The Thon Stefan is a nice, nearly budget choice in central Oslo. Rooms are small by American standards, but pleasant, the bathroom is fine (and water pressure is awesome), there is an electric kettle and stuff for fixing hot beverages in the room. I found the beds comfy (others did not). I stayed there in January, so the problems that others wrote about with noisy disco youth until the early hours of the morning did not happen, but I could see that it might. The breakfast spread provided by the hotel is good, and they have espresso, hot chocolate and tea available downstairs twenty-four/seven. The restaurant attached to the hotel is nothing to write home about, but in a city with notoriously expensive food and beverage prices, it won't break the bank. Overall, nice place.

Nothing in Oslo is inexpensive, but this was the smallest hotel room that I have stayed in this year during the course of all my business travel (even smaller than central London, if such a thing is possible). At $200 a night it seems that one could do better, but in this case the draw is that this hotel is in the heart of Oslo and nearby to restaurants, shopping and the museums. My closet at home is bigger than the bathroom. On the plus side the included breakfast was good and the staff at the front desk was always friendly and helpful. Free internet in lobby and the TV in the room is a state of the art flat screen. So if you just want a place to sleep and don't plan to spend much time in the room this may fill the bill.

I've stayed at this hotel twice so far, so I'm going to review both visits.
first time was june 2006. I was alone and travelled to Oslo for the first time. Had booked a singleroom via expedia.
being used to crappy hotels in London I expected the worst. But I was very pleasantly surprised! the lobby looked as nice as the pictures show. staff was very nice and helpfull. I had to wait till 3 in the afternoon before my room was ready, but it was worth it!
it was quite a big room that smelled clean and new. the bathroom was very big for one person and had a bathtub (which I had requested) and a toilet. it was clear that it had been refirbushed cause everything looked very new. the bed was the best bed I've ever slept in. I am a very bad sleeper and had brought sleeping pills just in case, but I didn't need them.
it was summer, but unlike someone else wrote in a review, there defintely was airconditiong! I was actually a bit annoyed about the coldness of it, and it was on 24/7 making me astma come to the surface. beside the bed was a desk and there was also a comfortable chair and table near the window.
there was -instant- coffee and tea in the room in various flavours. housekeeping was excellent too. the room felt like a mini apartement.

breakfast was so amazing! they had about everything you can wish for, fruit, vegetabels (peppers, gherkins and lettuce) yoghurt, cereals, omelets, eggs, organic(!) bread and rolls, all kinds of cheese, meats and jams and what I loved especially where the oldfashioned heartshaped waffles!!
you don't need to eat the rest of the day!

one particular young man on the frontdesk (who unfortunately doesn't work at that hotel anymore) was extremely helpfull and friendly. he even let me stay in the room untill 2 in the afternoon on my last day, so I could have a last bath after long walks in the morning.

being so happy with this hotel, I ofcourse booked it again when I went to Oslo this year. this time with a friend. we had a twinroom on the 7th floor, at the back of the hotel, which I requested, cause the other reviewers are right about the noise outside.
we entered at 1 in the afternoon and where told our room would be ready in half an hour. we went out and stayed out longer. coming back after 3,5 hours the room still wasn't ready. bit annoying.

it also came clear to me that my lovely room last year was an exception.
this room was far from new, the beds where not that comfortable, small and way too soft and wobbly , had to be carefull not to fall out of them! there was a huge leakage stain on the ceiling. the bathroom was smaller than the one I had last year and was a little moldy, wasn't cleaned very well. there where also parts of the ceiling flying up and down (don't make me explain this, I cant..).
the waterpressure of the shower was the weakest ever, washing your hair was unpleasant.

for some reason we only got decaf coffee. first I thought they ran out of the other things, but that wasn't the case, cause I saw them have other things, housekeeping kept their stuff in the hallway all the time, you had to be carefull not to trip over vacuumcleaners and such.we also had problems with the window. it was wide open when we came in and it couldn't be closed. the next day it was closed, and couldn't be openend again. I guess it could, but I didn't want to use violence and ruin the window.

then there was this awful noise from outside that must have come from either the airconditiong or from a generator. even with the window closed it made a lot of noise and we didn't sleep well.

the housekeeping annoyed us quite a few times, one day they hadn't cleaned the room at 4 in the afternoon, just when we wanted to rest for a while inbetween going out. we went out again, and came back at 5, they had finally done our room, however they hadn't cleaned, just made the beds. we didn't get new towels either, I was happy I had brought some myself.

the breakfast was outstanding again. the room where it is served is so lovely!!

all in all these -minor- complaints I would have never had if I hadn't had such a different and better experience before. and I will stay again in this hotel next month, let's see how it goes then.

the location is good aswell, right in the sentrum, can't get any better!

We stayed here 2 nights, Sat/Sun in late June. We booked/prepaid at the tourist info by the central train station. About a 10/15 min walk, mostly along a pedestrian street.

Front desk personnel were nice enough, no more. Our room on the 7th floor overlooked the square and the court building - just in time to see a wedding party depart. A nice view out a very large window that swiveled open allowing you to lean out.

The room was very pleasant and spotless. Bathroom was split into two rooms, which has advantages if sharing the room. The bed was quite comfortable.

Light sleepers would have two issues. Though the window was stout, it couldn't keep out the beat from the disco across the street. On Sat, this kept going until the wee hours, though not so late Sun. Second, the vent fan would rattle to life periodically all night - not constant that would allow you to get used to it.

Breakfast was quite a spread in a light and airy 2nd floor room. No complaints there at all.

Oslo was so very expensive - $12 US for a single draft beer! On a nearby corner was Deli de Luca, a chain it turns out, where you can grab some some tasty take-away snacks as a relatively cheap alternative to restaurants.