In the July/August issue of the European Travel Commission's newsletter, they highlighted several new and upcoming hotels in Europe. We'll be taking a closer look at some of these hotels this week but we're always interested in hearing your recommendations for hotels in Europe. So send 'em our way.

Come September 1, Norwegian capital Oslo is getting a really ambitious hotel. The Grims Grenka Hotel has this to say about itself:

Our goal is to become Norway's best hotel, and the hotel will in many ways appear to be revolutionary with regards to interior design and service. Our ambition is to make Grims Grenka so exhilarating that guests won't want to leave.

So how exactly do they

Shiloh is pissed: Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are still chasing the Brangelina Super World Traveler title while Mr. Sexyback is on tour in Europe. We left the pair in Sweden, where they were seen holding hands before hopping on the private jet to Oslo, Norway. The still-denying-it couple went jogging, ate lunch at the Viking institution T.G.I. Friday's and took the lovefest to the Royal Palace, the home of Norway's monarchs which is open for tours during the summer.

Justin told England's The Sun tabloid that he wishes he had gotten the chance to backpack around the world for a year before he became a famous face. At least now, he travels in style--backpacking is no picnic. Stay tuned -- Justin performs in Goteborg, Sweden tonight, followed by stints in the Netherlands, Ireland and five nights of shows in London.

Related Stories:
· Hotels in Norway [HotelChatter]
· Super World Travelers coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Hollyscoop]

Oslo, the most expensive city in world, can be difficult to navigate while on a budget. Back in March, we posted about the cheapest places to eat, shop, drink, and have some fun. Faced with the prospect of losing tourism dollars due to its reputation for high prices, Oslo came up with its own cheap guide. Last month, our buddy Benji Lanyado at the Guardian flew to Oslo to check out the guide and documented his experience. We've picked out some highlights from his trip with additional Guardian reader suggestions, all after the jump.

Astrup Fearnley Museet for Moderne Kunst: This private gallery shows cutting-edge art from around the world. They have a large permanent collection featuring over 30 influential contemporary artists but are mostly known for rotating exhibitions. See work from artists like Damien Hirst, Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, and Andy Warhol, among many well-known locals.

Saigon Lille Cafe): Benji calls the Grønland neighborhood Oslo's Brick Lane, "where low rents have pulled in a largely immigrant population (mostly Pakistanis -- Grønland is sometimes referred to as 'Little Karachi'), and more recently the gifted-but-broke arterati and a proliferation of trendy bars." In this area, we recommend Saigon Lille Café. There are countless authentic and cheap restaurants here, but Saigon is family run and has excellent food served in extra-large portions (not so common in Norway).

Nasjonalgalleriet:: The National Museum for Art, Architecture, and Design houses a good number of interesting and famous works, including one of the original series of Edvard Munch's The Scream. (This Scream was stolen in 1994 and recovered a few months later.) The museum shows about 16 unique exhibitions per year.

Vigeland Sculpture Park: The Vigeland Sculpture Park is free and a great place to spend an afternoon. The expansive park is filled with statues by renowned Oslo sculptor Gustav Vigeland. When the Guardian's Benji Lanyado visited, hundreds of families sprawled out with barbecues and freshly cooked sausages. It costs about $5 to rent grill and buy sausage.

Guardian Reader Suggestions

Ark Pocket: Oslo is rife with secondhand book stores and cheap comic book shops. Check out Ark Pocket, one of the city's coolest places for comics; pick up Norway's hometown cartoon, Nemi -- a strip about a goth girl dealing with serious issues -- or Pondus, the most popular comic strip in Scandinavia.

Bit: Sometimes in expensive cities, the best way to save money is to avoid sit-down restaurants. Street food isn't always the healthiest option, but it's a way to learn more about what the locals eat. Bit serves up cheap and excellent calzones and salads. They have a number of different flavors and combinations.

Thon Hotel Munch:: If you need a break from pricey rooms and aren't into the hostel scene, try the budget Thon Hotel Munch. It's basic, cheap, clean, and centrally located -- all you could want for budget accommodations. Rooms from $113.

-- Amanda Kludt

Uh-oh. Scandal has hit the Hilton-owned Scandic Edderkoppen in Norway's capital, Oslo. A bunch of Cubans planning to visit Oslo for a travel fair this month have been turned away from the hotel they've previously stayed in five times.

No, they didn't get blacklisted after holding a wild party in their room, nothing as scandalous as that. In fact, it wasn't their fault at all, apart from holding Cuban passports. Since the Edderkoppen hotel had been taken over by the American Hilton chain since their last visit, our not-at-fault delegates were refused a booking because of the US embargo on trade with Cuba. Oops. Norwegian trade unions and social rights groups are up in arms about the

Argentina
– “Maté obsession knows no class, age boundaries” (San Francisco Chronicle)

Brazil
– “In Lapa, Rio de Janeiro, the Samba Never Stopped” (NYT)
– “Discover ‘Black Gold’ in Ouro Preto, Brazil” (Houston Chronicle)

Car-less California
– “A freeway-free coastal journey” (LA Times)

Chile
– “Surreal Patagonia” (San Francisco Chronicle)

Mexico
– “Chiapas, Without Reservations” (Washington Post)

New Orleans
– “Back to New Orleans, Gently” (NYT)

Oslo, Norway
– “Norway’s grand prize” (LA Times)

Protecting World Heritage
– “Saving the Great Wall From Being Loved to Death” (NYT)
– “Wearing out our welcome” (LA Times)

Senegal
– “7 hours away” (Guardian)

Museum curators in Norway's have discovered that the easiest way to attract visitors is to give them a little bit of sodomy. Der Spiegel reports that Oslo's National History Museum has launched the world's first exhibition of homosexuality in the animal world. Entitled Against Nature?, the exhibition includes dioramas and photographs of the over 1,500 species that have been documented as having same-sex relations in the wild. There are dioramas of male seagulls and dolphins caught in the act, pictures and more. The reasoning behind the exhibition? Sex attracts visitors. To quote Geir Soli of the Natural History Museum, "Normally... we just show pretty boring things: rocks, stuffed birds and the like." Interestingly, the exhibit also features cases of homosexual flamingo, vulture and stork couples that have managed to raise offspring. By all accounts, the exhibit has boosted attendance to the museum—Norway being Norway, complaints about the content of the exhibit have been at a minimum.

Oslo National History Museums [Official Site, English]
Homo on the Range: Gay Marriage in the Animal Kingdom [Der Spiegel]

[Neal Ungerleider]

Previously: Salon Unveils Literary Guides, Bookish Types Rejoice, Borrow a Nordic Bike, Europe For Tightwads, Oslo's Main Drag, Kiss the Norwegian Frog