SOMMERRO, OSLO, NORWAY

Posted in Projects on 20 February, 2023

Art Deco details and Norwegian motifs collide with contemporary artworks in a vibrant hotel that embraces community and creativity.

Set in the former headquarters of Oslo’s original electricity company, Sommerro is energising its surroundings with a new creative spirit that pays tribute to Norway’s cultural heritage. The 231-room Art Deco hotel is the latest luxury opening by Nordic Hotels & Resorts complete. The urban retreat in the heart of Frogner has seven restaurants and bars, meeting and event spaces, a 100-seat theatre, a wellness space, and the city’s first year-round rooftop pool, sauna, and terrace.

“Sommerro is more than a hotel. It is an iconic building that houses years of history, located in one of Oslo’s most vibrant and exciting areas,” said Petter Stordalen, founder of Nordic Choice Hotels, now known as Strawberry. “We want everyone to feel at home at Sommerro, whether you are a guest or a local seeking a place to hang out with friends, work, or simply relax in beautiful surroundings.”

The hotel pays homage to a fusion of neoclassical contemporary aesthetics with original historic elements that have been meticulously restored and developed by local firm LPO Architects in collaboration with GrecoDeco, a studio based in New York and London. It was designed as a community in its own right, with diverse areas that feel welcoming to all. The social spaces and six varied guest room categories, from snug Loft rooms to lavish Junior and Heritage Suites, are embellished with opulent Art Deco details and lush textiles, including oak parquet flooring, custom-designed furnishings upholstered with 1930s Norwegian motifs, hand-knotted rugs, beds from innovative Swedish sleep brand Hilding Anders, and slick bathrooms with custom tiles.

Curated by internationally acclaimed museum director and art critic, Sune Nordgren, the hotel is adorned with an extensive art collection by emerging local artists.
The contemporary collection is complimented with a host of original artworks from the 1930s Norwegian artist 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, and a mosaic feature wall in the basement of the former public baths.

Visitors and locals can gather together to experience a range of immersive programming and activities across the hotel’s buzzing social spaces, which include a gilded theatre that takes its cues from the decadent glamour of old Hollywood and Europe’s grand opera houses.

The hotel’s eateries include an all-day dining spot in the former hall where the public used to pay their electricity bills. It features a lively cocktail bar on an original sunken floor. Meanwhile Nordic-Japanese dishes are served at the city’s only rooftop restaurant.

As Norway’s largest-ever preservation project, Sommerro upholds Nordic Hotels & Resorts’ commitment to eco-sustainability. It focuses on traditional sustainable elements that prioritise the environment and also emphasises mental health and career advancement internally, with support of locally owned businesses and community initiatives. Quality green materials are used for products and services including:

• Sustainable seafood and local produce
• Investing in long-term relationships with some of Norway’s greatest and greenest businesses and creators, such as social entrepreneurship Sisters in Business that employs female immigrants who create textiles and repair broken items
• Providing shoes for all staff from sustainable footwear brand New Movements
• High-quality wool products based on a centuries-old local crafts tradition by Røros Tweed

Sommerro is powered by 100 percent renewable energy and offers EV parking with free charging. Suppliers are encouraged to use zero emission transport and plastic water bottles are banned within the hotel.

One of Norway’s last remaining public baths, dating back to 1932, has been restored to its former glory and reimagined as subterranean urban wellness retreat – the largest of any city hotel across the Nordic countries. It is adorned with a glorious Per Krohg mosaic wall and features a series of treatment rooms, original restored Roman baths, infrared sauna, gym, and cold plunge pool offering a traditional Nordic thermotherapy experience.

Set to open in March this year is Villa Inkognito, an 11-suite retreat next to the hotel, with a private entrance and the option to be rented in its entirety. Housed in a former home built in 1870, the villa will boast opulent living rooms, an open kitchen, an intimate bar, a fitness room and a lovely outdoor area. Its interior design will feature a mix of antiques, original artwork, decorative details and classic Scandinavian furnishings.

sommerrohouse.com

At a glance
Owner/Operator: Nordic Hotels & Resorts
Keys: 231 plus 11 to come
Architect: LPO Architects
Interior design: GrecoDeco
Website: www.sommerrohouse.com