Odyssey Hotel Group

Organisation and context

Odyssey Hotel Group was building an international hotel platform combining lease structures, management agreements and branded hospitality.

The focus was on controlled growth, operational discipline and creating scale without losing entrepreneurial agility.

Ingmar was involved from the early stages, contributing to both the strategic positioning of the platform and its day-to-day operational execution.

Role and position

Shareholder and Director of Operations, 2.5 years

Type: Permanent role with an ownership interest

In this role, Ingmar shared responsibility for developing the platform, leading hotel operations and managing acquisitions, openings and repositioning projects.

Assignment and responsibilities

The remit was broad and integrated, with a focus on value creation at portfolio level and operational performance at hotel level.

Strategy and portfolio development

• Conducting site visits, market studies and feasibility assessments

• Preparing lease proposals and pro forma models

• Assessing risk, return and positioning for each asset

• Contributing to strategic decisions on growth and brand selection

Operational leadership

• Leading hotel teams and General Managers

• Improving performance at EBITDA level

• Establishing operational structures and reporting disciplines

• Integrating brand standards into existing teams

Acquisitions and transitions

• Supporting acquisition processes

• Preparing and implementing operational transitions

• Protecting stability and continuity during periods of change

Impact and results

• Made a significant contribution to building a scalable hotel platform

• Developed proven experience across both branded and independent hospitality

• Successfully integrated international brands into proprietary operating models

• Built a deeper understanding of where value and risk are created within hotel operations

• Established foundations that supported the group’s subsequent growth

Relevance for owners

• Practical experience with lease models, management agreements and brand relationships

• Understanding of investment logic, return and risk across growing portfolios

• Experience with renovations and asset-level value creation

Relevance for operators

• Leadership experience across independent and branded hotels

• Ability to translate brand standards into workable day-to-day operations

• Performance improvement without losing culture or identity

Key projects within Odyssey Hotel Group

Marriott Hotel Stuttgart Sindelfingen

Type: Acquisition · Branded hotel · Management agreement

Context

The first Marriott hotel within the Odyssey portfolio, operated through a lease structure combined with a management agreement with Marriott International.

Role and responsibilities

• Overall operational responsibility on behalf of Odyssey

• Integration of Odyssey’s operating approach with Marriott standards

• Operational leadership during a full renovation

• Performance optimisation together with the on-site team

Impact

• Improved operational performance

• Effective cooperation between owner, operator and brand

• Team prepared to operate independently within Marriott structures

Design Hotel Glow

Type: Independent hotel · Lease model · Operational improvement

Context

The first independent hotel within Odyssey Hotel Group. A boutique property with a strong identity, but limited operational structure at the outset.

Role and responsibilities

• Day-to-day leadership of the team and operation

• Implementation of professional structures and systems

• Optimisation of costs, revenue and processes

• Responsibility for performance at EBITDA level

Impact

• Improved financial performance

• Professionalised day-to-day operations

• Created a foundation for further portfolio expansion

Closing perspective

The Odyssey Hotel Group period provided first-hand experience of building a hotel platform from both an operator and shareholder perspective.

It created a practical understanding of how investment decisions, operating models, brand relationships and leadership ultimately come together at hotel level.