Best Spa and Wellness Hotels in Norway

Fancy skiing all day (or night), then enjoying a world-class spa treatment after hitting the slopes? That’s what’s on offer at Norefjell Ski & Spa, east of Noresund and Lake Krøderen. Indulge in a hot stone massage, sink into the outdoor jacuzzi, or go for a swim in the lovely indoor pool. The restaurant here focuses on Scandinavian fare, prepared with local ingredients.

Vestlia Resort, in the ski-centric town of Geilo (between Bergen and Oslo), offers visitors the pristine mountains and snowy slopes of the Hemsedal region. But this destination – apart from the well-appointed rooms and lavish apartments – also provides guests with spa-based pampering. Take care of your epidermis by reserving a clay or spirulina blue-green algae wrap, vigorous mountain scrub or a revitalising Babor facial. Afterwards, test your courage with a dip in the cold pool or warm up in one of the resort’s saunas.

While you love your kids, sometimes you need a break from them (or other people’s offspring). Farris Bad, on the beach at Larvik (southeast of Oslo), stipulates a minimum age of 16 for guests using its mineral-spring fed spa. Regarded as one of Norway’s best spas, it’s truly enormous and includes a wide menu of treatments. Try the Rhassoul Deluxe salt, clay and steam scrub before trying the various sauna rituals. With 19 treatment rooms, plus seasonal-based restaurant fare that’s heavy on seafood, this is an ideal retreat to escape the everyday.

Horse-drawn toboggan rides, ice fishing, skiing and heaps of snow are key to a stay at Savalen Fjellhotell & Spa. On the spa side, immerse your body in the hotel’s wellness pool, with expansive views of Savalen Lake and green woodlands. Treat yourself to the stress-reducing services, including muscle de-knotting whirlpools, massage rooms and a steam cave that will melt your anxiety away.

For a more active getaway, why not head north? The Alta municipality is a winter wonderland. Depending on the season, you can go snowshoeing, dog sledding or cross-country skiing, then, if you’re lucky enough, catch the aurora borealis, or northern lights. When the freeze lets up, hike through Arctic pine forests or fish for salmon in the Altaelva. Bjørnfell Mountain Lodge – with rooms in the main lodge plus private cabins (including a spa cabin) – features wood design and toasty fireplaces. Best of all, Alta’s glorious nature is just outside your door.

Less than an hour from Oslo, Lake Tyri (Tyrifjorden) and the Sundvolden Hotel make for a delightful reprieve. Enjoy fish from nearby fjords, alongside the wellness centre and open-air jacuzzi with their assortment of soothing spa treatments. Nespresso machines in every room will perk you up in the morning before you luxuriate in the hotel’s facilities. Sample the chef-created Sundvolden Cheese, with tinges of wild garlic.

Want to ‘steal’ some pampering time for yourself? Then head to The Thief Spa. This retreat, with its sleek décor, offers a cornucopia of treatments. Loiter in the high-tech Sensory Sky Showers for an H2O massage. Book a Moroccan clay session, Turkish hammam bath or German Aufguss sauna (where a master drenches hot stones with water and essential oils). Go for a swim in the 12-metre pool or perhaps the cold fjord – there’s direct access from the hotel.

Since its facelift, Hotel Norge is now the biggest hotel in Bergen. If travelling to western Norway, this spot, in the heart of Bergen, offers 10 floors with three bars and three restaurants, along with chef-designed Nordic and continental cuisine. Nova Restaurant dishes up grilled pork, rack of lamb, reindeer-based dishes and more. Hit the well-appointed fitness studio before unwinding in the spa, with its heated pool, sauna and steam room.