The Thief
The Thief
Oslo, Norway
www.thethief.com
Written by Amilija Chizzick
Crossing the footbridge onto Tjuvholmen, the sound of the Oslo city life falls away behind you. Surrounded by water on almost every side, with boats knocking gently against the docks, The Thief seems to shimmer with abundance and exclusivity against the waterfront. The islet’s name, Tjuvholmen, means “Thief Islet,” a nod to the smugglers and outcasts who used to call this patch of land home before it became one of Oslo’s most expensive and luxurious addresses, and the hotel wears that history like an inside joke for its guests.
Inside, it is clear The Thief is not a hotel that plays it safe. Works by Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman hang throughout the public spaces, part of an ongoing collaboration with the Astrup Fearnley Museum next door, which hotel guests get free entry into for the length of their stay. Velvet chairs, dark granite floors, gold fixtures catching the light overhead. Every corner has been considered, down to the rooms themselves. Each one spacious and modern, and opening onto its own private balcony, many looking straight out over the fjord, with floor to ceiling windows that pull the water and sky inside. Dark wood, velvet and marble dominate the interiors, while brushed gold details echo the lobby below, and no two rooms carry quite the same artwork, each piece hand-picked by the hotel’s own curator.
Down at Thief Spa, there is a heated pool, a Turkish hamam, sauna, steam room, and a sensory sky shower that shifts temperature and light around you while you stand underneath it. It is an elevator ride down from the rooms, robe on, no detour required. For those daring enough, the Oslofjord itself is a short walk from the hotel, presenting the perfect opportunity for the classic Scandinavian ritual: sauna first, a cold plunge in the ocean, then straight back to the heat of the sauna, as if the Thief’s spa and Oslofjord together provide a ritual for renewal.
The Thief breakfast has actually appeared in my dreams following the stay. The buffet is beautifully arranged, with everything from raw honeycomb to chia pudding served in individual glass jars, each detail feeling carefully considered. As if that weren’t enough, there is also an à la carte menu on hand for anything the spread doesn’t cover, and coffee gets brought straight to your table. Dinner at Thief Restaurant deserves its own mention too, it doesn’t feel like a hotel dinner, it is thoughtful, high quality, traditional dishes with a twist, and an honorable mention to the caviar tiramisu, a dessert that is a clever detour from tradition.
The area surrounding The Thief highlights one of Oslo’s greatest luxuries, as almost everything is accessible on foot, lined with small galleries and a sculpture park right along the waterfront promenade. A five-minute walk across the bridge lands you at Aker Brygge with its boutiques, restaurants, and promenade buzzing with life. Here you can also find small public ferries that sail out to the islands scattered through the inner Oslofjord, such as Hovedøya, known for its old ruins and Langøyene for its beach. After the detour on Aker Brygge, you walk back to the islet of Tjuvholmen where everything slows down again. You return to The Thief, stolen away from the vibrant Oslo streets, and the feeling of elegance and exclusivity returns. Evenings tend to end on the rooftop when the weather allows, drink in hand, watching the sun take its time going down over the Oslofjord. Here, you take it all in, breathing the fresh Oslofjord air, wishing The Thief really could steal you away forever.
