Citybox Oslo

I’m deeply disappointed with our recent stay at Citybox Oslo and feel compelled to share our experience. When we arrived, our room was unbearably hot, with no air circulation or functioning air conditioning. The curtain had been left wide open, letting the sun overheat the space, and the window couldn’t be opened. The conditions felt genuinely unsafe—especially from a health perspective. We were told that nothing could be done since management and maintenance were unavailable for the weekend. This left us scrambling to find another hotel on short notice during Pride weekend, when most places were fully booked or far outside our price range. After multiple requests, we were eventually moved to another room (555), which had a window we could open—but still no working AC. We had to leave the window open all night, exposing us to loud street noise and bright light (remember, the sun does not go down there in the summer), making it nearly impossible to sleep. To cope, we had to prop our door open to get airflow from the hallway, which was a huge compromise of privacy and security. We truly could not wait to check out, as the lack of sleep and stress of the room was completely consuming. After the trip, I contacted Citybox to request a refund for the unacceptable conditions. After much back and forth, they agreed to refund just one night of our stay. I was told the refund would arrive in 5–7 business days, but it has now been two weeks, and there’s still no refund—just continued delays and vague responses. This was a miserable and stressful experience that completely disrupted our time in Oslo. At a minimum, I would expect the hotel to honor its refund commitment and take responsibility for providing a safe and comfortable environment, which they clearly did not. Spend the extra money and stay somewhere else.

I recently had the pleasure of staying at Citybox Oslo during a short business trip, and I can honestly say it exceeded my expectations. From the moment I walked in, I felt like I had made the right choice. The self-check-in process was quick and intuitive — perfect after a long day of travel. My room was a cozy haven: clean, modern, and surprisingly quiet given the central location. I loved the minimalist Scandinavian design — it felt fresh and calming. The bed was incredibly comfortable, and I appreciated the thoughtful touches like the reading lamp and blackout curtains (a lifesaver during Oslo’s bright summer nights!). What really stood out to me was the location. Being just a few minutes’ walk from Oslo Central Station made getting around the city effortless. I even had time to stroll down to the Opera House one evening — a lovely bonus. Citybox Oslo has become my go-to whenever I’m in town. It’s affordable, stylish, and efficient — everything I need for a smooth and enjoyable stay. Highly recommended for both business and leisure travelers!

I had a pleasant stay overall. The location is very convenient — just a short walk from the central train station, and there’s a tram stop right outside. There are also plenty of shops and places to eat nearby. Check-in and check-out were completely fuss-free, which I appreciated. The hotel offers good amenities, including a laundromat that I found very useful. I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the Single Room — it was more spacious than I expected, especially compared to the smaller rooms I’ve stayed in at Japanese business hotels. However, there were a few minor issues. The door to my room didn’t always lock properly on the first try, which was a bit annoying. There also weren’t enough racks to hang clothes. I wasn’t sure how to use the radiator or thermostat, so a simple guide would have been helpful. At night, the trams passing by can be quite noisy, so I’d recommend bringing earplugs if you’re a light sleeper. Despite these small issues, I would consider staying here again.

Much better than expected for a 3 star hotel. Super modern, seamless check in/out experience. FYI Rooms are abit small in case you have big luggage and cleaning is not done on a daily basis (you’ll need to ask for it). Location is fantastic. Would recommend for the price tag

This is the perfect hotel for your trip to Oslo! The rooms are comfortable and spacious enough and the location is very ideal. Right outside the door is the tram stop with regular departures which was very convenient, especially as people with disabilities. Many times we went out for a few hours and then would come back on the tram and go for a rest inside the hotel which was very convenient. The rooms can be a bit noisy due to it being on one of the main streets, especially in summer with the windows open. If you're a light sleeper it may not be ideal for you as you can hear the trams going by constantly or get woken up by the waste collection lorry outside but we didn't mind ourselves. The windows admittedly don't open all that much so it can get a bit hot inside. Overall the hotel is very nice, clean, stylish. There is lots of communal spaces, a small kitchen area with a fridge and microwave and also free luggage storage which we made use of.

I booked for 2 periods the 1st period the room had tiny window and no shower gel we ask for shower gel but they don’t put it so I ask again directly to hotel maid and she changed it to me immediately. And the 2nd period we got a big window and the room I thought it’s a bit bigger than the 1st period. The self service check in and out is convenient also the hotel is in the great location.

The hotel is beautifully designed and centrally located — definitely a plus if you’re planning to explore Oslo on foot. The price is relatively low compared to other options in the city, which is great for travelers on a budget. The room was very small, but it’s fine if all you need is a place to sleep. It was clean and well-kept, which we appreciated. However, there was no way to control the room temperature, and it got quite hot and stuffy at night. We had to open the window to get some air, but unfortunately, we were bitten by mosquitoes throughout the night. I

Great location, easy to book, easy to enter on arrival. Can leave luggage in secure room when waiting for room to become available (3pm). Location is excellent. Walking distance to Oslo train station (Oslo S) and there is a tram stop right outside the hotel. Room was a good size and clean, bed was very comfortable. Good value.

Very impressed with this minimalist, budget hotel. The smart check-in with automated machine, you get a print out with your room number and some basic guidelines. Your room doesn't have a TV, but free Wi-Fi so stream on your phone to your hearts content. Also no toiletries. There is a soap dispenser in the bathroom but best to bring your shampoo, soap and toothpaste. Also no fridge in the room they have a fridge in a common area with a microwave so you can use that. My neighbor was playing loud music since they don't have phones in the room you can message them through messenger on the Facebook app and they took care of the noise complain. If you miss having a front desk don't worry their office is open and manned 24/7 I. Case you need to speak to someone. Very impressed and will stay here again in the future!

This is an excellent location for the Ferry passengers and to Central Station. The room and bathroom were very clean. The room was plenty spacious. Would recommend.

Super clean, modern and affordable hotel. I like that it's self-service and that the beds are THE MOST COMFORTAABLE beds I have EVER slept in. For those of you who are TV-dependant, do not book this hostel because you will not have a TV in your room, but in the communal area. The heating can be adjusted from your bedroom, clean linen is provided as well as a hairdryer. Definitely 5 out of 5 in my books

Stayed here for one night during a job interview in Oslo. To start with, I had some problems with the self check-in since I had made my booking through Hotels.com and their systems' didn't synchronize well. It worked out eventually. The room had a pretty Scandinavian design. Minimalistic and simple. Nothing extravagant though. Limited service, simple & clean room, ends up with 3 stars.

Affordable and perfectly located in Oslo City, clean and modern rooms, and a nice bakery/pizzeria next door for fast and easy serving. A little noicy from the streets outside, and the room were much too warm (both evening and Morning) with no airconditon.

I would definitely stay here again. Before booking a place to stay for my solo trip to Oslo I did a ton of research. Usually I like staying at hostels but given Oslo hostels are quite expensive, and I wanted my own quiet time to get over jet lag quickly, I decided to stay there. Easy train ride from airport, the place was a little hard to find, so it took me about 30 minutes to get there from the train station. But once you find it it'll pretty much stay there :) Location is great, only 1 star off because the street is a bit sketchy. Shower is OK but water goes all over the floor, because there is no bathtub. Room was very clean, cozy bedding, front desk staff is there to help if you need, and you can walk to the city center within minutes. It's very scandinavian. Internet is fast! No free breakfast but how can you expect free anything in Scandinavia :(

This is a very interesting concept hotel that is good for single or maybe two people at most rooms. Very small but efficient use of space. Certainly not good for families and it is centrally located within walking distance to the train station and to the restaurants and tourist attractions of the city. I was here for the Oslo marathon and enjoyed my multiple day stay here with my Chinese friend, well kept and clean.

No frills, self check in and out. Very clean. Room is small but just enough. We were both comfortable. Very warm on a very cold night. No telivision, but who needs it. Free wifi. Close to lots of cool stuff in down town Oslo, as well as walking distance from the train station.

The place is super millennial-friendly. No check-in desk or concierge (who needs them with iPhones and free wifi?). Just check in at the kiosk in the lobby. There is an open and spacious lobby for socializing, eating or television (if that's your thing--there are no t.v.'s in the room). The prices seem staggeringly cheap when compared to more formal hotels in Oslo. Wifi reception wasn't a problem in the room we got, but I would be irritated if I had to leave my room for it. A small room is fairly small, so if you're a couple carrying large luggage bags, you might want to spring for a larger room. The design of the hotel has a nice, clean, Scandinavian aesthetic. For budgetary reasons, the rooms are not cleaned daily (I quite like the lack of strangers entering my room every day). There are no complimentary anythings such as breakfast, or toiletries, pens, or notepads. Two non-luxurious towels are provided. Small rooms have showers and no tub. My only gripe is the teeny tiny elevator. However, there is a nice stairwell you can take just off the lobby. Overall, this is a well priced budget hotel in a central location in an extremely expensive city.

Fantastic property. Very reasonable. Our double room was small but adequate. Modern decor, comfortable beds, plenty of lighting. My only complaint is there were no outlets near the mirrors. Made drying my hair problematic. I'll definitely stay here again. The location is superb! Close to Oslo S, shopping and more.

Loved it. We stayed at this hotel and it was a very good decision and the location was great, nearby train station, restaurants, shopping malls, Royal palace, the Parliament. Very modern and to check in and out is different but there's people to help at the office. I would return there and it is not expensive.

Pros: Easy automated check-in. A machine spits out your key and you're good to go. It's a new hotel and everything was very clean and modern. I liked that the room didn't have a tv but there were plenty downstairs in the lobby, should one want to watch it. The room was bigger than we expected, the floors in the bathrooms were heated and nice. Very nice location, easy access to city center, busses, central station, the Opera, waterfront, everything! We were a little wary about safety at night since it is close to sex shops and what looked to be a brothel down the street but it was fine. The best coffeeshop is on the corner, Stockfleths. We asked for a hair dryer and they checked one out for us in their office. The vending drink machine dispenses free hot water. The other drinks were cheap but we didn't partake. Cons: Women yelling at 4-5am every morning outside our window. We were on the 4th floor and a lady's voice could be heard loud and clear, every day. We aren't sure if it is one of the ladies of the night but it made us wary of walking down that street. A hot water pot would have been really helpful in our room, but that's just wishful thinking. Overall, we loved this place and would definitely stay here again. Oslo is awesome!

CityBox was my "home sweet home" for 3 nights while vacationing in Oslo. After doing extensive research online of various hotels in the city, I chose to book CityBox for a few reasons: In a city of EXPENSIVE everywhere, CB was the most economical option for a non-hostel, private hotel. It was close to Oslo S (3 minute walk!) and within walking distance of most everything I wanted to see: Opera house, Parliament, Cathedral, National Museum, Karl Johans Gate, Aker Brygge, etc. It has free wifi, a bed, a shower and a place to put my stuff. That's all i need out of a hotel, not any additional bells and whistles. Upon arriving at City Box, we checked in on the computers and then the host on duty rang us into the lobby. There is no hotel front desk here, just a small office where there is always an employee available to help with any questions or needs. The check in process on the computer was easy. We were given our keys, greeted by the host, and up to our room we went. We chose to book the 'double room small' since it was just my mom and i and we do not need a lot of space. It was indeed quite small, but there was a small desk/chair area and 1 double sized bed, so we had just enough room. The hotel is recently remodeled, so the whole style is very new and modern. I liked the chic design. As far as the room itself, it was very clean, so that's a plus. The staff does not clean the room daily unless you pay an extra fee for it, but that's honestly fine with me as i don't care for someone poking around in my room while all my stuff is in there. The wifi worked great, no problems at all. It was not an issue that there is no TV here as I could watch netflix on my laptop when we were in the room late at night. The shower was excellent. The bed was just so-so. Seemed comfortable when hopping in, but by the morning my back was stiff and in pain for a bit. The only main complaint here is the shady people hanging out in the front on Prinsens Gate. There were definitely "working ladies" (to put it nicely) out on the street corner immediately in front of the hotel every night. It was not a bother to me as far as the hotel goes and i know that is out of their control, but it made it a bit uncomfortable and sketchy by drawing all sorts of weird characters out front late at night. We did feel a bit weird walking by once the sun went down, but honestly nobody ever bothered us anyway, so not a huge deal. Just be forewarned. Anytime we needed something, the staff was friendly and willing to accommodate. They provided hair dryers and extra towels immediately upon our request. There is a free luggage room to store your belongings after checking out for the day if need be. As an added bonus, there is a mini kitchen downstairs which had a fridge, hot water machine and microwave. This saved us a ton of money since we could make our coffee there at the hotel for free and stored some breakfast and lunch items in the fridge, which we purchased at the market, rather than spending excessive money eating out in this city for every single meal. Overall, this was a great place to stay while in Oslo and I would stay again next time I have the chance to visit. It provided an extremely affordable private lodging with all the needed basics and none of the pricey extras. 2 thumbs up for CBOslo

Great price but you get what you pay for. No human check in but there was a gal there the morning we left to help store our luggage. The room was clean and bunk beds a bit precarious. I wouldn't want an adult sleeping above me for fear it would break. There is a Subway and 7-11 close by which is nice if you are jet lagged and need something at 3a. I saw a previous review about the construction and really thought 7 months later that would be a non issue, however it was. The entire street is torn up and the jack hammer noise is deafening in the a.m.

I don't really mind the lack of human interaction, but I wished I'd known the extent of the construction blocking not only the entrance, but the entire street. And then there's the noise level. It's kind of ridiculous. We're on the sixth floor, but it's super loud nonetheless. The elevator and check-in kiosks broke on the night we arrived. On the plus side, the room is exactly as described. The water pressure on the shower is very reduced. But it's clean and cleverly designed. The floors in the bathroom are heated!

The Wi-Fi sucked in the room. I had to stand in the hallway to get any reception. The beds were comfortable but they only had vending machines for coffee and breakfast.

Can't beat this for the price! Operates like an upscale hostel, perfect for the quick backpacker trip through Europe when you want a little more comforts than a traditional hostel. Check in is automated through touchscreens no human interaction but it was quick and easy, I booked the hotel on my phone about 5 minutes before checking in! I chose the absolute smallest room, twin bed in a tiny box, I didn't need anything fancy just a place to rest my head. Spartan accommodations but just a place to sleep and couldn't beat the price! Everything in the room is brand new and their is a huge common area downstairs with different "zones" to hang out in not just one giant room but smaller nooks and tables for people to hangout and interact in (like a hostel). Super convenient location just a few blocks from Oslo central train station where I caught my train out, also a lot of restaurants and convenience stores nearby as their are other hostels around so plenty of cheap places to grab a bite and some refreshments.

Citybox is awesome! The only reason I didn't give it a perfect score, is because of the wi-fi being a bit weak in spots, and not enough options in the vending machine. The vending machine idea is cool, of course no replacement for a restaurant, but great for a snack or if you have no time to go anywhere, I just wish they had more options there, like a second vending machine. Everything is very clean and the staff is very helpful, we'll all except this one girl who never wants to help you. You'll know her when you see her. When I went into the office for the first time (because my credit card wouldn't work with the machine) she told me to "get out". That was my first experience with citybox, and it almost made me leave. But I stuck in there, and after I got my credit card working, everyone else in Citybox was extremely nice and helpful. I would defiantly stay there again, I just hope the snotty girl is gone!

Clean, nice place. Mildly confusing checkin process, with no people to help you if you need something. But overall, an amazing location to stay in central Oslo, and very affordable price. Everything you need is within walking distance, including the train from the airport.

Good location, good price, very comfortable and clean! No tv in our room but good wi-fi and book exchange. Automated check in but there is staff on site.

We liked it here! As others have said, check in was easy. Kiosk wasn't behaving, but the host was right there and checked us in. The room was perfectly fine for three of us, and we liked the location -- super convenient for roller-bagging it from the train station!! In the early morning, we passed some working girls on the way back to our room, but frankly, they were more completely dressed and way lower key than the club kids we saw roaming the pedestrian mall! Not an issue at all. The room was clean, space was adequate (fine for 3, would have been cozy for 4 people, I think). We especially liked the common areas downstairs -- very well equipped dining area w/full bar-style seating, a full-sized fridge and kettles for heating water, microwave, and vending machine for coffee drinks and snacks/breakfast items. Prices were good. Also utilized the free internet and TV lounge area. Very open and inviting.