Thon Hotel Terminus, Oslo

Pros  

• Enjoy a convenient hotel with a modern fitness center and free breakfast buffet serving a large selection of hot, cold, and healthy options.
• The location is a 10-minute walk to shopping and airport transfers, and spitting distance from a big arena in the city center hosting global acts, like Sting and Cirque du Soleil.
• Standard rooms are clean and colorful, while higher room categories offer bathrobes and Nespresso machines (families can choose suites with sofa beds).
• Take advantage of free all-day beverages in a comfortable lounge including sparkling water and coffee, or purchase wine, beer, and snacks from the lobby.

Cons

• Standard rooms may feel a bit compact for two guests.
• Outer rooms may experience street noise, and those who prefer quiet should request an inner courtyard room.

Authenticity

The bland building exterior is a stark contrast to the bright colors and patterns in the lobby and throughout the property. This is a common interior design motif for one of the largest hotel groups in Norway, owned by Olav Thon, who is known to wear colorful suits topped with a red knit hat in public. The lobby has a front desk and seating area, along with a Nespresso machine (free) and drinks and snacks for sale. A larger lounge also offers free eco-friendly spouts for drinking water (still or sparkling), while the naturally-lit breakfast room is festooned with big baubles hanging from the glass roof. Like other Thon properties, the hotel seems to attract a mix of business and leisure travelers who like the reliable brand and free perks.

Location

The Thon Hotel Terminus is right across the street from the Oslo City Mall, a large shopping center with international brands that stays open until 10 pm. Kitty-corner from the hotel is a large multi-use events space called Oslo Spektrum, which hosts everything from concerts, like The Cure, to musicals, like Cats. The location is a 5-minute walk to Oslo Central Station with express trains to and from the airport, and a 10-minute walk to the Oslo Opera House and Munch Museum in the revitalized port area called Bjørvika. Thanks to these important landmarks, the eastern side of Oslo’s city center has seen a positive transformation in the last 15 years and there are plenty of cool bars and restaurants a short walk from the hotel. To get to other areas of the city, you can continue on foot, or jump on public transportation via bus, tram, or subway—all steps from the hotel. A paid parking garage is attached to the mall across the street.

Rooms & Bathrooms

Contemporary rooms stray from the minimalist look with bright-colored furnishings, funky wallpaper patterns, and hardwood-style floors. They also come with working desks, mini-fridges, Bose speakers, and kettles for tea and instant coffee. Bathrooms have walk-in showers and basic bath products in dispensers, while superior rooms come with bathrobes, slippers, and more bath products. Business rooms add sleeper sofas, and junior suites have separate bedrooms and living rooms. Street-facing rooms can get noisy on the weekends for early sleepers, so light sleepers may want to request a courtyard-facing view. Ice machines are located on all floors.

Other Highlights

Guests can head to the big atrium room as early as 6:30 am on weekdays (8 am on weekends) to enjoy the impressive free breakfast buffet offering a wide range of hot and cold items, including smoothies, salads, egg dishes, and smoked salmon. Free espresso, drinking water, and tea are available to guests in either the lobby lounge and/or the additional lounge space, which has newspapers and a TV. Wine, beer, drinks, and snacks are sold at the front desk. A fitness center on the top floor has modern equipment and natural light. 

Sustainability

Thon Hotel Terminus is part of the Olav Thon Group, one of Norway’s largest hotel chains, and all hotels in the company are Eco-Lighthouse certified with a focus on waste reduction, recycling, saving energy, using and ordering environmentally friendly products, and cooking with organic food when possible.