The Tropical Sauna is ideal for socialising or discussing business. Photo: Glenn Røkeberg.
Attraction of the Month, Norway
The Well – a journey through the history of wellbeing Fifteen minutes south of Oslo, the Norwegian billionaire Stein Erik Hagen has just created the largest spa in northern Europe. At The Well, you can indulge yourself in more than 10,000 square metres of indoor and outdoor baths, saunas and treatments from across the world, now gathered under one roof in the Norwegian forest. By Eirik Elvevold
The Norwegian summer has passed and temperatures are dropping. Luckily, there is a new place of refuge right outside Oslo, where you can truly pamper yourself and find warmth throughout the freezing winter. Norwegian business man and spa enthusiast Stein Erik Hagen has gone all in and created The Well – a giant, luxurious collection of his favourite wellness traditions from around the world. “We’ve created something that’s big and spectacular. Something new and unique 126 | Issue 93 | October 2016
in Norway, a paradise of experiences, a feel-good haven. It is business, but also a dream and a passion – to set a footprint where no one has tread before,” says Hagen. The self-made billionaire with an outspoken passion for spa culture has already established the spa hotel Resort Farris Bad in Larvik, which instantly struck a chord with the Norwegian population. The Well, however, is something different. Spread out across 10,500 square metres and
three floors, the facilities are unmatched far beyond the Norwegian border. “The Well is easily Europe’s premier day spa. We offer unbridled, affordable luxury to anyone who can appreciate wellness and needs to breathe out after a hectic day. You buy the day pass – and lowering of the pulse is complimentary,” says Hagen.
Taking Nordic spa traditions to the next level Hagen’s inspiration for The Well goes way back. From a young age, he roamed the globe and became fascinated by all the different paths people take to relaxation. Though Norway has its own wellness traditions, mainly consisting of bathing and saunas, Hagen’s travels put him in touch with their historical roots.