Thief Spa
The Thief
Oslo, Norway
We all love a world class spa. What do we need to know about yours?
Stealing the best of renowned wellness traditions and treatments from around the world and introducing a number of firsts to Norway’s spa culture, THIEF SPA takes its holistic and aesthetic inspiration from the rugged beauty of the Norwegian landscape. At the meeting point of Thief Islet and the fjord, where the sea and Nordic light reign, take respite in the rituals from around the world. Gone are the days of ladies with cucumber-covered eyes and pan flute music – welcome to the swanky new spa experience, where gentlemen are also encouraged to come along.
What makes you unique?
The only spa designed by Danish architecture firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen, with added design touches by Anemone Wille-Våge – also responsible for the hotel’s interiors – the spa adheres to the principles of clean Nordic design. Inspired by Norway’s rich natural contrasts, the shale marshlands, sea and ethereal Nordic light are interpreted throughout the space.
The raw and organic merge seamlessly with clean contemporary lines in the intimate spa area. Dim lighting soothes, as a low-level window provides swimmers glimpses of the fjord beyond. Complementing the harmonious environment, sleek minimalist furniture has been hand selected with a range of pieces by esteemed design labels – from Phillipe Stark, Claudio Silvestrini to MALETTI.
In the 800-sqm space, a pool, sauna, steam room and hamam – the city’s first – as well as six treatment rooms and a fully equipped gym, set the scene to slip away from the everyday and ease into a world of wellness, rest and relaxation. With the use of exotic materials and products sourced from around the globe, century old methods and state-of-the-art technology, THIEF SPA will return what the everyday steals from us all.
What do you recommend as the ultimate treatment?
THIEF HAMAM, Oslo’s only hamam, is a sanctuary for the ancient Turkish bathing ritual. A water-drenched room and a heated marble slab is the locale for exotic relaxations, with private treatments bookable to scrub away the day’s stresses.
Also, we recommend the VENUS WELLNESS BENCH. This custom engineered massage and treatment bench from Maletti and Nilo features the sensation of undulating water from underneath the body, in combination with heat and light therapy from the Chromo lamp above.
Any insider tips
Neighboring the iconic Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art and staying true to the hotel’s established mark as an art hotel, the spa is an extension of this ethos. THE THIEF has once again enlisted the masterful eye of curator Sune Nordgren, reinforcing the hotel’s artistic credentials with original works and evocative imagery.With an emphasis on regional talent, Nordgren has handpicked two Oslo natives – Tom Sandberg and Marit Følstad – to line walls of the intimate wellness temple.
Our best tip is to take advantage of THIEF SPA location being next to the Oslofjord. You can swim in the fjord both winter and summer and enjoy our saunas afterwards. It’s the most refreshing experience. Or even take use of the beautiful park next door and the free entry to the Astrup Fearnley Museum by showing your key card at the entrance. Also, only a few hundred meters away from the hotel are the ferries that takes you out to the beautiful islands of Oslo.
