“I would go so far as to say that this is Norway’s largest hotel in terms of square metres,” says Arne Marius Berg.
He is the assistant director of operations at Thon Hotels and is closely involved in the ongoing expansion of Thon Hotel Oslo Airport, which is located right next to the airport in Gardermoen.
Among other things, the hotel’s conference facilities, previously known as Thon Congress Gardermoen, has doubled in size.
“We've also built an entirely new three-floor conference centre and restaurant that can accommodate up to 1,000 seated guests, both of which are connected to the conference facilities,” says Berg.
The 'new' hotel was completed in October 2025 and the conference facilities and hotel are combined under the name Thon Hotel Oslo Airport.
"In other words, we now offer a better and more holistic experience to hotel and event guests."
Norway's largest LED wall display screen
Before the expansion, the conference room was 2,550 square metres, but we now offer an impressive 5,100 square metres of conference space.
"We can hold banquets for up to 5,000 people or concerts for 10,000. With a ceiling height of 10 metres, the room is also perfect for events with a little something extra, such as exhibitions, trade fairs, launches and kick-offs," says Berg.
The new conference facilities can be rented as one large space or divided into six smaller spaces. Berg has no doubt that flexibility is a major benefit.
"We can now hold two large events with 2,500 guests each at the same time."
The new section is built according to the BREEAM In-Use Excellent standard, with energy class A, with clear ambitions to reduce energy consumption. Solar panels have been installed on both the sides of the building and across the entire roof.
The conference facilities have state-of-the-art electrical equipment, which ensures easy implementation, as well as Norway’s largest LED wall.
"The wall is no less than 115 square metres. There are also several LED walls along the entire long side," Berg explains.
Focus on break areas - and the small yet unique details
In connection with the new conference facilities, a restaurant section has been added for use during events.
“It can accommodate around 1,000 seated guests, but we can also offer standing meals for larger groups,” explains Berg.
Even with plenty of space, the project group prioritised the creation of a warm and inviting space. They achieved this by dividing the break rooms into zones and emphasising the use of mood lighting, quality furniture and different types of textiles in the design.
"We don't want it to feel like a huge and impersonal centre. It should have the familiar 'Thon touch', which means the same excellent experience regardless of whether your group has six or 5,000 people," says Berg.
He also points out some of the unique things that the hotel has to offer to those who want that little something extra:
"For example, a few hundred metres from the hotel, at Keplerstjernen, we've converted an old aircraft hangar into a fully fledged competition kitchen and restaurant." A table can be booked here for parties of up to 50 people. Thon Hotels works closely with Bocuse d'Or Norway and this year’s chef and Bocuse d'Or silver winner from 2021 Filip Bendi, creative developer at Thon Hotels, is responsible for the menu.
“That's a good indication of the wide range of options we offer and it is precisely this flexibility and customised solutions that make Thon Hotel Oslo Airport stand out in the market,” says Berg.
"We aspire to offer Norway’s best conference facilities"
Hotel Director Birgit Kjuus is also delighted that Thon Hotel Oslo Airport is now a larger, full-service hotel, with the hotel itself and the brand-new conference centre combined under one roof. She is pleased that the Olav Thon Group continues to invest and compete within the conference sector.
"This expansion makes us a major provider of conference experiences. We believe and hope that we will be the preferred choice for those organising a large conferences and event in the area," says Kjuus.
"We are transitioning from being a large provider to becoming one of the country's largest. The goal is to be Norway’s best provider of conference facilities, offering significant flexibility and customised solutions."