Historic public baths in Oslo restored by Nordic Hotels & Resorts to complete new retreat, Sommerro

Nordic Hotels & Resorts has announced the grand opening of its newest luxury hotel, Sommerro, located in the heart of Frogner in Oslo’s West End.

The urban retreat is set within the former headquarters of Oslo Lysverker – the city’s original electrical company – and is designed to pay tribute to Norway’s cultural heritage.

The 231-room Art Deco hotel is complete with 56 branded residences. As of November, Sommerro will be crowned with a 15,000sq ft wellness space, including the city’s first year-round rooftop pool, sauna and terrace.

Named Vestkantbadet, the spa has been conceived following the restoration of one of Norway’s last remaining public baths, which first opened in 1932.

Vestkantbadet has been reimagined as a subterranean urban wellness retreat, which Nordic Hotels claims will be the largest of any city hotel across the Nordic countries. The company has revealed plans to offer spa and fitness memberships once the facility launches.

The centrepiece of the spa will be an original mosaic wall created by the popular 1930s Norwegian artist Per Krohg. It will also feature 12 treatment rooms, original restored Roman baths, an infrared sauna, a gym and a cold plunge pool offering a traditional Nordic thermotherapy experience.

A selection of massages, body treatments, facials and medical aesthetic treatments will be on offer. Spa partners will include Elemis, Babor, Gharieni, Dr Dennis Gross, Dermapen and Noon Aesthetics.

Treatment highlights will include:

• Wim Hof-style cold water breathing sessions.• Two-day electric sauna boat retreats on the fjord in partnership with KOK.

• Nutritionist workshops.• Laser therapy.

• Masterclasses with a sleep expert.

“Sommerro is more than a hotel. It’s an iconic building housing years of history, located in one of Oslo's most vibrant and exciting areas,” said Petter A Stordalen, founder of Nordic Choice Hotels*, now known as Strawberry.

“We want everyone to feel at home at Sommerro, whether you’re a guest or a local seeking a place to hang out with friends, work, or simply relax in beautiful surroundings.”

Additional facilities include seven restaurants and bars, event spaces with a capacity for up to 150 people and a 100-seat gilded theatre,

Bespoke architecture, design, and artworkDrawing heavily on the building’s existing architectural character, Sommerro pays homage to a fusion of neoclassical contemporary aesthetics with original elements developed by local firm LPO Architects in collaboration with New York- and London-based studio GrecoDeco.

Art deco details include oak parquet flooring, bespoke furnishings upholstered with 1930s Norwegian motifs and bathrooms with custom tiles.

Curated by celebrated museum director and art critic, Sune Nordgren, the hotel is adorned with an extensive art collection by emerging local artists.

The contemporary collection is complemented by a host of original artworks from Per Krohg, including a giant wall fresco in the main hall – a ceiling mural that nods to the building’s heritage highlighting life after the wonders of electricity.

Sustainability commitments

Sommerro upholds and enhances Nordic Hotels’ commitment to eco-sustainability, focusing on traditional sustainable elements that prioritise the environment while also emphasising mental health and career advancement internally along with the support of locally owned businesses and community initiatives.

The hotel has made a commitment to using quality green materials for products and services; sourcing sustainable local produce; investing in long-lasting relationships with some of Norway’s greenest businesses.

Sommerro is also powered on 100 per cent renewable energy, provides bikes for guests to rent, offers EV parking with free charging, encourages suppliers to use zero-emission transport and bans all plastic water bottles within the hotel.

In addition, Nordic Hotels has implemented an eight-hour rule for employees to ensure the work-life balance is always considered – eight hours of work, eight hours of fun and eight hours of sleep.

Introducing Villa InkognitoAs the second stage in the launch, Sommerro will open Villa Inkognito in March 2023.

Housed in a former private residence that dates back to 1870, the 11-suite retreat is adjacent to the hotel with a private entrance and will offer the option to be rented in its entirety.

The villa will boast several opulent living rooms, an open kitchen, an intimate bar, a fitness room in the basement and an outdoor lounge area.

Its interior design will feature a mix of magnificent antiques, original artwork, decorative details and classic Scandinavian furnishings.

Guests can enjoy the privacy of their villa with full access to all of the amenities and services offered at Sommerro.

*Each Nordic Hotels destination is a part of Nordic Choice Hotels, one of the largest hotel groups in the Nordic countries.