Looking across the Oslofjord towards Akershus Fortress, one of the city’s defining landmarks.
Oslo was a short May trip built around two very different hotel stays. We split our time between Scandic Solli and THE THIEF, giving us a practical base for part of the trip and a Fine Hotels & Resorts stay on the waterfront for the other.
That produced five different stories: how I chose the hotels, what each was actually like, what we found around the waterfront, and an unexpected Priority Pass result as we left Oslo. These are the articles that came out of those few days in Oslo.
Choosing the Hotels
Before arriving, the main decision was where the hotel budget would actually do the most work. I compared THE THIEF and Scandic Solli using room rates, breakfast, Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits, location and the practical needs of the trip.
The First Hotel
Scandic Solli was the practical half of the hotel plan: a family room on Oslo’s more expensive nights, with breakfast included and a location that proved more useful than expected.
The Waterfront Hotel
The move to THE THIEF was the other half of the plan. It began as a spreadsheet decision built around Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits, but the stay ended up being memorable for reasons that had little to do with the calculation.
Around the Waterfront
Staying at THE THIEF put us in Tjuvholmen, with Aker Brygge and the Oslofjord immediately outside. Much of what we saw in Oslo came from walking around that part of the city.
Leaving Oslo
The final experiment wasn’t planned at all. At Oslo Airport, two Priority Pass cards carrying the same branding produced two different access results.
That was our time in Oslo: two very different hotels, a few days around the waterfront and one useful airport surprise before we left. These five articles are what came out of those few days.
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