HOTEL CONTINENTAL

Coverage Amazing Editions -08

Text & Photo: Christer Olausson

SHOULD YOU WISH TO INVITE YOUR DEAREST TO A ROMANTIC WEEKEND IN OSLO, YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY VISIT THE CLASSIC HOTEL CONTINENTAL, A HOTEL NOW IN ITS FOURTH GENERATION. HERE YOU CAN ENJOY GLAMOROUS SURROUNDINGS AND EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, AT THE VERY HEART OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY WITH ITS FAMOUS SHOPPING DISTRICT.

As I park in front of the building’s magnificent entrance, we encounter the hotel’s noted hospitality in the form of well-dressed gentleman who extends us a warm welcome to the Continental, while courteously opening the door for my female colleague. Meanwhile, his colleague takes care of our luggage and drives our car down into the hotel garage.

Once inside the doors, the hotel’s interesting architecture is something to admire. Instead of the more traditional layout with open spaces and high ceilings, the Continental has placed its Reception Desk in a more secluded position. Consequently, checking in and out is an informal, more personal experience. The elegant marble contrasting with dark walnut and touches of gold gives the foyer an exclusivity which is not usually found in the majority of hotels in Norway.

When I open the door of our suite, our bags are already waiting for us in the hall, our jackets are hanging neatly in the wardrobe and a basket of fresh fruit stands invitingly on the table. The suite which is on the hotel’s seventh floor, on the corner of Stortingsgatan and Olav V’s gata, offers a splendid view of the Royal Palace and the National Theatre. The Royal Suite, all of 70 square metres, is equipped with everything you could possibly expect of a modern international luxury hotel. The suite was renovated and furnished prior to the visit by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

A beautiful dining table stands in a light, roomy part of the suite upon which private dinners may be served. A small cut-glass chandelier hangs from the ceiling and the walls are dressed with decorations and works of art. Integrated imitation pillars stand on both sides of the enormous window panes making the room feel both grand and exclusive, together with the thick matching drapes in matching colours. Farther into the room, we see a sofa, a glass table and a comfortable-looking armchair with a footstool in which to relax after a long day in town. For those who cannot leave their work at home, there is a substantial desk with a telephone and a free broadband connection. The bedroom is furnished with a large double bed in classic style, with pillows and bed linen of the best quality. There is also a large TV, a radio, an alarm clock and a trouser press. Along the passage to the bathroom, there is a roomy wardrobe containing a safe for jewels and other valuables.

After a while, there is a knock at the door. It is Tommy Andreasen, the hotel’s Sales and Marketing Manager who has come to welcome us and to invite us to lunch in ‘Dagligstuen’. We take the elevator together down to the popular lobby bar and sit down at one of the tables. It doesn’t take long before a friendly waiter arrives to take our orders. “Did you know that ‘Dagligstuen’ is one of Oslo’s oldest bars?” says Tommy. “It opened back in 1932 and has been re-designed three times since then. We have tried to create a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere where guests can chat over a cup of coffee in peace and quiet. We also have an open-air bar which is really popular in the summertime,” he continues. The furniture is elegant, beautiful and tastefully expensive, and in a robust English style, with touches of green and lilac. “Our motto here at the Continental is to create our own trends which will stand the test of time.”

“The Munch collection is the biggest collection today in Norway in private ownership”

Maria is curious about the beautiful lithograph of Edvard Munch which is hanging on the wall. “We have a collection of twelve paintings which were acquired by the second generation owner, Arne Boman Hanse, from an art dealer in Oslo,” Tommy explains. He laughs when we ask if the painting is an original, and tells us that those have been safely locked away in a safe for several years following a number of attempts to steal them. The Munch collection is the biggest collection today in Norway in private ownership.

He goes on to describe the hotels various restaurants, among which is the unique ‘Teatercaféet’ dating back to the early 1900s and the ‘Annen Etage Restaurant & Bar’, an exclusive restaurant known for its gastronomic ambitions and its wide assortment of whiskies.

The ‘Teatercaféet’, which opened on 22nd December 1900, is one Norway’s leading cultural heritages and is included on the list drawn up by the New York Times of the world’s ten most famous cafés. The café was renovated after the Second World War to a new style chosen by the third generation owner, Ellen Brochmann. Her dream was to restore the café to its original state and she, together with the architect Hans Gabriel Finne, completed the work in 1971. Most of the original furnishings could be recreated with the help of old photographs. Among other things, the café now boasts a service by Figgjo Fajanse, a wall clock from London and most of the inspiration came from Paris, Copenhagen and Stockholm. Here too, there are many portraits to admire including famous Norwegian cultural celebrities, authors, musicians and composers.

The ‘Annen Etage Restaurang & Bar’ is a more design-inspired restaurant, which is open to the general public, serving 5-course dinners from the finest of products and with excellent service. In the rather trendy bar, customers can choose between over 70 different types of whisky. “If you so wish,” says Tommy, “there is a beautifully-decorated room, the Chambre Separée, for closed parties of up to 25 people adjoining the restauarant.”

“Our biggest suite is the Continental Suite on the top floor with a large balcony and a fantastic view over Aker Brygge and the Oslo fjord. The suite is 100 square metres and is usually reserved by famous people”

“As far as the hotel is concerned, we have 155 rooms in various categories,” adds Tommy, “of which five are larger suites and 18 are junior suites. Our biggest suite is the Continental Suite on the top floor with a large balcony and a fantastic view over Aker Brygge and the Oslo fjord. The suite is 100 square metres and is usually reserved by famous people.” We read too, in the hotel’s elegant brochure, that there are several large conference and meeting rooms which can be adapted, for instance, for weddings and other celebrations.

When our excellent meal is at an end, we thank Tommy for the interesting chat and make ourselves ready to photograph the hotels wonderful furnishings and architecture.

ADDRESS: Hotel Continental, Stortingsgaten 24-26, N-0117 Oslo, Norway.

TEL: + 47 22 82 40 00

FAX: + 47 22 82 40 65

E-POST: booking@hotel-continental.no

INTERNET: http://www.hotel-continental.no

GENERAL MANAGER: Siv Lunde Kolrud

PRICES: From 1,270 NOK to 10,500 NOK

CREDIT CARDS: All

COMMUNICATIONS: About 47 Km from Gardemoen, Oslo’s International Airport and 2 km from the Central Station.

~ by luxyautolifestyle on June 16, 2009.