Just outside of Oslo in Norway lies a little piece of heaven. The Well Spa & Hotel. I was lucky enough to visit this luscious resort in February, as a dear friend of mine had booked one night there in my name as a belated 40th birthday present. She had originally wanted to come celebrate my 40th back in 2023, but wasn't able to at the time. She knows I absolutely love everything spa and sauna, so this was truly the perfect gift. I had also just spent a week and a bit in Oslo trying to meet "everybody and their grandma" there, and was socially a bit overwhelmed ( but oh so happy ), so a spa day by myself was no less than a godsend.
I arrived shortly before the official hotel check-in time, and was allowed to check in right away. The process was smooth, and the front desk person was delightful. Note that hotel guests can actually access the spa facilities four hours before the hotel check-in time, but I had a lunch date in Oslo that day, so only arrived later in the afternoon (check in is at 4 PM). My room was on the 7th floor, with a beautiful view of the area. Mostly trees, some houses. Suburban Norway at its finest. The sun was out, but was going to set within the next couple of hours, so after parking my luggage and slipping into one of the robes already provided, I rushed down to the spa entrance, made sure I knew more or less where everything was, and then went outside to experience the sunset.
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| Mostly trees, some houses... Just arrived... |
And oh my, what a sunset it was. I think I spent about an hour and a half outside in a heated-but-not-hot pool that could fit maybe 15 people or so at a time. Most people were in that pool for no more than half an hour. Groups of friends. Couples. Seemingly not a lot of people who were there by themselves. It was the type of pool where the sides had a sort of elevated bench construction so you could lie down and stretch your legs out. It was absolutely perfect for watching the sun set between the bare winter trees, framed by a set of interesting artsy sculptures. I felt my body and mind relax as I observed the naked people entering and exiting the pool, conversations about neighbours and coworkers and "should we get something to eat soon, I'm getting hungry." It felt like the sun took forever to fade away that late afternoon, and the crisp February suburban air went into and out of my lungs at a surprisingly slow pace. I am sure that if you'd measured my blood pressure before and after getting into this pool, you would see a stark difference. It's not so different from what I used to experience the last six months or so at my last job, when I would go for a walk along the water close to where I live in Victoria, BC, Canada. Just the view of the ocean, the smell, the sound of the waves, the sun setting, people walking their cute little fluffball doggies, some dude-bro jogging by, good friends on an afternoon stroll. It just calms me down, allows me to breathe, after a full day of corporate fun and screen-staring.
Once it got dark-ish, it was time to head inside, drink some water, and explore the rest of the spa. The only problem was that I didn't bring a refillable water bottle. Or, Well, I did, but it was buried deep in my luggage, and I didn't feel like going back to the hotel room to dig it out. The bottle filling stations didn't give you the typical "drinking fountain, who needs a bottle?" option, but as a hotel guest I realized I had access to a couple of additional lounges where there were plastic cups, faucets with fresh suburban water and the option to make yourself a cup of tea or coffee. A little late for caffeine, I thought, and stuck to just plain tappy-tap water. By the way, if you've never been to Norway before, get ready for some amazing tap water. Best in the world. So good, so fresh, so cold, so clean!
No longer on the verge of being dehydrated, I went on to explore the different saunas, pools and other spaces. The central indoor pool is quite large, with different zones and even space to swim a little if you feel like it. The perfect temperature too, not too hot and not too cold. Around it a few jacuzzies, a small bar/restaurant where you can buy food, drinks and snacks, and a large lounge area with chairs, tables, fireplaces, and even beds for a quick (or not so quick) snooze. I didn't buy any food or drinks that day. I stuck to just plain tap water, and otherwise fasted between lunch in Oslo with a friend (overpriced soup, long story), and breakfast the next day (more on that later).
Saunas on the main floor were placed along a long corridor where people would hang their robes. Despite the area seeming somewhat crowded with people and robes, each individual sauna or steam room generally had lots of room and didn't feel crammed. I tried a few saunas, some hotter than others. I generally tend to go for the hotter ones, but sometimes you want a longer and more drawn out sweat session. The not-so-scorching-hot-saunas are great for that. Their tropical sauna, which I tried towards the end of my spa day, was amazing in the sense. And by the time I entered this particular sauna, which is kind of tucked away in a corner, it was getting late, and a lot of spa guests had already left. The advantages of having a hotel room in the same building were becoming clear to me a that point. I didn't have anywhere else to be, no car or bus or taxi to take me home or to any other location than exactly where I was. I could stay until the spa section closed at 10 PM, and then just go to the hotel room, rinse off all the sweat, and crawl into bed. In the end, I probably went back to the room at around 9:30 or so. That's about 5 hours of pools and saunas. I could have done more, and I often do when I go to a spa, but for that day, it was the right amount of sweating and soaking.
One of the last things I did before calling it a night, was their last planned Aufguss ritual for that day. It was called something like "Night-night" or something else night-themed. I don't remember all the scents, but for sure there was lavender. The ceremony master was very skillful and created a warm and welcoming atmosphere for everyone. He brought a little boombox of sorts and put on a couple of tracks while effortlessly and skillfully swirling his towel around for us to feel the heat real good. I wasn't 100% convinced about the music choices, though. One tune seemed very fitting to the situation (it had "night" in the title, and was a slowed-down indie version of an upbeat original), but not so sure about the other ones. But, it wasn't distracting enough to bother me in any way. I just surrendered to the glorious heat and the crowd of people who had been sweating all day and who were ready to sweat some more. It was a lovely ritual, and a great way to end the day.
All in all, I was impressed with this spa, its saunas, pools and overall vibe. A good chunk of the top floor is Japan-themed. They have a good variety of saunas. I would perhaps have liked an ever wider selection, similar to for example Elysium in The Netherlands. But for about half a day's worth of sweats and soaks, the saunas at The Well more than served their purpose. And as mentioned, I spent about an hour an a half in a half-warm pool outside anyway, and that was in many ways the best part and what really stood out to me. Natural beauty matters, and they've incorporated that really Well at this resort. Can you imagine such a thing as "Wellness" without nature, without a connection to the natural world? Me neither. So that's a very important element to consider!
I actually didn't sleep the greatest at The Well. Not for lack of comfort. The bed was great, the room had a good vibe, nothing bad. A lot to process, maybe, not sure. But it didn't bother me, as I was awake and ready for breakfast as one of the first guests to enter the breakfast hall. A medium-sized buffet style breakfast with a little bit of everything, and I think I sat there for almost two hours, inhaling I don't know how many cups of black coffee, and a taste or five of lots of the noms offered. Great quality food! My favourite was the chia pudding, probably with a coconut cream base. It tasted amazing, more like a dessert, and I could have had more had I not been so full already. It was my first meal in 17 hours, and after sweating a lot the day before. That might have been a part of the reason why I didn't sleep the greatest, actually; lack of electrolytes. I'll make sure to have some next time. It doesn't have to break your fast. But the body needs it, especially after sweating like a happy pig for hours!
I will definitely come back to The Well. Probably with a hotel room booked, to maximize on the full relaxation package. Maybe even buy a meal, or at least bring some electrolyte supplements. I'm even thinking it could be the perfect place to sleep off a jetlag (I live on the west coast of Canada, so there's a 9-hour time difference with Norway). In which case I'll also bring some melatonin! Oh Well, until next time!
