Citybox Oslo — Hotel in Oslo

This was my second stay at a CityBox hotel (the first being CityBox Helsinki) and, overall, it was a good stay.||The hotel is aesthetically pleasing with plenty of communal space to relax. Check in and out are quick easy on the self-service terminals, and a locked luggage room is available onsite - simply print a key card from the terminals. The hotel is centrally located and is within a 10-15 minute walk from most main attractions - a 30-minute bus takes you door-to-door to the Fram Museum and the Norske Folkemuseums, and a 20-minute tram takes you door-to-door to Vigelandsparken. There is a kitchen area with a kettle, microwaves, fridges, a sink, bins, vending machines, and tables and chairs. There are two partner cafes/restaurants in the same building (Rent Mel and Spor Av Nord) and accessible by internal doors, which can be visited for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (Rent Mel only). Food at these two cafes is not included in the stay, but you can get a discount by showing the CityBox key card.||I've marked it down by one star because I feel that aesthetics and design were prioritised over practicality and accessibility. The shower, although attractive and spacious, and the lovely-looking bathroom fell short in several areas: ||1. No shelf to place shower tools and accessories (which meant my razor and soap fell repeatedly to the floor, causing the former to break).|2. Large gap at the bottom of the shower screen/door, which meant that the bathroom flooded with every shower taken. We had to get extra towels to barricade the water in the shower.|3. Square sink with large rim/lip took up a lot more space than a simple curved one, and it caused me quite a few bumps and bruises while drying myself post shower.|4. TINY towels. It's a good job I was sharing a room with my partner (and not a friend or a colleague) because EVERYTHING was on show in those towels.||Additionally, I feel that the layout of the room was not well thought through. To reach one side of the bed, we needed to either climb over the other person or shimmy around the one-foot wide space around the bottom and other side, while trying not to bump or catch ourselves on the radiators, bed frame, or hooks on the wall - bonus point if you manage to keep on the tiny towel and avoid flashing the neighbours! There was also very minimal storage space, which meant we had to live out of our suitcases for five days, and carefully balance our belongings on the tiny bedside tables.||As someone with a disability that causes difficulty with balance, grip, and pain sensitivity, it was less than ideal having to cling on to everything for dear life and shimmy around sharp edged and cornered furniture and fittings. The bed would have been better turned 90 degrees clockwise so that both of us could simply crawl on the foot of our respective sides of the bed.||Finally, the last point contributing to the docking of the fifth star, is the paper cups and plates, and wooden cutlery in the kitchen area. CityBox Helsinki had proper reusable glasses, cups, crockery and cutlery, which felt much nicer and was also significantly more sustainable. ||These points wouldn't deter me from staying at CityBox Oslo in the future, but I would consider paying for a larger room to gain some additional manoeuvring and...

It sounds a bit silly, but I am genuinely a bit upset about giving three stars to Citybox Oslo as I am 100% all for the concept. I don’t need a front desk person checking me in and making awkward small talk, if all I am doing is trying to pay and get a room key then a kiosk works perfectly fine. I don’t need an overpriced bland breakfast on site, I’m in the centre of a city where there are hundreds of cafes. I don’t need my bed sheets changed every day, I don’t do that at home. I don’t need a TV or a kitchen in my room if I am here to enjoy my short time on a city break.

The location of the hotel in my opinion is excellent. Short walk from the Central Station and Metro, with a Tramline right outside the front door and a lot of the main attraction of the city nearby.

As mentioned above, the services you lose out on as part of their concept bring the price down which is great for a hotel in an expensive city.

My bed was comfortable and pillows were good, even if I wish I had a bigger duvet booking a small double room to myself (although I understand that this is cultural thing for couples sharing). The shower had good water pressure and was always hot. The heated floor in the bathroom was a nice touch (if it could have been turned off, see below).

However my complaints lay more with the execution of the concept, and then the room itself.

Firstly, how in the year 2024 have we not got individual heating controls per room in a hotel? My room was far too hot for my comfort due the radiator in the room being on full blast as well as the heated floor in the bathroom I couldn’t turn off. This meant I had to keep the window open my entire stay, which of course made the room noisy (unavoidable in a city).

Secondly, and this is the part that really annoys me, if you’re going to tell me how to contact you then please monitor that communication method. On the check in instructions I was given, it said I could ask questions over Facebook, which I did and never received a response. I got an automated reply telling me you’ll get back to me ASAP, that was three days ago. I checked out yesterday. If you hadn’t had told me I could contact you over Facebook, I wouldn’t have!

Finally, and this is a minor thing but really started to get on my nerves, I understand I am booking a small room, but please let’s not have it so small the bathroom door doesn’t open all the way because of it...

If you're a teenager on a tight budget and love a good adventure, CityBox Oslo is the place for you! Just be prepared for some interesting surprises.

First off, the room had a delightful "lived-in" feel. They proudly advertise that they don't clean the room every day to protect the environment, and it shows! Dusty surfaces, dirty floors, and stained walls create a unique ambiance you won't find in a cleaner hotel.

The staff? Charming in their own special way—if by charming, you mean dismissive. Don't expect any help or friendliness here; it adds to the DIY adventure vibe.

The room itself was wonderfully basic. No TV, no space to open a suitcase, no air conditioning. It's perfect if you love spending time in the public areas on the ground floor, which are small and always busy.

And speaking of luggage, a word of warning: Don't leave your bags in the CityBox baggage storage room. Anyone can stroll in, and the hotel takes absolutely no responsibility for any losses. It's all part of the thrilling risk-taking experience!

The bathroom added a nice touch of rustic charm with its unique drainage issues. The smell was unforgettable—like something had died there months ago. It really keeps you on your toes!

The room was tiny, making it difficult to move around, which is just fantastic if you're into extreme minimalism. And let's not forget the lack of temperature control—perfect for those who love unpredictable environments.

Dirty room, dirty hallways, dirty entryway, and common space. Shabby furniture adds a nice touch of character. And the concept of not cleaning rooms "to keep costs low"? Ingenious! Who needs cleanliness anyway?

Definitely not a 3-star experience. When you check in, you'll be greeted by filthy machines in the lobby area for automated check-in. No security to speak of, so anyone can wander in. It’s like a free-for-all!

CityBox Oslo is an experience for those who appreciate the finer points of budget adventuring. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a true, unfiltered taste of Oslo’s unique...