1,000 ideas for a 3-star hotel. And countless new experiences of happiness in Basel.

  • Client Hotel ODELYA AG

  • Sector Hospitality

  • Engagement Naming, Strategy, Branding, Corporate Design, Graphic Design, Webdesign, Signage

The Project

A hotel that wants a future must build it for itself—and give itself a modern look.

In connection with the construction of a new seminar building with a restaurant, Bildungszentrum 21 commissioned us to design its brand identity. The result is a multi-layered corporate design that captures the character of the location.

Hand holding a business card of the ODELYA hotel with a floral logo above a stone.
Open hotel brochure “Buchen Sie direkt” with a photo of the historic main building.

In addition to stationery, the branding also included a wide range of other materials—from the website and brochures to wine bottles and napkins, as well as all the signage and wayfinding elements on the buildings.

The Challenge

How can an aging educational center be transformed into a design hotel with a heart?

In the heart of Basel stood the Bildungszentrum 21, now known as the Hotel ODELYA, a 3-star hotel with a historic main building, nestled within the city’s largest privately owned park open to the public. How do you prepare such a legacy for the future? How can you start a new chapter without severing your roots?

Exterior view of the ODELYA hotel with a wooden-louvre façade and an external staircase.
Logo of the Ayledo restaurant etched into a glass door at the ODELYA hotel.

The Approach

What sparks innovation? In this case, it was architects who gave the seminar building a facelift. Reason enough to give the hotel a complete makeover.

Burckhardt+Partner Architects designed a new conference center with a restaurant. This gave us the opportunity to refresh the entire brand identity without discarding our proven strengths. It soon became clear that a new name and a comprehensive rebranding—including branding and corporate design—were needed to prepare the hotel for the future.

Person walking along a green garden path lined with plants at the ODELYA hotel.
Signage in the ODELYA hotel: logo sign and a “Réception” wayfinding sign on a wooden wall.

The Solution

We created a marketing campaign that bridges the past and the future: the launch of the ODELYA Hotel.

The very name ODELYA evokes the image of an oasis. We created a corporate identity that not only looks striking but also delves deeply into the hotel’s history and surroundings. Every detail—from the naming and logo to the color palette, visual language, and website—reflects a blend of tradition and innovation. It’s well worth experiencing the unique character of the hotel and its surroundings.

Wine list of the Ayledo restaurant at the ODELYA hotel on a wooden bench, with wine glasses in the background.

300
Plant Species

The garden at the ODELYA Hotel is home to what is believed to be Basel’s greatest biodiversity. Would it thrive just as well without our branding? There’s no way to prove that.

4 von 5
Stars

The transformation from a stuffy educational center to a hotel and conference venue has been a success—earning a rating of “excellent” from TripAdvisor.

1860
Year

Over 160 years old—and not a bit tired. Thanks in part to our branding, we’ve successfully revamped the Hotel ODELYA to make it ready for tomorrow.