PRICE:
Frommer's Exceptional

Imbued with character, this 1920s-era hotel competes aggressively and gracefully with two other historic properties, the Grand and the Continental. Of the three, the Bristol consistently emerges as the hippest and the most accessible. Set in the commercial core of Oslo, 1 block north of Karl Johans Gate, the Bristol is warm, rich with tradition, and comfortable. It also isn't as formal as either the Grand or the Continental, attracting the media, arts, and showbiz communities, with a sense of playfulness and fun that's unmatched by either of its rivals. Around the turn of this century, the hotel almost doubled its room count, thanks to the annexation and conversion of an office building next door. Bedrooms here are comfortable and dignified, but not as plush or as intensely "decorated" as the rooms in either of its grander competitors. Each accommodation comes with a tiled or marble bathroom with a tub/shower combination. Lavish public areas still evoke the Moorish-inspired Art Deco heyday in which they were built. There's enormous life and energy in this hotel -- thanks to active restaurants, such as the Bristol Grill, piano bars, and a sense of elegant yet unpretentious conviviality.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Norway, 4th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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