Q&a / Oetker Collection CEO Timo Gruenert on masterpiece hotels: every historic property is on par with Dior haute couture or Michelangelo’s David – so where’s next?

Jan 30 , 2023

Picture of elegance: the Hotel La Palma from the Oetker Collection. Photo: Oetker Collection

Three years into his role as CEO of Oetker Collection, Timo Gruenert explains the luxury hotel group’s plans to enter the US market, and why they deliberately have no brand standards.

Among finest hotels in the world: Le Bristol Paris. Photo: Oetker Collection

What’s the biggest challenge in restoring the historic property, The Vineta, in the US?

We had been looking for some time to enter the US market but waited for the perfect opportunity that fulfilled our criteria. About 35 per cent of our guests within Oetker Collection come from North America, so in many respects it feels a bit like coming home.

Oetker Collection’s CEO Timo Gruenert. Photo: Oetker Collection

The building has great heritage, and the hotel was known and loved by guests and locals alike for almost 100 years. Transforming it into something new requires us to be very thoughtful and respectful to this heritage.

An old postcard showing the Vineta hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Oetker Collection

New York, Beverly Hills and Aspen are other locations we have our sights on to eventually open in. We are fortunate, however, not to be in a rush to expand. We wait for the right opportunities to create masterpiece hotels, which as you can imagine are quite rare.

One of the rooms at Le Bristol in Paris. Photo: Oetker Collection

What defines an Oetker experience?

We do not see it as our mission to develop and operate luxury hotels, our aim is to create masterpieces. Think of the David sculpture by Michelangelo or an haute couture dress from Dior – examples of incredible craftsmanship, created with an almost obsessive attention to detail and in a class by themselves.

We consider factors such as: does the hotel have the best location in town and does the building have fantastic architecture and character? The interiors should remind you of the home of an affluent family – the finest materials in whatever you touch, there should be hand-picked pieces of furniture and art, and personal touches like a handwritten welcome note.

Michelin starred L’Atelier Robuchon is one of the two fine dining experiences inside The Woodward hotel in Geneva. Photo: Oetker Collection

Many Oetker hotels are grand and historic. How do you appeal to younger travellers?

Le Bristol Paris is the epitome of French elegance – a palace with exquisite decor – but then there is a playful juxtaposition with the bar being transformed for special BAD nights – Bristol After Dark – with a live DJ.

We are also looking at partnerships to add surprise, delight and, of course, value. We entered the metaverse earlier this year with a partnership with Drest, the world’s first luxury fashion gaming app, which allowed a younger audience the opportunity to experience our hotels without visiting them – just yet.

Most Oetker properties are in Europe and the Caribbean – do you have plans for Asia?

Asia is certainly a very attractive prospect for us and we have many guests from there who visit several of our properties, but for now we will focus on our upcoming openings of Hotel La Palma in Capri for next summer and The Vineta in Palm Beach for winter 2023.

The collection’s Hotel La Palma in Capri, Italy boasts an immensely stylish pool. Photo: Oetker Collection

How do you make sure each hotel delivers services that are Oetker-standard but also personal to each country and culture?

The formula is that there are no Oetker standards. We simply share three key values with all our colleagues around the world: family spirit, elegance and genuine kindness. These values define the DNA of Oetker Collection.

The Lanesborough by Oetker Collection is the brand’s London hotel. Photo: Oetker Collection

How have luxury travellers evolved post-Covid?

People are more conscious than ever not to leave a negative impact on the places they visit. In that respect, it is important for us to be good corporate citizens. We are very committed to building robust connections with the communities where our hotels are located, and to protecting and preserving local ecosystems and cultures. Each of our hotels supports an international charity and also works with a charity focused on preserving a local endangered species, while we engage the local community in partnerships at every opportunity.

A view of The Woodward in Geneva, Switzerland, one of Oetker Collection’s masterpiece hotels. Photo: Oetker Collection

What’s your proudest achievement as CEO?

I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by a wonderful team of hoteliers who have great passion for hosting people – they very much care about their guests and ensuring they have the best experience. They also truly care about their colleagues which of course embodies one of our core values of family spirit.

I think it is fair to say Oetker Collection is one of the finest hotel brands in the world and that is something I am immensely proud of. I’m excited to enter the new year with two new properties set to join the ranks of our masterpiece hotels.

Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Luxury CEOs

From London’s Lanesborough hotel to The Woodward in Geneva, the properties in the Oetker Collection share only their values and a commitment to excellence, according to CEO Timo Gruenert
Rather than having a recognisable brand identity, its only remit is to be a masterpiece on par with haute couture or a Michelangelo artwork – next up, Palm Beach and Capri