge at Bondeheimen you sit among bookshelves, a couple of blocks from Karl Johans gate.
Hotell Bondeheimen: Norwegian style since 1913
Bondeheimen has welcomed guests in Rosenkrantz’ gate since 1913, and the house has kept a distinctly Norwegian character, with plenty of wood and Norwegian textiles. On the ground floor there is a café and a restaurant. Karl Johans gate and the Parliament are only a couple of blocks away. It suits travellers who want to stay in the middle of town in a hotel with its own atmosphere.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotell Bondeheimen
Saga Hotel Oslo
The lounge at Saga Hotel has green walls and plenty of plants.
Saga Hotel Oslo: the townhouse behind the palace park
Saga Hotel is set in an old townhouse on a quiet street in Uranienborg, with the tram right outside and a short walk to the Royal Palace park. The rooms have bold colours and heavy fabrics, and no two are quite alike. The bar and café make it easy to stay in for the evening. For couples who want a residential neighbourhood with the centre within reach.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Saga Hotel Oslo
Home Hotel Folketeateret
From the roof terrace at Folketeateret you look out over the rooftops of the city centre.
Home Hotel Folketeateret: art deco by Youngstorget
The hotel is in the old Folketeatret building on Youngstorget, an art deco house with high ceilings and large windows. In summer the roof terrace is one of the best places in the centre for a drink with a view. Grünerløkka and Oslo Central Station are within walking distance. A good choice if you want restaurants and nightlife right outside the door.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Home Hotel Folketeateret
Hobo Oslo
The restaurant at Hobo Oslo is full of plants and light from the tall windows.
Hobo Oslo: new life in an old building
Hobo Oslo is the Norwegian outpost of the Swedish hotel concept, in an old building a few minutes from Stortorvet and Karl Johans gate. There are two restaurants and two bars, and the lobby is full of plants and locals. It suits travellers who want a modern, sociable stay in the heart of the city.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hobo Oslo
Good to know before you book
Small hotels fill up first: with fewer rooms, the best weekends go early, especially in December.
Choose the area for your evenings: Skillebekk and Uranienborg are quiet. Around Youngstorget and in Kvadraturen there is more going on.
The tram makes distances short: from Skillebekk and Uranienborg you reach the centre in under ten minutes.
Check what the rate includes: breakfast and other extras vary by room and rate.
Editor’s pick
Home Hotel Gabelshus
Home Hotel Gabelshus is where we would stay for a cosy weekend in Oslo. The villa in Skillebekk is covered in ivy, and inside there is art and old furniture instead of standard rooms. Dinner is served under the glass roof facing the garden, and the tram takes you to Aker Brygge and the centre in minutes. It suits couples and friends who want quiet evenings with the city close by.
Cosy hotels in Oslo: your questions answered
What is the cosiest hotel in Oslo?
In our view, Home Hotel Gabelshus in Skillebekk is the cosiest hotel in Oslo. It occupies an ivy-covered villa in a quiet area, with a restaurant under a glass roof and art and old furniture inside. If you would rather stay in the very centre, Hotel Christiania Teater and Hotell Bondeheimen are the best alternatives.
Which small hotels are in central Oslo?
Hotel Christiania Teater, Hotell Bondeheimen and Hobo Oslo are all in the centre, a few minutes’ walk from Karl Johans gate. Home Hotel Folketeateret is on Youngstorget, close to Grünerløkka and Oslo Central Station. All four suit travellers who want to walk everywhere and skip the tram or taxi in the evening.
Where should you stay in Oslo for a romantic weekend?
For a romantic weekend, stay in Frogner, Skillebekk or Uranienborg, where the streets are quiet and Frogner Park and the fjord are close by. Home Hotel Gabelshus and Saga Hotel are two small hotels with a warm atmosphere in this area. Book a table at a cosy restaurant nearby and take the tram into the centre when you feel like it.
When should you book a hotel in Oslo?
Book four to six weeks ahead, and earlier if you are visiting in December. The city is busy with Christmas parties and markets then, and small hotels fill up first because they have few rooms. The summer holidays and the autumn half-term are quieter, and you can often find rooms at short notice.
Are boutique hotels in Oslo more expensive than chain hotels?
Not necessarily. Many of the small hotels in Oslo are priced at the same level as the large hotels in the centre, but they have fewer rooms and therefore fill up faster. Prices vary most with your dates, so compare weekdays and weekends before you book, and avoid big events when you can.