Hotel collection: Sommerro House, Oslo

Sommerro House is the new luxury hotel in Oslo, located in Frogner, one of the chicest neighborhoods in town, only a stone’s throw from the Royal Palace. Sommerro has taken over an iconic, 1930s Art Deco style building, and opened in September 2022 after two years of renovations.

The team of architects behind the project has made sure the building remained steeped in its history – by conserving and restoring original elements from when it housed Oslo’s electrical company.

The columns at the entrance to the building are carved with reliefs of scenes highlighting the importance of electricity, and bear the inscription, “Light, power, heat”.

The hotel’s main restaurant, Ekspedisjonshallen, has taken the place of the reception hall where locals once would come to pay their electricity bill. The hall is adorned with a massive mural by Norwegian artist Per Krohg, in reference to the former electrical company.

The monumental ceiling lamp in the main staircase is an original piece from 1931 that has been fully restored.

The neighborhood’s old public baths in the basement have been made into a wellness center, which is open to hotel guests as well as the city’s residents.

The interior is all about elegance and originality, all while honoring the Art Deco spirit and soul of the building. The design approach has focused on restoration rather than on total renovation. The style is bold and decadent, unyieldingly Art Deco and functionalist. The color palette and textile motifs were inspired by Norwegian art and craftsmanship.

Sommerro House was imagined as a hub for modern life. With its 4 restaurants, 3 bars, the capital’s very first rooftop pool, a 100-seat theater, a cinema, a 750 m² gym, a sauna, a spa, a hammam… it offers a wide variety of activities and experiences. There is also a regular array of cultural events, such as movie nights, jazz concerts, or afternoon tea with live piano music.

The establishment houses a total of 231 rooms and suites, divided into 6 categories (from the 15 m² Loft rooms on the top floor to the 100 m² Heritage Suites). The spacious apartments in the villa next door (Villa Inkognito) can be entirely privatized.

The interior design of the Standard rooms (18 m²) is cozy, unique, and meticulous – quality materials, handwoven rugs, Art Deco-inspired light fixtures, ash and birchwood furniture, oak floors, custom tiles in the bathroom, and a soft and comfortable 180 cm wide bed.

We particularly enjoyed:
• The 1930s atmosphere and the references to the former electricity company

• The monumental staircase and the lamp spanning six floors through its central shaft

• Listening to the jazz trio while having dinner at Ekspedisjonshallen

• The Byredo bath products and the rain shower in the bathroom

Sommerro House hotel
📍 Sommerrogata 1, Oslo

We stayed at Sommerro House during Easter 2023. This article reflects our personal opinions and has not been written in exchange for any form of compensation.