Executive Vice President Morten Christensen of Unique Hotels is known for turning red numbers into green ones. He does so, among other things, with the help of close ties with his purchasing partner Nores.

Unique Hotels have grown rapidly. In just a few years, the chain has built up twenty distinctive hotels. We meet the man behind one of the newest in the portfolio.

“This is perhaps the most beautiful of them all,” concludes Executive Director Morten Christensen, Ramme Fjordhotell.

Return to the industry

We will return to Hvitsten, but first we will turn the clock back a few years in time. After several years as CFO of the First Hotels chain, circumstances led him to Vestfold. His career in the hotel business was over. But do not forget. 2011 was the start of the new adventure.

“When Hotel Wassilioff in Stavern came up for sale, I saw an opportunity to experience the wonderful things I had been able to do in First Hotels. So I bought it,” he says. Under the 54-year-old's leadership, operations were turned around. It was noticed. Eric Sandtrø, who is currently Chairman of the Board and an investor in Unike Hotell, got in touch.

“He had a hotel King Carl in Sandefjord that he could not turn to. I was asked if I wanted to buy it. After that, we have only increased,” says Christensen. This is how Unique Hotels was born. Today, the chain is a very vital teenager in continuous development.

Need an expanded team

But what distinguishes them from the others? They both think and work in a different way than the big chains. Among other things, the management structure should be slim. However, if you combine a small organization with strong growth, the pressure on the CEO becomes huge.

We need to have an expanded team. A group of skilled partners, one of the most important is the purchasing organization,” says Christensen.

“Working with Nores is very important to us. It's evolved over time and I'm totally addicted to it,” he continues.

John Kleivan is Christensen's personal advisor from Nores. Precisely that is important to him.

“I need to have clear points of contact that I have good chemistry with. I need to be able to trust them, that's absolutely crucial. I have this through Nores and John. It enables us to get out the margins that we depend on having. Then we can grow as fast as we do,” says the 54-year-old.

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Advice and Updates

Nores, through advisor John Kleivan makes sure Christensen gets specific advice on savings, and that he is up to date on deals. What is going on today and what is coming tomorrow.

Our collaboration is about a lot. It could be quarterly feedback to Morten, how the procurement figures have been, compared to the same period the previous year. I keep him updated on deals and bonus numbers,” Kleivan explains.

“We provide specific feedback on how Unique Hotels can make further savings. We also ensure that those who have an order function receive the necessary follow-up,” continues the NORES advisor.

Kleivan has to keep a high pace to keep up with Christensen and Unique Hotels. With so many acquisitions, he constantly has to clear his calendar to assist.

“When Morten opens new locations, we have close dialogue. We need the new place to stand in the systems, so everything runs smoothly in terms of our suppliers and the people who are going to order,” he says.

Small margins

The CEO points out that the hotel market is governed by very small margins and that those who survive are the ones who manage to manage precisely these. Margins are created, among other things, through purchasing.

“It is in the details that the money lies, and it is in the dialogue with Jon and Nores that I discover these details. That's absolutely crucial,” Christensen says.

“We set which menus hotels should offer, and which products to buy. Then I can, through Nores, get out the best prices and products. I am loyal to my suppliers and then they give me good discounts back,” he continues.

Hotels should be great

Unique Hotels does not strip hotel rooms for items. They fill them. There's a point that it's not streamlined. Rather maximalism than minimalism.

“We buy decorative pillows, bedspreads, minibars and small lotions and so on. We want to stick out, that's why our uniforms are white shirts, bow ties and vests,” the director says.

It's a deliberate strategy. We want to take a space behind the big chains. We want to bring back the time it was a shame to stay in hotels,” Christensen continues.

A framework for experiences

Morten Christensen's success is beyond doubt. It all started with a vision to recreate the venerable hotel experience. Small destination hotels with distinctive features are the specialty. Unique Hotels are definitely no assembly line.

Since January 1, he and Unique Hotels have been running Ramme Fjordhotell. This is truly a destination, and really a practical example of what the chain wants to offer.

Here you will find 42 uniquely decorated rooms, the carriage collection and several picture galleries. In the area you can find the tranquility of Havlystparken, a 16-acre, landscaped park area with statues and an amphitheater. There is also a café, inn and restaurant, as well as a farm shop, Ramme Billedgalerie and Edvard Munch's villa.

We are going to offer much more than just an overnight stay. We want to provide a framework for experiences,” says Christensen.

— Art and culture, garden and of course there is food and drink. Here one can frolic in experiences, he glows.

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Hotel Industry Hellstrom

He has eventually turned around operations at so many hotels that he has been referred to as “the Hellstrøm of the hotel industry” by Dagens Næringsliv.

“It's flattering, because Hellstrøm is a very good guy. I clean up, I do,” he says to that characteristic.

“I think the success of Unique Hotels is a lot about Morten being so deep into matter. He loyally sticks to sourcing and deals and is good at finding projects that he knows he can handle. First of all, he brings his staff with him. He creates the spirit, which is about taking care of customers and guests in the best possible way,” says John Kleivan.

“It has been very rewarding to work closely with Morten and Unique Hotels during these years. It's very fun and inspiring, and it gives me a lot in everyday life,” he continues.

What is certain, is that Unique Hotels is still growing. Morten Christensen has new destinations to create. New hotels to flip.

People wonder what I do, but it's not one thing I do. That's the whole. I usually say that the secret to turning a hotel around is the thousand things,” he concludes.

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