Axel's take on St. Olavs Plass & Holbergs Plass: #4 of 12 in Oslo, 7.9/10
A useful central compromise between sightseeing, café life and nights out. Excellent access and characterful café streets make a balanced central base, but hotel choice and value trail its strongest qualities.
St. Olavs plass and Holbergs plass suit travellers who want central Oslo without sleeping directly on Karl Johan. St. Olavs gate and Pilestredet mix university activity, cafés and ordinary city streets. Courtyard drinking spots around St. Olavs plass give the area more personality than a purely practical downtown address.
You can walk south for sightseeing or towards the central bars, including the queer venues around C. J. Hambros plass. The trade-off is that this is still an urban district, with trams and through traffic rather than retreat-like silence. Skip it if your idea of Oslo begins with a harbour view or arriving directly beside your room by train.
- Best for: nightlife, LGBTQ+ travelers
- Skip it if: You want a waterfront setting; You need a station immediately outside
- Getting around: Holbergs plass has trams 17, 18 and 19 and bus 37; downtown is walkable. OSL trains stop at Nationaltheatret, followed by a walk; TRF requires a shuttle plus train or a central-Oslo coach.
- After dark: Cafés and courtyard bars support a sociable evening, while the larger downtown club scene is a walk away rather than everywhere outside your door.
- Rates: Typical Axel rate $158 a night
Where to stay in Oslo: every neighborhood ranked
Where to look in St. Olavs Plass & Holbergs Plass
- St. Olavs plass. Start around the square for courtyard drinks and central walks, with more evening personality than a purely commercial address. Hotels here: Scandic St Olavs Plass.
- Holbergs plass and St. Olavs gate. Useful for cafés and city connections; choose this urban stretch for convenience rather than silence. Hotels here: Thon Hotel Europa, Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, Oslo, Smarthotel Oslo, Scandic Holberg.
- Slottsparken, Wergelandsveien edge. Favour the park edge for leafy walks and room to unwind between sightseeing days. Hotels here: Thon Hotel Slottsparken.
How to choose
- Choose Thon Hotel Slottsparken if you need family space or kitchen facilities for a longer stay; confirm the category and neighbouring renovation noise.
- Choose Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, Oslo if an indoor pool and panoramic bar matter more than consistently polished room upkeep.
- Choose Smarthotel Oslo if you are travelling light and want a cheaper central base; the smallest rooms are genuinely tiny.
What paying more buys
Thon Hotel Slottsparken buys substantially more breathing room than Smarthotel Oslo, with kitchen facilities in relevant categories and included breakfast. Radisson Blu Scandinavia adds a pool and panoramic bar without being the most expensive choice. Paying extra is less worthwhile for solo travellers who will barely use their room. Typical rates with Axel here run from $126 a night at Smarthotel Oslo to $208 at Thon Hotel Europa (last 30 days).
The best hotels in St. Olavs Plass & Holbergs Plass, ranked by Axel's take
Each hotel scored for what it is by Axel's own review; the rate is one stay Axel priced this week, beside the public rate for the same dates.
- Thon Hotel Slottsparken 8.5/10, mid-range apartment hotel beside Oslo’s Royal Palace park. A strong Oslo base for space and breakfast, with nearby building work the main caveat. Why it's here: extra space and category-dependent kitchen facilities beside the palace park, with included breakfast. Accept: neighbouring renovation noise can extend into Saturdays. $115 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Thon Hotel Europa 8.4/10, practical mid-range city hotel near Oslo’s Royal Palace. A strong Oslo base, with standout breakfast and some small-bathroom compromises. Why it's here: standout included breakfast and friendly reception near palace sights and Nationaltheatret connections. Accept: compact bathrooms, summer heat and tram noise in exposed rooms. $135 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, Oslo 8.1/10, large 4-star business and leisure hotel near the Royal Palace. A practical Oslo base with excellent breakfast and views, but uneven room upkeep. Why it's here: an indoor pool and panoramic bar without the neighbourhood’s highest rate. Accept: room upkeep and housekeeping are uneven. $140 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Scandic St Olavs Plass 8.0/10, practical mid-range chain hotel in central Oslo. A dependable central base, with breakfast stronger than the smallest rooms. Why it's here: a cheaper central base with praised breakfast, a gym and sauna. Accept: Economy rooms are compact with sealed atrium-facing windows. $94 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Smarthotel Oslo 7.8/10, no-frills 3-star city-center hotel with exceptionally small entry-level rooms. A practical central base, provided you pack light and accept genuinely tiny rooms. Why it's here: a cheaper central bed for solo travellers who pack light and spend their days out. Accept: entry rooms are exceptionally tiny; housekeeping is limited. $112 a night with Axel against $130 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $18 a night less (14%). Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Scandic Holberg 7.8/10, renovated mid-range city hotel near Oslo’s Royal Palace. A practical Oslo base with excellent breakfast, but tram noise compromises sleep. Why it's here: refurbished rooms and well-liked breakfast with trams directly outside. Accept: tram noise and warm rooms without individually controlled cooling. $100 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
