Frugal students and other thrifty travelers are drawn to this 88-room hotel, where no-frills (and slightly shabby) rooms start at around $100. Those who can't live without an in-room TV or telephone and don't want to share the bathroom down the hall with strangers should book one of the 30 en suite rooms, added in 2006, with birch furniture and kitchenettes (for about $27 more). There's no restaurant on the premises, but guests receive discount certificates to neighborhood eateries.

Decked out in Louis XVI revival decor with a touch of Nordic Art Nouveau, the Grand Hotel has been an Oslo institution since 1874—in the early 20th century, Edvard Munch was a regular at the hotel's Grand Café. The self-consciously elegant ambience in the public areas (chandeliers, crystal sconces, tapestries, and ornate mirrors) carries into the 290 guest rooms, which are dressed with flowing floral curtains and polished parquet floors. The Tower Suite, a romantic triplex that rises above the hotel's rooftop, is a good bet for honeymooners; there are 13 rooms specially designed for females on the Ladies Floor (although gentlemen are permitted to stay in these rooms as well). A gorgeous Scandinavian-style spa opened on the top floor in 2007.

Hotel Continental overlooks Palace Park and is located across the street from the National Theatre (1 Johanne Dybwads Plass; 47-22-00-14-00; www.nationaltheatret.no). Meticulously maintained Victorian decor with brocade walls and oil paintings outfits the public spaces; the 155 guest rooms are furnished with antiques (nearly half of them were revamped in 2006 and 2007). Sporty types can work up a sweat in the small fifth-floor fitness room, and art aficionados will appreciate the hotel's extensive collection of prints by Edvard Munch, which are on display in the relaxed lobby bar, Dagligstuen. The restaurant, Theatrecaféen, is a popular gathering spot for the local intelligentsia.

Closed December 21 through January 2.