Citybox Lite Kristiansand

I stayed overnight in Kristiansand (again) and avoided the previous hotel I stayed at which was terrible but I still wanted to stay in the same prime area which is close to the pedestrian center of Kristiansand and yet easily accessible from the main highway. This new place Citybox popped up so I gave it a try. It was very, very good. Citybox have a concept where they provide a hotel room with a modern and effective method for checkin/checkout which requires no staff. They have no restaurant onsite but do provide an open fully equipped kitchen (including cooking utensils and crockery/cutlery) in the foyer where you can make your own meal if you want. The place is brand new (opened June 25) and has a very modern design. Rooms are typical modern scandinavian and everything, fixtures and fittings are top of the line. Most rooms have no tv but wifi is excellent for using your own devices. It has two rooftop terraces which are great for enjoying the evenings in the open air and even have a smoke in designated areas. I have two minor gripes (well I had to find something): - wifi coverage on the rooftop terrace was terrible, I tried to watch a Euro 2025 semifinal out on the terrace but it was impossible. Easily fixed if they add another wifi point outside. - the vending machine in the foyer does not display the prices of the goods until you take something and it gets deducted from your card. Maybe just my noob operation of these smart vending machines but I would have liked to know prices before my card was deducted. HOWEVER: I made the mistake of parking in the open parking area adjacent to the hotel, called "AIMO Markens P-hus ute", i parked there from 18:00 one day to noon the next and I was charged 1349,- NOK which is crazy, as much as my hotel room cost!!! By comparison on my last stay two weeks before I stayed in "Slottet P-hus" which is under a hundred meters away and only paid 242,- NOK for the same period. So beware where you park if you do not want a surprise.

Very animal kindly hotel.