Scandic Hamar is a well-placed hotel for the city's Vikingskipet Arena and Briskeby Stadium, and also hosts events of its own. Here's what to expect when staying there.
Yep, it's time for another hotel review. Hamar may not be on the tourist trail, but who knows when you'll end up there. If you live in Norway, perhaps you'll attend a conference or another live event.
On a recent trip to Hamar, in part to write this article about the town, I stayed at the Scandic Hamar.
The hotel was much larger than I expected with full conference facilities and the ability to host live events such as concerts. Read on for what I thought.
Location
If you're not driving, the location is a little awkward as it's away from the town centre and uphill. When I visited it was below -10C and very icy underfoot, so the walk wasn't the most enjoyable!
Scandic Hamar: Check rates and availability on Booking.com
On a regular day, this wouldn't be an issue. However, it's possible to catch a local bus from the train station up to the hotel, which is what I did in the other direction after I checked out!
Between the hotel and the town centre is the CC Hamar shopping mall. The other side of the hotel you'll find Briskeby Stadion and the Olympic skating arena Vikingskipset.
As I was attending an event at the stadium, I chose this hotel so that I could quickly get back afterwards. As it was -14C after the event, it ended up being a wise choice!
Check in
If you've ever stayed at a Scandic before you'll be immediately familiar with the reception area. There is a bar just to the side of the reception, and a small shop for snacks and drinks, in place of minibars in the guest rooms.
Upon arrival, I was surprised to find the hotel lobby quite busy. As it turned out, there was a concert being held in the hotel that night. Even so, check-in was quick, as it usually is at Scandic as prepayment is the norm.
Guest room
I booked a standard room. As you'll see from the photos, it's a reasonable size with both an easy chair and a desk and office chair. The free Wi-Fi was fast and simple to access.
The decor was very basic, with just a few nods to Hamar's Olympic connection on the wall, and a poster of the town's beloved diving platform Stupetårnet.
In the pictures, the bed doesn't look the most comfortable, yet it was fine. I had a great night's sleep. There was a power socket on just one side of the bed, but more power available at the desk.
The bathroom was small but clean and with a good shower. As with most other Scandic hotels, the towels are a little too small for my liking, but that's a minor complaint.
Breakfast
One of the things I like most about Scandic hotels is that the breakfast buffet is always included. That, and the fact that it's decent quality, of course!
The buffet included a good selection of breads, cold cuts, cheese, cereals, fruit, and salad items. There was a good selection of hot food too, including hard-boiled and fried eggs and plenty of bacon. If you stay here, you won't go hungry!
The breakfast was very busy on both days, but as the room was very big, there were plenty of places to sit.
Wrap up
I paid NOK 3267 for my two-night stay at Scandic Hamar. It's a little on the high side for the basic room, but I realised with several major events on, I was fortunate to get a room at all as I booked relatively late.
Scandic Hamar: Check rates and availability on Booking.com
If you're attending an event in Hamar at one of the nearby venues, this is an ideal choice of accommodation. If you are just passing through or travelling by train, you may prefer one of the downtown hotels.
