The former sailor's home and former "Hotel Aalborg" is today changing its name to "KOMPAS Hotel Aalborg". This is a step in a comprehensive and strategic relaunch of the hotel, which has been underway for a number of years.
According to Hotel Director Bo Kikkenborg, the management has chosen to change the name to emphasise that the hotel is entering a new era and to show the outside world - especially the people of Northern Jutland - that it's been many years since the hotel was a sailor's home with all that it entails.
- We want to be known for what we are: a welcoming and modern hotel with high standards, good service and elegant surroundings. Our regular guests know this, but we're lagging behind many northerners who still think we're a kind of hostel, says Bo Kikkenborg.
More signalling value in the name
Although the hotel changed from a regular seamen's home to a tourist and business hotel back in 1993, it wasn't until 2013 that the former "Aalborg Seamen's Home" changed its name to "Hotel Aalborg". This helped change people's perception a little, but the hotel is not quite there yet, says Bo Kikkenborg. "The name 'Hotel Aalborg' only said something about geography and nothing about the values or the guest experience at the hotel.
- We build the hotel on four Christian values - presence, care, warmth and equality - and it is on these values that we welcome our guests. We are committed to showing genuine interest in each guest, and that's what keeps them coming back. Our goal is that our new name, logo and website will also send this signal to people who don't know us yet., he says.
100 % non-profit hotel
He elaborates that the hotel's new first name "KOMPAS" was chosen because it draws parallels to the hotel's maritime heritage as a former sailor's home - the compass has been used by sailors for centuries to find their way across the oceans. The name also makes sense in the travel industry, where guests have first set a course to Aalborg and then travelled the road to Aalborg. Not least, the hotel uses its Christian values as a "compass" for its daily operations.
- We work every day to be a personal and cosy hotel, where it's nice and homely to stay. At the same time, we are a 100 per cent non-profit hotel, with every cent of our profits going to social welfare work. We see it as our most important task to take good and warm care of our fellow human beings, whether they are hotel guests or travelling sailors in Aalborg Harbour, says Bo Kikkenborg.
KOMPAS Hotel Aalborg's social work is also given the umbrella name "KOMPASsion", which in English is spelled "compassion" and means "mercy" and "care".
A new era for the hotel
In a few months, in January 2019, KOMPAS Hotel Aalborg will open its doors for the official inauguration of the major construction project that has been underway for over a year. The new five-storey hotel wing doubles the number of hotel rooms and meeting and conference rooms, and the existing building and outdoor areas have been given a thorough facelift.
- We are entering a new era. It will be exciting to double our capacity in one day, and we've been preparing for a long time to welcome even more guests. Hopefully also more locals when they realise what a great place we are, says Bo Kikkenborg.
KOMPAS Hotel Aalborg is one of the city's most popular hotels and today also has the highest occupancy rate in the city. Guests range from business people and famous artists to families and tourists. The hotel is still run by the Aalborg Seamen's Home Foundation, and the name change has nothing to do with a change of ownership or similar.
FACT: Why the name KOMPAS?
The compass has been used for centuries by sailors as a navigational tool. It shows the direction to the Earth's magnetic north pole and is used to point travellers in the right direction. Therefore, the name "KOMPAS Hotel Aalborg" conjures up maritime thoughts and draws parallels to the hotel's past as a sailor's hotel and the hotel's present as a benefactor of the maritime environment in the city.
Similarly, guests at the hotel have first set their course for Aalborg, then travelled to Aalborg and have now arrived at their destination. For the many regular guests who often stay at the hotel, it's like coming home.
In addition, the hotel, with its proud heritage as a former seamen's home, is founded on Christian values, where the focus is on personal encounters with people, warmth and care. In this way, you could also say that the Christian values act as a compass for both the individual's personal faith and the hotel's work and purpose.
Last but not least, the hotel is a 100 % non-profit hotel, where every cent of the profits from hotel operations goes to social welfare work, especially for seafarers and others in the maritime environment. The hotel's welfare work is therefore given the umbrella name 'KOMPASsion'.
About the logo
The logo primarily features the eight familiar compass points, but at the same time also resembles a flower, symbolising hospitality, peace and friendship. There are also four fish, an ancient symbol of Christianity, and the tails of the fish in the centre and a cross in the middle of the logo.
The new name and logo have been developed in collaboration with the Aalborg company Next Edition.