Oh no a Raddison Blu in Oslo (the Plaza one)
November 20, 2021
Sadly when you have to give a keynote talk at a conference there is often a conference hotel. These are great if you like hamster cage rooms, overcrowded breakfast room scrums (during a pandemic), watery espresso from machines with only one button, and that sort of corporate stuff.
Oslo is ready for xmas
At least they let us check in to 2622 early. But for the sake of all gods, don’t stay here unless you must.
Hamster cage with bed (you can’t really see the water bottle drip mechanism thingy, but it is there)
Euro-shower was not plastic, so there’s that
But it is over a tub and crammed into the rectangle rather uncomfortably
This view kind of says it all. Yes there is Fjord out there somewhere. Past the industrial haze.
The (apparently coveted fjord view)
But it was free! And we got to do the big show.
And the Top Floor bar makes very good cocktails if you stick to the script. The view from up there at night is nice. (Oslo is not Tokyo.)
When in Oslo, try to see some art. If you want to add to your collection, go to purenkel.
Art
Or walk the streets.
We stayed in and had a very nice meal at the hotel on Thursday night (the restaurant seems to be called Gaio). The wait staff is enthusiastic. The cooking is old school but quite good. NPS had some reindeer and a very nice Barolo.
Friday night dinner was excellent. Definitely get to Arakatata. Wow. (Ask for the wine list).
The best dish this trip. Homemade spaghetti with caviar. The sauce was incredible.
Can’t wait to see you again, Oslo. But we will award the Raddison Blu Plaza a measly three showerheads (up from two since the restaurant and bar are ok). Nopey nope.
oslo lights
Back in Oslo at the Hotel Christiania Teater
August 30, 2019
Oslo is a beautiful city, but whatever you do, don’t try to drive in it. Even people who grew up here can’t do it. In particular, trying to get to the Hotel Christiania Teater from Lillehammer is, well, “interesting” in that Chinese curse kind of way.
As a creature of habit who has found a great property in Oslo, NPS is happy to stay at the Hotel Christiania Teater again. The only wrinkle is that someone else has booked 620 for Wednesday night. Scooped!
That meant we were relegated to room 510, which is a nice room with an inner courtyard facing “view.” 510 is very nice, but is not at all a 620!
510 is dominated by this comfortable bed
The suite sitting area is in the same room as the bed (which in our view makes it less of a suite and more of a room)
bathroom alcove
the shower is set apart by a huge heavy door
Sadly the plumbing seems to wake up early and make insane amounts of noise. An alarm clock of sorts.
The glass shower compartment, this shower is OK
One of the best parts of Hotel Christiania Teater is the bar downstairs which is top notch and always nice to visit.
Negroni with Norwegian gin
Excellent Indian food can be found at Jaipur.
Delicious
And of course a visit to Himkok is pretty much mandatory.
Experimental aquavit cocktail
Experimental Aquavit Cocktail
2cl aquavit
2cl tequila
4 cl beech water kefie
10 ml ambrato (bison grass)
10 ml Italicus
stir down. serve up.
After a one day delay, room 620 became available. An excellent, interesting, quirky space with a great shower.
The supermodels show off 630
bedroom is all bed
walk in shower with tub
One of two great alcoves with windows
All in all 620 has tons of room to hang out, exercise (which is important since the hotel has no gym of its own), blog, read, etc, in comfort.
Some time in Oslo, included a visit to Gøran’s cousin’s excellent art gallery PURenkel.
I added a painting to the art collection.
starfish
There was also Indian street food, beer, and espresso.
A talk.
Visiting Miles
Dinner at Hanami was very good. Excellent sushi and great service.
Just skip the bar at the thief. These people have forgotten what hospitality is.
Five showerheads for Hotel Christiania Teater, one of NPS’ favorite hotels on the planet.
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