The Thief Hotel, Oslo.
THE PLACE
The Thief, Oslo, Norway
THE LOCATION
The Thief Hotel, Oslo.
Tjuvholmen, about 10 minutes' walk from the City Hall ferry terminal on Oslo Fiord, was once the island home of criminals – hence the name, which translates to Thief Islet. Today it's a peninsula bristling with contemporary buildings that house waterfront restaurants, businesses, cafes and art galleries – including the Renzo Piano-designed Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, which is next door to The Thief and sponsored by the hotel's owner.
THE SPACE
The nine-storey, 118-room hotel cost more to build than any other hotel in Scandinavia and it oozes warmth, style and quality. Everywhere you look there are modern paintings, artworks and intriguing sculptural pieces by internationally known artists, and the interiors are the antithesis of Scandi-cool. The walls, floors and furnishings in the large, open lobby, bar and restaurants are rich golden-brown and slate-blue, while bright throws and cushions in the suites accentuate each room's individual, mellow colour scheme. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the fiord, canals or surrounding architecture and all rooms and suites have balconies (complete with soft blankets to cuddle under when the weather is cool).
The Thief Hotel, Oslo. Credit: Jim Hensley
THE KIT
As well as loving my spacious Deluxe room's decor, king-size bed, water views, designer bathrobes and beautiful bathroom, a highlight was discovering the stash of goodies hidden away in a drawer near the Espresso machine. If you've forgotten to pack toothpaste, hair spray or even underwear, you can buy them in-room. According to the manager, there are more men's products than women's, for the simple reason that men are more likely to forget basics such as shirts, cufflinks and socks.
COMFORT FACTOR
The Thief Hotel, Oslo.
The Thief Spa is the biggest in Oslo and features a good-sized pool, six treatment rooms, sauna, steam room and hammam – Moroccan body scrubs are supplied for the latter. Like the rest of the hotel, the spa is seriously stylish and expressly designed for stealing away from the world for an hour or two. There is also a gym with high-tech fitness equipment, a hairdressing salon and make-up lounge.
FOOD
Tjuvholmen is home to some of Oslo's top restaurants and The Thief's atmospheric Fru K is one of them. Head chef Johan Laursen used to work at the Michelin-starred Maaemo and his menus are a creative spin on classic Norwegian cuisine using regional, local and organic ingredients. Fru K is open for dinner and the adjoining terrace is used in summer. Lunch is served in the Foodbar and the Thief Lounge is open around the clock for light dishes, afternoon tea and fine wines by the glass. Breakfast is a lavish affair dished up in the first-floor dining room.
The Thief Hotel, Oslo.Credit: Jim Hensley
STEPPING OUT
Hotel guests have free access to the Astrup-Fearnley art museum next door – a must for modern-art aficionados. The Thief is about 10 minutes walk from the City Hall ferry terminal, where you can catch a ferry across the fiord to visit the wonderful Kon-Tiki and Viking Ship museums. The Nobel Peace Centre is close to City Hall and the spectacular Vigeland Sculpture Park a short bus or tram ride away. Buy an Oslo Pass for 24, 48 or 72-hour access to a wealth of attractions and free public transport.
THE VERDICT
The Thief is one of the worldwide collection of Design Hotels and it shows. Every detail is beautifully thought out and a sense of creative individuality flows from top to bottom. If that sounds too cool for comfort, it's not – staff were unfailingly friendly and helpful.
ESSENTIALS
The Airport Express Train runs six times an hour and takes 22 minutes to read Oslo Central Station. From there, stay on the train to Nationaltheatret Station, which is about 15 minutes' walk to the hotel, take a bus to Aker Brygge (about five minutes' walk), or a taxi. The Thief offers a chauffeur pick-up service from the airport (for prices, see the website) and if you happen to arrive by sea in a private boat, The Thief has moorings for the hotel's guests in the marina on Tjuvholmen. Rooms at The Thief hotel cost from $450 a night, including breakfast (price quoted for October 2015 from hotel website). Landgangen 1, N-0252 Oslo, Norway. Phone 0047 24 00 40 00, see thethief.com.
HIGHLIGHT: Chatting with the charismatic Dominic Gorham, The Thief's guest relation manager.
LOWLIGHT: Complicated light settings in room and bathroom.
The writer was a guest of The Thief and Emirates.
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