The Thief Oslo is ranked the number one hotel in Oslo, Norway on TripAdvisor. The Thief hotel has generated buzz since opening in January 2013. The hotel location in Oslo is the upscale Aker Brygge waterfront district of high rise residences, trendy restaurants and the Astrup-Fearnley Museum of modern art.
How I stole 2 nights at The Thief Oslo with points is about using Choice Privileges points for the sixth and last Nordic Choice Hotels stay of my 13 nights spent in Norway in September 2014. Choice Privileges points allowed me to book one of Norway’s top luxury hotels for $80 per night.
Come on, let me in.
The Thief Oslo is a Choice Hotels Ascend Collection member. What you need to know when in Scandinavia is Nordic Choice Hotels is the company operating nearly 200 hotels in Clarion, Clarion Collection, Quality, Comfort and Ascend Collection brands in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and some Baltic countries. Forget your preconceived notions of the Choice Hotels you have seen in the USA. In many cities of Norway and Sweden, the Nordic Choice Hotels are the top hotels in the city.
Choice Privileges points can be redeemed for hotel rewards nights at Nordic Choice Hotels, however, paid stays will not earn points for your Choice Privileges account. You need to be a member of Nordic Choice Club to earn points at Nordic Choice Hotels.
The Thief Oslo was unavailable for months using Choice Privileges points until about two weeks before I arrived in Norway. One reward night appeared on August 18 for 20,000 Choice Privileges points for my last night in Norway on Tuesday, September 16. Reward availability was gone after I booked my one room, so there was only one room released for points rewards. On August 24, I was able to book a second reward night for Monday, September 15. Two nights at The Thief cost 40,000 Choice Privileges points.
Room Rates at The Thief Oslo started at 2,790 NOK = $450 USD per night.
Choice Privileges members who are U.S. and Canada residents can buy up to 20,000 points in a calendar year at the rate of $11.00 per 1,000 points. One night at the The Thief can be purchased indirectly through buying 20,000 points for $220 for a 50% savings on the room rate.
In my case, I purchased Choice Privileges points through U.S. Travel Association’s Daily Getaways annual offers (June/July 2013 and May/June 2014) where a person could buy over 250,000 Choice Privileges points at a rate around $4.00 per 1,000 points.
The Thief Oslo reward night for 20,000 points cost me $80 in Choice Privileges points. I paid $160 for two nights where the lowest priced room was a rate of $900 for two nights.
The Thief Oslo behind the bridge on left in Aker Brygge, Oslo.
Just like the Farris Bad Spa Resort, an Ascend Collection member in Larkin, Norway where I stayed three nights during the first week of my two-week trip, The Thief Oslo receptionist commented my reservation was the first she had ever seen using Choice Privileges points. At Farris Bad Spa, their system had not even registered my Choice Privileges reward night stay and I ended up being downgraded in my room category upon arrival. I could hear the ocean waves lapping on the beach below my room, but I could not see the promised ocean view for the room type I had booked with Choice Privileges points. On Monday morning a hotel manager confirmed with the Oslo office I really had booked a Deluxe Room three night reward reservation using Choice Privileges points. I was upgraded to a one-bedroom suite for my third night at the hotel. I asked the Farris Bad manager to check if my reward stay at The Thief was in order and she assured me it was in their system.
In fact, I received a notice from The Thief Oslo before my arrival asking me if I had any requests for the stay.
Just one request said the joker to The Thief.
Come on, let me in when I arrive from the Oslo Central Station after a day riding the rails across Norway on the Bergen Line.
“No reason to get excited,” the thief, he kindly spoke
“There are many here among us who feel that life is but a jokeBob Dylan – All Along the Watchtower
My hotel review for The Thief Oslo:
Hotel Review The Thief Oslo Room 603
*****
Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.
Loyalty Traveler shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests. Check out current hotel loyalty program offers across all the major chains in Loyalty Traveler’s monthly hotel promotions guide.
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