Scandic Holmenkollen Park

We stopped at this hotel for 2 nights with a big group that is going fishing. We booked 2 big rooms and a small one to fit everyone comfortably. At arrival it took maybe an hour or more to check in as the queue was long and slow. When we got to the rooms it was clear we were given the wrong ones as they were much smaller than advertised on booking.com. Talking to the reception about this was pointless, they claimed they “upgraded” our rooms and that is their right per “their policy”and that was that. We filed a claim with Booking with regard to this but not response yet. The rooms are a bit old and dirty, expected more. We tried dinner and breakfast - breakfast is totally fine and costs about 20E, dinner was bland and not worth the 40E we paid. One of the evenings I was walking through the dining area and saw one of my mates eating dinner, stopped to chat and grabbed a piece of bread from his plate - a waiter came over and made a comment about the food being only for the ones that paid :( It felt like the hotel was nickel and dimming me similar to a low cost airline. From the good - clearly the location is fantastic and there are many things to see and explore! I came here with the expectation to spend time cosily but left disappointed. Sad.

We had a wonderful stay at Scandic Holmenkollen Park and absolutely loved the hotel! The hotel itself is beautiful, and the views are incredible. One of our favourite things about staying here was having so much nature right outside the hotel. It really gives you a completely different experience compared to staying in the middle of Oslo city centre. The walk from the metro station to the hotel is uphill, but honestly, it is not nearly as bad as it might sound! We saw people of all ages walking up and down the hill, as well as people running and cycling. We walked it ourselves many times during our stay and found it completely manageable. The customer service was also excellent. Everyone we interacted with was very friendly, kind and welcoming. A HUGE highlight for us was the gym! The hotel has an amazing fitness centre, apparently the largest hotel gym in the Nordic countries, and we were genuinely impressed. There was so much space and a great selection of equipment – it actually felt like being at our regular gym back home rather than a typical small hotel gym. If you enjoy working out while travelling, this is a massive plus! Our room was lovely, very clean, peaceful and quiet. We also really liked that we could connect our phone to the TV and watch things like Netflix, which was perfect for relaxing in the evening. There was also a small fridge in the room. It wasn’t very big, but there was enough space for a few drinks or small food items, which was useful. The shower was AMAZING – the water felt so soft and the shower was genuinely one of those little things that made the stay even better. 😍 The only real downside for us was the temperature in the room. There seemed to be some kind of air-conditioning or temperature control, but our room stayed around 25.5–26°C, which felt quite hot, especially when sleeping under the thick duvets. Thankfully, the window could be opened, which helped a lot, but then unfortunately some insects came inside. Apart from the room temperature, we really loved our stay. The beautiful hotel, incredible views, peaceful surroundings, nature, fantastic gym, comfortable and clean room, and friendly staff made this a very memorable place to stay. If you want to experience Oslo while also being surrounded by nature and amazing scenery, Scandic Holmenkollen Park is a fantastic choice. We would happily stay here again! 🏔️

+ Location is nice, good view of Oslo city and the fjord. + corridors are quiet - Strong smell of fish (from kitchen?) noticeable throughout the lobby area, restaurant area, and southern half of corridors, most of the day. - Room AC was not up to the job with 26°C outdoors and sun shining onto the hotel facade. So in summer, get a room that is low or facing any other direction than west. - Bathroom sink did not drain (eww!), service did not come despite us asking them.

The hotel has truly stunning views over the fjord and the wider Oslo area, especially during twilight. The building itself is also beautiful, particularly the lobby, the historic sanatorium wing, and the overall setting. That said, the location is quite inconvenient if you are travelling with suitcases. The walk from the closest station is very steep, and for elderly guests or anyone with mobility issues or heavy luggage, this uphill portion is almost a deal breaker unless relying on taxis or ride-hailing services. Bolt and Uber are available, but prices can surge around check-in and check-out times, and Bolt was sometimes not available in the area. The reception staff at check-in were friendly, but the staff in the breakfast buffet and restaurant area were unfortunately unfriendly and unprofessional in both their attitude and service. The handwritten signs at the breakfast buffet also looked haphazard and unprofessional, which did not match the standard one would expect from a hotel of this category. The room amenities were below expectations. There were no slippers, no facial tissues, and no bath mats. The lack of tissues was particularly odd, as this is a basic amenity in most professional hotels. The absence of bath mats was also very surprising and impractical after showering. I cannot recall staying at a major hotel where bath mats were not provided. Overall, the views and architecture are excellent, but the inconvenient location, poor restaurant service, and missing basic amenities made the stay feel less polished than expected.