Clarion Hotel The Hub, Oslo

Pros

• You'll find yourself in a prime location just a 3-minute walk from Oslo Central Station, making it easy to reach city landmarks and the harbor on foot. 
• The hotel's unique sustainability initiatives include a rooftop garden that supplies fresh microgreens, vegetables, and honey to its restaurants.
• Plentiful room options include upper-floor doubles with city views and large suites with terraces. 
• A complimentary breakfast buffet is served in the 13th-floor Norda restaurant, which offers panoramic views over the city and the fjord.
• The lower ground floor is home to a relaxing wellness area, complete with indoor pool, sauna and steam room, and a state-of-the-art gym.

Cons

• The hotel's size (it's one of the largest in Norway) can make it hard to navigate at times, and its popularity with cruise passengers and conferences means common areas can get busy.
• Wait times for check-in can be long at peak times, though there are self-serve kiosks to speed things along. 

Authenticity

The high-rise at Bishkop Gunneros gate 3 was first built for the 1952 Oslo Winter Olympics, and its latest rebirth came in 2019 after an extensive redesign by Lund+Slaatto Architects. Now part of the Strawberry group, this is one of the largest hotels in Norway, but lots of contemporary art by local artists and playful interiors by acclaimed designer Anemone Wille Våge keep it from feeling like a soulless chain property. Upstairs, a sustainable urban garden on the rooftop supplies the on-site Nordic fusion restaurant with fresh produce, and a buzzy cocktail bar with DJ nights attracts a cool local set. 

Location

Oslo hotels don't really get more central than this. Situated on the busy Biskop Gunnerus gate, it's a 3-minute walk from Oslo Central Station, where you can access the Flytoget express train to the airport as well as metro links. You're steps from the designer shops of Promenaden, and a 20-minute stroll along Karl Johans gate leads to the Royal Palace, passing the Oslo Cathedral, Parliament, and the National Theater en route. A 15-minute walk south takes you to the Harbour Promenade, where you'll find the Oslo Opera House and the MUNCH museum. There's on-site parking available at the hotel for an extra fee.

Rooms & Bathrooms

The hotel's 800+ rooms are modern and well-equipped, ranging from shoebox-sized Compacts to sprawling Suites. Decor is modern and simple, with wood floors, large windows, and a palette of browns, grays, and greens; statement lighting and fluffy duvets add a touch of Scandi character. Some upper-floor rooms include balconies or terraces and panoramic views over the city, and others are designed with accessibility in mind. Bathrooms are bright and spacious, with showers or bathtubs and Rituals toiletries, and all rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including key access via app. 

Amenities

One of the property's standout features is its 13th-floor Norda restaurant, where creative Nordic fusion dishes are accompanied by some of the best views in the city. A complimentary breakfast buffet with plentiful local and organic options is served in this space daily, and the adjoining bar slings botanical-inspired cocktails and tasty small plates under a ceiling of living greenery. Downstairs, the Hub Bar off the lobby is a lively spot for coffee and casual all-day dining. The lower ground floor is home to a wellness area with a small indoor pool, sauna, menthol steam room, and gym, and guests have access to the vast rooftop garden for a stroll around the sustainable vegetable plots and diverse plantings.

Family-Friendliness

Families are welcome at Clarion Hotel The Hub, though the property most attracts couples and business travelers. There are no specific child-focused amenities, but several room configurations include sofa beds to sleep up to four, and cribs and extra beds are available for an additional fee. 

Sustainability

The hotel's commitments to sustainability include recycling, reducing food waste, conserving energy, and using environmentally friendly products throughout the property. Its most pioneering project is the 2,150-square-foot (200 sq m) GrowHub on the roof, which provides an oasis of green space within the city and supplies plentiful microgreens and vegetables to the hotel restaurants while utilizing compost and rainwater.