OSLO, NORWAY—Scandic Holmenkollen Park in Oslo has a 128-year history. The hotel recently reopened following a comprehensive 15-month renovation. The hotel has 376 rooms spread over 10 buildings and with its unique location in Oslo, guests from all corners of the world will once again be able to enjoy a unique destination hotel in eastern Norway.
Over the past 15 months, Scandic Holmenkollen Park has been undergoing an extensive renovation that has preserved the rich history of the building while adding modern concepts and solutions. The renovation has been a collaboration between Scandic and property owners Eiendomsspar and Rica Eiendom and has involved completely renovating a total of 31,000 m2 which, among other things, has created 27 new rooms.
The hotel’s gym and spa facilities have been upgraded and expanded to cover 1,500 m2 while the new meeting and conference spaces will be able to accommodate up to 1,200 people. History and art will play an important role at the refreshed Scandic Holmenkollen Park, telling the colorful story of a hotel that has been visited by some of the world’s greatest artists.
The hotel’s unique Dragbyggnaden building, which is built in the Norwegian dragon style, offers 27 unique rooms and suites and in the hotel restaurant, traditional Norwegian cuisine meets modern influences. The à la carte restaurant Holmenkollen Park Bistro & Bar features a unique waffle concept that takes traditional waffles to the next level—topped with roe, sour cream, pickled onions, and egg yolk. Dragbyggnaden also houses a well-stocked wine cellar that guests can visit prior to enjoying a three-course meal with a focus on Norwegian ingredients in the hotel restaurant.
‘A Unique Location High Above Oslo’
“Scandic Holmenkollen Park has a unique location high above Oslo and we are very much looking forward to welcoming our summer guests,” says Claus Petersen, Hotel Director at Scandic Holmenkollen Park.
With its close proximity to nature and the city center, the hotel’s unique setting makes it an attractive destination for domestic and international guests alike.
“Scandic Holmenkollen Park is ideally located where the city meets the great outdoors, which means it attracts a wide target group. At a time when many people want to vacation in Oslo, it is a privilege to reopen the hotel and at the same time make 376 more rooms available in Oslo’s hotel market,” says Asle Prestegard, Head of Scandic Hotels Norway.
Sustainability was an important guiding star during the renovation of the hotel. Scandic Holmenkollen Park is ecolabeled according to the Nordic Swan Ecolabel’s tough new criteria where, among other things, ecolabeled products and chemicals and 100 percent renewable electricity, the absence of single-use disposables, reduced water consumption, a climate-friendly menu and reduced food waste formed the basis for what is the most rigorous environmental certification in the Nordic countries.
Piloting Food Waste Reduction Program
For many years, Scandic has been working systematically to reduce food waste at its hotels, and Scandic Holmenkollen Park will pilot a new project to further reduce waste. With the help of new software, all food waste will be registered and made visible to team members who will also receive data regularly to ensure that food in storage is not thrown away unnecessarily. In addition, Scandic will continue to collaborate with digital food reseller Too Good To Go to reduce food waste. The buildings have also been designed to comply with Norway’s foremost environmental certification for buildings, BREEAM-NOR.
“It is with great pride and joy that we’re reopening this hotel gem today. This is the largest renovation we’ve ever carried out and the result is a state-of-the-art hotel that not only stands out in Norway, but also internationally,” says Christian Ringnes, CEO of Eiendomsspar.
“We now have a hotel that is well equipped for the future, and I have great faith that the new Scandic Holmenkollen Park will make it even more attractive and exciting to visit our capital,” adds Jan Erik Rivelsrud, owner and board member of Rica Eiendom.
Following the reopening of Scandic Holmenkollen Park, Scandic now has 19 hotels with a total of 4,211 rooms in operation in Oslo.
