Radisson Blu Caledonien Hotel, Kristiansand — Hotel in Kristiansand

A World Class Hospitality Experience All Thanks to Betina

Dear Hotel Caledonien

During our recent stay at Hotel Caledonien in Kristiansand, we had the absolute privilege of being assisted by a night receptionist named Betina and words may fall short, but they must be written.

Betina is, without a doubt, one of the most exceptional hospitality professionals we have ever encountered anywhere in the world. Her ability to singlehandedly manage 25 to 30 guests simultaneously, all while remaining composed, efficient, and genuinely warm, is nothing short of astonishing.

She delivered flawless service to every single guest, juggling questions, check-ins, special requests, and logistical needs with precision and grace. And she did it all with a smile that never faded and a calm, kind demeanor that put everyone at ease. There was not a single moment where she faltered. Her presence felt like the beating heart of the hotel, keeping everything moving smoothly even during the late hours when she was the only one at the desk.

It is rare, truly rare to witness this level of dedication, professionalism, and poise in any industry, let alone in such a high-pressure hospitality setting. Betina is the kind of person every hotel dreams of having at the front desk: intelligent, focused, compassionate, and capable beyond measure.

If there is any justice in the world, Hotel Caledonien and its parent group should recognise, retain, and uplift her in every way possible. Betina is not only a tremendous asset to the hotel she is the standard to which five-star service should be measured.

We left deeply impressed and incredibly grateful. Thank you, Betina. You made our stay unforgettable.

With sincere appreciation,

Crown Client Management Group

Avenue Albert II 17...

We stayed one night in a business class room (309) on the third floor with a balcony and two rooms.

The setup was perfect. We did not miss anything and it was spacious enough.

The bed was perfect. You had all the necessary charging and turning on/off lights at the bedside.

The work desk and chair was fantastic 50/60s retro. Love just to watch it.

The balcony was perfect to sit on in the heat. The cooling of the room was ok, but not aircon so I could not get the room temperature down to 18 degree(my sleeping temp). This is a general problem on nearly all Norwegian hotels. No one has proper aircon in the rooms. Here the reception was perfect.

The bath room had both an independent rain shower and a bath tube with shower.

The breakfast was good, but a bit crowded area with a lot of people not used to eat like this (a woman with clothes that touched the food all the time, and heavily perfumed …). Butter in common boxes that looks very far from delicious. Get back the small single packets. Common too warm Bremykt (needs to be cooled down a bit)…

Perfect egg and bacon.

The bar on the 13 floor was amazing with very good drinks.

Negative for us was the cleaning of the room. Dust on top of the bin, some plastic cup from the prior guests in the bathroom floor (indicating that it was not washed before we come. ). Finger marks on the toilet flush button.

We will absolutely choose this hotel again when back in Kristiansand, and hope that the cleaning issues has...

The room description we booked is "Tailored to families who want to stay together, these spacious Family Rooms feature a king-size bed and a comfortable sofa bed in a separate area. Enjoy a well-equipped bathroom with a separate shower and bathtub. The room also includes two flat-screen televisions and free Wi-Fi, so everyone can relax with their preferred entertainment."

However, it is instead a standard room, way more expensive, with these terrible thin filing cabinet structure against the wall which are fold out beds only unlockable by staff. If my husband reaches from the bed and extends he could kick them while they're closed - definitely not a separate area. There is 1 tiny sette and no desk!!! Just the one TV. We paid extra to have more space and amenities but got completely ripped off.

This is a business style hotel and... Has no business centre. No access to a computer at all.

Coffee in room is boil and mix. Even cheap cheap Thon hotels has an actual coffee pod maker.

The gym is in a strange hall down some twirling dungeon steps that connects to a weird other cheap hotel attached at the back.

For the brand, price and hotel type I'm severely disappointed. Wouldn't recommend.

This gets a 3 star because the bathtub has a little pillow attached, the views are stunning and Club 21, the rooftop lounge, is very sexy.

However, I feel completely ripped off...