Fans of The Thief—the chic luxury hotel that opened on the Oslo waterfront in 2013—will be thrilled to learn about a buzzworthy sister property opening its doors in March 2019. Petter Stordalen, the hotel tycoon behind The Thief, is transforming a historic landmark, formerly the home of the Norwegian American Line, into a new urban hotel. Dating from 1919, the building was where emigrants, hopes high in pursuit of the American dream, boarded passenger ships to the United States. Named Amerikalinjen, the hotel is thus imbued with a significant travel heritage. It’s situated in a vibrant pocket of Oslo, next to the Opera House and Central Station. What this means is easy access to the airport express train, and the whole city’s at your doorstep.
Here’s a little history: The first transatlantic voyage took place in 1913 on the Kristianiafjord, transporting 1,800 passengers from Oslo to New York. Over time, some 900,000 emigrants departed on the Norwegian-American Line, and then later in the 20th century, it was renamed The American Line and transformed into a luxury cruise brand.
Amerikalinjen will keep this history alive with cool touches. For example, Norwegian Hadeland Glassworks—the company that designed glasses for the cruisers in the 1950s—will be creating replicas for the hotel’s bars. In addition, the drinks menu will highlight classic cocktails from the era.
There will be 122 guestrooms, decorated by Helsinki-based interior design firm Puroplan, with the top digs being the Triton Suite complete with a balcony overlooking the Opera. The restaurants and bars will be a highlight; the Atlas Brasserie and Café will be an all-day dining destination, while Pier 42 will serve up craft cocktails and the Gustav club will offer live jazz music, dancing and drinks. Did we mention the gym, Finnish sauna and plunge pool? The hotel’s General Manager is Wilhelm Hartwig.
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