The Travel Taylor

Sommerro House might just be Oslo’s coolest address — a 1930s power company brought back to life as an Art Deco dream, where even the corridor lighting looks ready for a photoshoot. The whole place just glows — rich wood, geometric patterns, and amber lamps that throw out the kind of soft light that makes everyone look better than they actually are. The rooms follow suit: mid-century curves, soft textures, and furniture that’s more “stay and read” than “don’t sit on that.” Even the retro phone and Marshall speaker feel like they belong, not like they’ve been added for effect. It’s tucked away in Frogner, near Solli Plass — one of those effortlessly cool parts of Oslo where the trams glide past and everyone seems to be on their way somewhere nice. Leafy streets, calm atmosphere, and just the right mix of city and residential. Downstairs, Ekspedisjonshallen is the heart of it all — and once upon a time, it’s where Oslo locals came to pay their electricity bills. These days it’s all red-s...

  Once upon a time, Huset (“the house”) was where Longyearbyen came to dance, drink, and debate. Built in 1951 as the town’s social hall, it hosted everything from films and political meetings to weddings and rowdy Saturday parties for the coal miners. It was, quite literally, the house — the beating heart of this tiny Arctic settlement long before the world started flying in to see polar bears. These days, it’s a little more refined — but you can still feel the bones of its history. The old projection room remains, film reels stacked like museum pieces, and the red velvet curtains of the former cinema now frame a dining room that’s gone from showing movies to serving Michelin-level food. Upstairs, the bar is a moody time capsule of mid-century Norway: heavy velvet booths, portraits of bearded explorers, and lamps so large and fringed they could double as parachutes. Downstairs, the fine dining restaurant feels calm, warm and quietly confident — candlelight glinting off glassware...