Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Oslo Radisson Rewards

Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo Norway

Oslo has three Radisson Blu hotels in the city center. Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo is adjacent to the city train station. Radisson Blu Scandinavia Oslo is about 1.6 km or one mile from the train station. I did not see Radisson Blu Park Hotel Oslo.

Radisson Blu Plaza is near the train station supermarket and a multi-story shopping mall Oslo City.

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Oslo City shopping mall.

Transportation

The train to Oslo Central Station is 90 NOK for the local train and takes about 30 minutes or 170 NOK for Flytoget Express train and 20 minutes to Oslo.

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Oslo Gardermoen Airport OSL train ticket kiosks. Right side are Express Train tickets 170 NOK ($29.75 USD) and left side is local train tickets machine for 90 NOK ($15.75 USD). The kiosks have an English language option.

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Oslo Sentralstasjonen sign. And you can read Norwegian for Central Station.

Exit at the right side of the Oslo train station as you leave the train platforms, past the RIMI supermarket for direct access to Radisson Blu. If you are in front of train station, follow the road adjacent to the right side of the station and Radisson Blu Plaza is seen.

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Radisson Blu Plaza skyscraper is seen in right background from near front of Oslo Central Station.

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Radisson Blu Plaza seen from elevated pedestrian bridge connecting to train station.

There is an airport bus from Oslo Gardermoen OSL that drops off at Radisson Blu Scandinavia for 150 NOK one-way on a 50 minute ride if that hotel is your destination.

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Radisson Blu Scandinavia is near Royal Palace and Royal Park in Oslo.

Oslo consistently ranks as one of the world’s most expensive cities and hotel rates can be seriously high for an American. The entry level room rates for Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo started at $350 per night. I redeemed 50,000 Club Carlson points for my one night stay. I was upgraded to Business Class with breakfast included.

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Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Oslo, Norway

Overnight parking with a car is 375 NOK. That is $66 per night.

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Room 3009 on 30th floor is near top of 37 floor hotel. The key card had a lock side and an unlock side. Guests have to lock the door using the key card when leaving or the door locks automatically after one minute.

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Room 3009 Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo.

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Bed at Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo.

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Complimentary internet at hotel.

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Luggage space on bench in room or use for additional seating.

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Combination shower tub.

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Towel warmer rack on wall.

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Closet amenities.

View from the room was primarily city view looking to the hills. The ocean view rooms were the opposite side of the hall.

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Oslo at night.

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Oslo in daylight.

There are rooms on 33 floors for the elevator and then the hotel gets funky near the top. As far as I could tell, guests need to be able to climb stairs to reach the swimming pool 35th floor and fitness room 37th floor.

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Stairway to 35th floor pool.

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35th floor pool.

And then more stairs to reach the workout room on the top Floor 37.

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Stairway to Fitness Room.

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37th floor fitness room.

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Ocean view from 37th floor Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo.

There are also sauna rooms on one of these floors. I lost track doing stairs.

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Sauna room at Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo.

On the 32nd floor was one of the most precious and rarely encountered amenities a European hotel can have for an American guest.

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Ice machines are rare in European hotels.

Radisson Blu Plaza has one exterior elevator allowing city views when riding up and down.

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Exterior glass elevator at Radisson Blu Plaza, Oslo.

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Exterior elevator around Floor 20 at night.

Radisson Business Class

Two weeks before this stay I had status matched to Club Carlson Gold elite based on my Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond status.

Gold elite normally requires 35 nights or 20 stays in a calendar year. Benefits include 50% bonus points. There is also potential for upgrade.

I was given a Business Class upgrade which for this hotel a poster in the room stated includes:

  • Nespresso machine and coffee
  • bathrobe and slippers.
  • Free Pay TV
  • Complimentary breakfast buffet in restaurant or Scandinavian breakfast by room service
  • Iron and board in room
  • late checkout based on availability
  • turn down service on request.

I just was not hungry enough to spend $50 to $100 for dinner anywhere, so the breakfast really came in handy.

Hunger in Oslo. Prices? What Prices?

Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo Dining

34 Restaurant and SkyBar are located on the 34th Floor. I did not make it up to that level at night.

Galway Bay is a lobby level Irish pub. Salads 125 ($22) to 165 NOK. Hamburger 165 NOK ($29 USD). Beer and drinks run $15 to $20 per glass.

Gaio Restaurant

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Sleek Scandinavian furniture.

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A welcome sight after perusing Oslo dining prices the night before.

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Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo 2nd floor Gaio Restaurant stairway.

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Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo lobby.

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Lobby seating and big screen TV.

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Sonja Henie statue outside Sonja Henie Ballroom.

Radisson Blu Plaza Oslo was a great hotel stay on Club Carlson points. Oslo is an expensive city for an American tourist and a free hotel room and buffet breakfast on points saved about $400 on this overnight stopover in Norway.

4 Comments

  • David March 19, 2013

    Can you depend on the Bus upgrade as a CC Gold (like Hilton), or does it depend on availability? I saw some pts redemptions for business rooms…is this wasted as a CC Gold?

  • Ric Garrido March 20, 2013

    @David – This was my first trip as Club Carlson Gold and I received Business Class upgrade at two of three hotels. I do not have a sufficient background as Club Carlson elite to have a feel for upgrades.

    Also the issue with this trip is I attended the Carlson Rezidor Radisson conference in Chicago the week before going to Europe and several senior management were aware that I was staying in Radisson hotels for my trip.

    In Berlin I know there were notes in my profile. The desk clerk took longer to let me into a room than immigration took to let me into Germany. Receptionist asked me if I was a Carlson employee. I had a great room upgrade.

    Bottom line is I do not know how common it is to get a Business Class upgrade as Club Carlson Gold.

    I had a little help from my Carlson friends and that may have contributed to getting Business Class upgrade at Oslo. Although a comment on another Loyalty Traveler post mentioned a Club Carlson Gold member who said he has been upgraded to Business Class at Oslo Plaza.

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