Sommerro Oslo - Hotel Review

A hotel Norway had been waiting for

Sommerro opened in 2022 in Frogner, Oslo, formerly the headquarters of Oslo Lysverker (the Oslo Electric Company), built in 1932 in the Art Deco and Functionalist style of Norwegian architect Andreas Bjercke.

After the hotel group GrowHotels spent six years and NOK 2 billion on its restoration, Sommerro became Norway's most beautiful hotel almost overnight.

The rooms we choose

Sommerro has 231 rooms, but we book only these categories:

• Deluxe King · NOK 3,500–4,500, corner rooms with park view
• Junior Suite · NOK 5,800–7,200, with a seating area
• Sommerro Suite · NOK 12,000+, corner suite in the historic wing
• Penthouse Townhouse · NOK 25,000+, 2 floors on the top

Vestkantbadet - the original spa

The hotel preserved Vestkantbadet, the 1932 Art Deco swimming pool that was once Oslo's public bath. The architects sourced tiles from the original Italian manufacturer to restore it. Open mornings and evenings for guests.

The restaurant scene

• Ekspedisjonshallen, the main restaurant in the Art Deco lobby, Nordic cuisine, the best breakfast in Oslo
• Tak Oslo, rooftop, city view
• Izakaya, Japanese, in the basement
• Tati, French bistro

Every Wanvela client at Sommerro eats dinner at Ekspedisjonshallen at least once, high ceilings, light from Hadeland Norwegian glass lamps.

"Oslo never had a hotel of this caliber before, we waited 20 years, and every krone of it was worth it." - Norwegian Architectural Review, 2023

A location that fits a Norway trip

Sommerro sits in Frogner, distances:

• Vigeland Park 8 minutes walking
• Royal Palace 12 minutes
• Oslo Opera House 15 minutes
• Munch Museum 18 minutes
• Oslo S (Central Station) 12 minutes by Uber

We use Sommerro as a 1-night trip opener, arrive Oslo evening, dinner at Sommerro, internal flight to Bodø/Lofoten the next morning.

Why we switched from Grand Hotel Oslo

Wanvela previously used the Grand Hotel on Karl Johans gate, historic (the Nobel Peace Prize banquet is held there annually), but the rooms are small and the service was beginning to feel dated. Sommerro is a newer product, with slightly better service and a better location.

Comparison in Oslo

• Sommerro vs The Thief · The Thief in Tjuvholmen, contemporary design, great art collection, but Sommerro has more character.
• Sommerro vs Amerikalinjen · Amerikalinjen downtown is more affordable, but smaller rooms and no spa.

Sommerro appears in Wanvela's Norway 7-night itinerary, read aurora timing before booking.