"When we arrived at the hotel after five hours on the slopes, we felt like we had spent the day outdoors. It was -4 degrees Celsius and I don't think the children even thought about the fact that they were skiing indoors," says Katrine Isaksen, 35.
Together with her partner Michell Langerhorst, 36, and her children Wilmer, 6, and Vega, 3, she had the opportunity to enjoy a weekend at Thon Hotel Snø - a hotel in Lørenskog at a unique location next to Europe’s largest indoor ski resort.
It takes less than a minute to walk from the hotel lobby to the ski lift – without having to step outside – where you have access to 500 metres of slopes in varied terrain, some hilly cross-country trails, a beginner’s area, a park with rails, jumps and boxes, and an ice wall where you can try ice climbing. Perfect conditions guaranteed!
Room for luxury
But it's not only the predictable weather that makes Thon Hotel Snø a great alternative to a weekend in the mountains. The easy drive makes all the difference.
"Anyone with children knows that travelling to the mountains on a Friday afternoon can be challenging. This time, we left our home in Vestby at 4 pm, avoided traffic completely and arrived at the hotel 35 minutes later," says Katrine.
The first thing the family noticed on arrival was the size and modernity of the hotel.
"They really put a lot of effort into it! The fact that it was so large and modern made it feel relaxing and comfortable, despite the fact that the receptionist told us that the hotel was full of conference guests," says Michell.
Once settled in the hotel’s spacious Standard Family Room with kitchenette and seating area, the experience was even more enjoyable.
"The room was beyond our expectations! I liked the skiing-themed wall decoration, the views from the large window and the fact that there was a smart TV with Chromecast," says Michell.
"We could easily scan a QR code and use our own apps, which were then connected to the TV. The high-quality speaker was attractively integrated into the wall and also worked perfectly for listening to music with Spotify."
The couple also mention dressing gowns, slippers and wonderful soap from L'Occitane as a nice added luxury, as well as the comfortable bed and possibility to open the windows to air out the room - something that isn't always possible when staying at a hotel.
When it was time to eat, they headed down to the hotel restaurant, Rifugio della Nonna, which serves food inspired by the Alps and northern Italian cuisine.
Great for kids
The family of four likes to stay at hotels and knows exactly what's most important for them:
“That the children can be children,” says Michell.
Fortunately, this was something that Thon Hotel Snø made possible.
"The restaurant staff was so welcoming and kind to the children. They took a lot of initiative to play, joke and talk with them, and the children just loved being served apple juice in a wine glass," says Katrine.
The fact that the children’s pizza was shaped like a rabbit was also a big hit with the little ones - not to mention dessert:
"We ordered ice cream in three flavours: lemon, vanilla and cinnamon. Wilmer thought the lemon ice cream was the best ice cream he had ever tasted! Vega loved the vanilla and I just loved the one with cinnamon flavour, so dessert was really spot-on," says Michell.
On Saturday morning, a culinary experience awaited at the breakfast buffet. There was an incredible selection of everything a hungry family could possibly want!
"They had an excellent local cheese, homemade beet salad and freshly squeezed orange juice. There were also smoothies in different colours and flavours, pancakes that the children loved, oatmeal, bread, yoghurt. muesli – you name it," says Katrine.
"The service was also very good. We were served cappuccinos and the children hot chocolate with marshmallows. That was a huge plus in their book!"
After breakfast, it was time to hit the slopes, something all four had been looking forward to.
“For the kids, it’s quite new, since this was only the second time Vega has gone downhill skiing, while Wilmer has skied with one or the other of us a few times,” says Michell.
So, the family hired an instructor for the children, who met them on the slope after they had been to the equipment room to rent both clothes and skis. And the lessons with the instructor, Mikkel Vestli, turned out to lots of fun.
"He was so incredibly good and patient! After 50 minutes with Mikkel, Wilmer could ski alone for the first time. He learned to both turn and get off the lift. We were surprised at how confident he became," says Katrine.
"Mikkel and the other instructors gave a helping hand to anyone who needed it. It was fantastic to have them there!"
It was an amazing day on the slopes, interrupted only by a break at the mountain-themed café at SNØ, where they ate sandwiches, drank hot chocolate and played Ludo.
"After spending an entire day on the slopes, the children were exhausted, of course. Getting to and from activities can often be tiring for young kids, so it was really nice to be able to put our equipment in the lockers on the ground floor of the hotel and simply take the lift back to our room."
Less hassle, more quality time
After a shower and a few hours relaxing in the hotel room, the four of them went for a walk around the neighbourhood and bought candy for after dinner at Rifugio della Nonna. The evening ended with card games, followed by watching TV in the room - not unlike any other Saturday night in a cabin in the mountains, in other words.
On Sunday, they spent another four hours on the slopes - this time with the 6-year-old skiing alone all day - before heading home.
When asked whether they thought Thon Hotel Snø was a good alternative to a weekend in the mountains, the couple responded with a resounding 'yes!'.
"It was so much easier than skiing in the mountains! It’s perfect for anyone who wants to avoid packing 15 bags and sitting in the car for four hours," says Michell.
"What’s more, you get a lot for your money here.
The short travel distance and the fact that there were made-up beds, a restaurant and equipment rentals meant less hassle and more quality time," they explain.
"One of the reasons why the children love to stay at a hotel is that we have more time to spend together than when we're at home. And we enjoyed that extra time this weekend. It was an excellent investment!"