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New Europe Hotel: Grims Grenka's Not So Grim

Where: Kongens Gate 5, Oslo, Norway, 0153

In the July/August issue of the European Travel Commission's newsletter, they highlighted several new and upcoming hotels in Europe. We'll be taking a closer look at some of these hotels this week but we're always interested in hearing your recommendations for hotels in Europe. So send 'em our way.

Come September 1, Norwegian capital Oslo is getting a really ambitious hotel. The Grims Grenka Hotel has this to say about itself:

Our goal is to become Norway's best hotel, and the hotel will in many ways appear to be revolutionary with regards to interior design and service. Our ambition is to make Grims Grenka so exhilarating that guests won't want to leave.

So how exactly do they plan to do this? The location is a good start, in a historical part of Oslo near the Akershus Castle, with the central station just five minutes away. The 66 rooms and suites are deliberately large, with many over 750 square feet, and there's already a rooftop lounge to enjoy a drink in.

An Asian restaurant will follow, along with a nightclub and a private cinema. Their website's not letting any bookings be made yet, despite the promised opening in less than two weeks, so we'll have to wait and see if the September deadline really comes through.

Related Stories:
· A New Design Hotel for Oslo [VisitOslo]
· Norway Hotel Reviews [HotelChatter]
· Norway Travel Stories [Jaunted]

Hotel News / Hilton Hotels / Scandal Hotels / → All Tags

No Cubans in Norway Please

Where: St Olavs Plass 1, Oslo, Norway, 0130

Uh-oh. Scandal has hit the Hilton-owned Scandic Edderkoppen in Norway's capital, Oslo. A bunch of Cubans planning to visit Oslo for a travel fair this month have been turned away from the hotel they've previously stayed in five times.

No, they didn't get blacklisted after holding a wild party in their room, nothing as scandalous as that. In fact, it wasn't their fault at all, apart from holding Cuban passports. Since the Edderkoppen hotel had been taken over by the American Hilton chain since their last visit, our not-at-fault delegates were refused a booking because of the US embargo on trade with Cuba. Oops. Norwegian trade unions and social rights groups are up in arms about the booking refusal but so far the Cubans still have to look for somewhere else to stay.

[Photo: Nasduik]

Related Stories:
· Scandic Edderkoppn reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Hilton Slammed in Oslo for Cuba Embargo [ABC News]
· True Hollywood Hotel Story [HotelChatter]