Lodging in Oslo

Inexpensive and Oslo usually don't match. But take a look at Scandic, a Scandinavian hotel chain that usually have affordable rooms.

We stayed at Frogner House. I wouldn't call it inexpensive, but having an apartment with a kitchenette and access to laundry facilities helped us save some money.

https://frognerhouse.no/?lang=en

For once I have pertinent input about a hotel in Europe! I stayed at Coch's Pensionat in Oslo and highly recommend it to folks who need to pinch pennies. It's large (not a B&B-type experience) but family-owned. The rates are extremely reasonable by Norwegian standards. My room (which I think was not the most basic category) was plainly furnished but not tiny. I had a mini-fridge and even a microwave. Having at least a refrigerator is very helpful for budget travelers in Norway because restaurants are blood-curdlingly expensive. There's a small supermarket extremely close to the hotel.

The hotel has an elevator, albeit a tiny one. I think there were two or three steps up from the sidewalk and probably the same inside the lobby. Otherwise, my room was elevator-accessible.

The pensionat is located at the northern tip of the grounds surrounding the royal palace. There's good transportation to the center. I often walked both directions, but it's uphill on the way back at the end of the day.

I don't recall having Wi-Fi issues, but it's a large building and I suppose Wi-Fi might vary from room to room. If that matters to you, I'd recommend mentioning Wi-Fi when reserving so you have a better chance of being assigned a room where it would be strong.

I don't believe the pensionat itself offers breakfast, but I think there's an arrangement with a nearby cafe. I opted out to save money. I ate a lot of cheese-and-Wasa crispbread meals while in Norway.

My one annoyance at Coch's was the hairdryer policy. There isn't a hairdryer in each room. You need to borrow one from the front desk, and you have to return it each day. I complained vociferously about that annoyance (I wash my hair daily). It was clear from the reaction of the reception personnel that they agreed it's a bad policy, but they don't control it. The good news is that I was always able to get a hairdryer in the evening and return it the next morning.

If you're looking for something a bit more upscale, you'll find several moderately priced chains in Oslo that may offer comparatively OK rates if you book well ahead of time--though that will naturally vary by time of year. I believe the business-class hotels are underutilized during the summer when Norwegians head out to the country, so you may find some semi-affordable options on the corporate websites if yours is a summer trip. You can start checking with CityBox (there's one near Sentralstasjon, where I stayed for a few days; rooms are small but newish), Thon and Scandic.

We stayed at Frogner House. I wouldn't call it inexpensive, but having an apartment with a kitchenette and access to laundry facilities helped us save some money.

We also stayed in a Frogner House apartment when we were in Oslo in September. We stayed in a one bedroom in Helgesens Gate 1 in Grunerlokka. It was a very easy tram ride into the centre of Oslo and there is a really nice walk along the river going both directions from the end of the street. Ostebutikken is a fantastic French bistro and there are many restaurants and cafes in Grunerlokka to try.

We stayed at the grand hotel. Not very cheap but one of the best breakfast experiences you'll ever have ...