Our stay in this hostel is one of our more enjoyable ones during our 3 month trip in Europe. The reception only opens during certain hours so it is a good idea to ask for the security codes to open the main door and also the safe where they keep the keycards to your room. I suppose they don’t man the reception 24 hours since labour is horribly expensive here in Norway and they try to keep costs low. There is no elevator in the hostel so people with lots of luggage may want to ask for a second floor room or a basement room. Breakfast is not included in the price too but they do have a self service meal available anytime of the day at 40 NOK per person. In my opinion breakfast at 40 NOK doesn’t seem to be worth it but this is Norway after all. Tea and coffee is provided free of charge from a dispenser in the dining room.
This hostel has all the facilities any budget traveler may need, and the one I like most is every room comes with its own fridge for you to store food. The fridge is not one of those minibars you find in upscale hotels, but a reasonable sized fridge. Since meals are very expensive, cooking your own meals will save you a lot of money. However, you will have to spend time to buy food from the supermarkets and cook them. The kitchen is reasonably well equipped with the usual pot and pans, 2 ovens and a microwave. Adding another microwave would be nice. The kitchen is actually a great place to interact with fellow guests since there is actually not much you can do while waiting for your pizza. We had nice chats with the other guests while we were cooking. People who hang out in the lounge are usually single or group travelers but almost everyone will use the kitchen while they are in Norway.
There seemed to be a shortage of staff during the few days when we were there but we are not too sure if it was due to the festive period. Out of the first 4 nights we stayed there, they were supposed to clean our rooms and make our beds everyday. On the first day, our beds were made as per normal. On the second day, they hang fresh sheets and towels at our door. Lastly on the third day, they didn’t make our beds or provide any fresh towels. Elsewhere in the kitchen, there were not enough clean plates and cups to cater to the guests who are cooking late dinners. The good thing in this hostel is the staff will use the dishwasher to clean the dishes so you don’t need to do them yourself. However, the staff usually only use the dishwasher in the morning and later at night the unwashed dishes will pile up. This might become a problem when the hostel is packed full of guests.
Accommodation rating: 3.5
The room can be a bit cramp but I liked that the room temperature can be individually controlled so you can adjust it to your preference. The beds are comfortable enough and the location is quiet so you will not have a problem getting a good sleep. There is a sink in the room which is convenient. We didn’t experience any problems with the shower or the toilet while we stayed there. However, Wifi access was intermittent despite having 2 networks. Hopefully they can sort that out.
Value rating: 4
It is almost impossible to find cheap accommodation in Norway since everything is expensive. Therefore, it is important to keep that in perspective when deciding where to stay. Given the reasonably good location which is just a few minutes into the city center, I can’t really find any deal breakers for this hostel. However be mindful that the hostel is located on a hill. They have increased their prices for the year 2011 but since they are still cheaper than HI Hostels for privates, I would still recommend staying with ABC Hotel. (please refer to ratings explanation)
Information:
Nights stayed: 29 Dec 2010 – 1 Jan 2011 and 6 Jan 2011, total of 5 nights
Total cost: 600 NOK per night
Room stayed: Room 304, double room with shared shower and toilet
Washing and drying laundry: 40 NOK
Review of ABC Hotell Nord in Tromsø, Norway
Review of ABC Hotell Nord in Tromsø, Norway
Our stay in this hostel is one of our more enjoyable ones during our 3 month trip in Europe. The reception only opens during certain hours so it is a good idea to ask for the security codes to open the main door and also the safe where they keep the keycards to your room. I suppose they don’t man the reception 24 hours since labour is horribly expensive here in Norway and they try to keep costs low. There is no elevator in the hostel so people with lots of luggage may want to ask for a second floor room or a basement room. Breakfast is not included in the price too but they do have a self service meal available anytime of the day at 40 NOK per person. In my opinion breakfast at 40 NOK doesn’t seem to be worth it but this is Norway after all. Tea and coffee is provided free of charge from a dispenser in the dining room.
This hostel has all the facilities any budget traveler may need, and the one I like most is every room comes with its own fridge for you to store food. The fridge is not one of those minibars you find in upscale hotels, but a reasonable sized fridge. Since meals are very expensive, cooking your own meals will save you a lot of money. However, you will have to spend time to buy food from the supermarkets and cook them. The kitchen is reasonably well equipped with the usual pot and pans, 2 ovens and a microwave. Adding another microwave would be nice. The kitchen is actually a great place to interact with fellow guests since there is actually not much you can do while waiting for your pizza. We had nice chats with the other guests while we were cooking. People who hang out in the lounge are usually single or group travelers but almost everyone will use the kitchen while they are in Norway.
There seemed to be a shortage of staff during the few days when we were there but we are not too sure if it was due to the festive period. Out of the first 4 nights we stayed there, they were supposed to clean our rooms and make our beds everyday. On the first day, our beds were made as per normal. On the second day, they hang fresh sheets and towels at our door. Lastly on the third day, they didn’t make our beds or provide any fresh towels. Elsewhere in the kitchen, there were not enough clean plates and cups to cater to the guests who are cooking late dinners. The good thing in this hostel is the staff will use the dishwasher to clean the dishes so you don’t need to do them yourself. However, the staff usually only use the dishwasher in the morning and later at night the unwashed dishes will pile up. This might become a problem when the hostel is packed full of guests.
Accommodation rating: 3.5
The room can be a bit cramp but I liked that the room temperature can be individually controlled so you can adjust it to your preference. The beds are comfortable enough and the location is quiet so you will not have a problem getting a good sleep. There is a sink in the room which is convenient. We didn’t experience any problems with the shower or the toilet while we stayed there. However, Wifi access was intermittent despite having 2 networks. Hopefully they can sort that out.
Value rating: 4
It is almost impossible to find cheap accommodation in Norway since everything is expensive. Therefore, it is important to keep that in perspective when deciding where to stay. Given the reasonably good location which is just a few minutes into the city center, I can’t really find any deal breakers for this hostel. However be mindful that the hostel is located on a hill. They have increased their prices for the year 2011 but since they are still cheaper than HI Hostels for privates, I would still recommend staying with ABC Hotel.
(please refer to ratings explanation)
Information:
Nights stayed: 29 Dec 2010 – 1 Jan 2011 and 6 Jan 2011, total of 5 nights
Total cost: 600 NOK per night
Room stayed: Room 304, double room with shared shower and toilet
Washing and drying laundry: 40 NOK
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Looking for the orange sign.
The entrance is located at the side of the house.
There are 2 more computers in the lounge not in the photo.
No major complaints on the room.
Room is nicely insulated.
A single toilet serves the 3rd floor but some rooms have their own.
There is also only a single toilet on the 3rd floor.
The second floor is different so be mindful when referring to this floor plan.