After 10 weeks of renovation and reconstruction, ODEON - Odense's music, theater, and conference house, which is part of Comwell, was completed last fall and is now buzzing with even more happy cultural and conference guests. ODEON's facilities have been vastly improved in appearance and functionality.
ODEON, which was already one of Denmark's largest meeting and event venues, has now increased its capacity even further. And according to Ninna Stæhr-Petersen, the hotel director of Comwell H.C. Andersen Odense and ODEON, ODEON is a unique building:
"ODEON is a unique building because we accommodate such a broad range of guests; from concert-goers, families with children, and singing club enthusiasts to conference attendees. It is my impression that many are positively surprised by our excellent facilities - also on the conference side - as they primarily know us as the big cultural house," says Ninna Stæhr-Petersen.
After the renovation, ODEON has been enriched with brand new meeting and conference rooms, and existing rooms have been merged to make them larger. The rooms are located on both the 1st and 2nd floors and can be used for everything from board meetings, creative events, and parties.
A crucial part of running such a large cultural and conference house is providing guests with meals - whether it's a good dinner before a concert or conference catering. ODEON is known for its high-quality food, with a focus on lots of greens, fresh ingredients, and organic produce. But having the right ingredients is not enough, according to the hotel director, who is happy that the house's large kitchen is now better optimized to deliver the level of service ODEON strives for:
"Our skilled employees have been working hard for a long time to deliver high-quality catering, but we have been a bit challenged on logistics. The large kitchen has now received a loving hand and reorganization, so our chefs have the right conditions and can therefore more easily provide the best service to our guests," says Ninna.
The renovation of ODEON has not just been about better utilization of the space.
New, beautiful colors have been added to the walls to create atmosphere and mood: "We are very happy that there is more color in the house. It means a lot to the guests. And when you run such a large place like us, you have to do a little extra to create a cozy atmosphere. And we have succeeded in doing that. A small trick like colors instead of white walls has created the perfect atmosphere for our many guests."
And the choice of color palette is hardly a coincidence, but kept in line with the colors that guests also encounter at Comwell's hotels: "It has been an exciting challenge to create coherence and synergy with the rest of the Comwell chain's hotels. But the fact that we have changed colors and interior has created a beautiful red thread visually between ODEON and the rest of our hotels. And of course, it creates both recognition and therefore also security for all those of our customers who are already fond of Comwell," says Ninna, who smilingly emphasizes that she personally also thinks the result is great: "Yes, it is no secret that we also think the colors are super nice and timeless, which harmonizes perfectly with the rest of the house."
As an extra bonus, the entire Comwell H.C. Andersen Odense and ODEON administration has moved from the former office on the 2nd floor to the ground floor after the renovation. Guests may not notice a big difference, but for the employees in the building, it has a huge effect to work exactly where everything happens. Now culture and event employees and Comwell's specially trained MeetingDesigners work side by side and have even easier time meeting the guests' needs.
"It's absolutely fantastic to have our work spot right next to ODEON's foyer. It gives us the best conditions for welcoming the guests. We are simply sitting in the heart of the building - where it all happens," concludes Ninna.
Comwell H.C. Andersen Odense was built in 1979 as a new and modern tourist hotel in the historic H.C. Andersen quarter. The hotel is located in the city center close to the train station, highway, and Odense Airport. Comwell Hotels took over the operation of the hotel and conference facilities in the ODEON music and theater house, as well as the Odense Concert Hall, on January 1, 2020.
