How Two Norwegian Entrepreneurs Built a Pan-African Hotel Tech Giant from Nairobi

HotelOnline, established by Norwegian entrepreneurs Håvar Bauck and Endre Opdal, has emerged as a pivotal technology provider in the African hospitality sector. 

What began as a small experiment with airport apartments in Nairobi has grown into a continent-wide operation, transforming hotel management and revenue generation across 27 countries. Nairobi's hospitality landscape in the early 2010s presented a unique challenge. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, a major transit hub, lacked sufficient mid-range accommodation options. Bauck and Opdal identified this gap and, in 2014, seized the opportunity to lease and equip apartments near the airport under the brand "Nairobi Airport Hotel." 

Their strategy focused on transit passengers, offering amenities such as free transfers and digital booking through platforms like Booking.com and Expedia, which at the time were less prevalent among local operators. This approach rapidly proved successful. "Nairobi Airport Hotel" quickly became the most-booked property in the city on Booking.com, validating the founders' belief that digitisation, coupled with customer-focused services, could significantly benefit underserved hospitality businesses. 

This success led to a strategic pivot from property management to technology enablement. Realising the potential to scale their impact, Bauck and Opdal launched HotelOnline, initially as Savanna Sunrise, aiming to provide hotels across Africa with the tools to optimise pricing, streamline bookings, and cater to digitally savvy consumers. 

HotelOnline's operational model involves a comprehensive suite of services, including dynamic pricing, marketing automation, guest communication management, and performance analytics. The platform is designed to maximise revenue per available room (RevPAR), a key industry metric. This comprehensive offering has attracted over 5,000 partners across key African markets such as Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa.

"We're not just building tools; we're helping hotels perform better in a digital economy," explained co-founder Opdal, highlighting the company's focus on revenue optimisation rather than traditional property management systems. 

Bauck noted that the company's edge comes from proximity to clients, with local support teams offering an advantage over offshore service providers. The journey has presented numerous challenges, particularly in navigating the diverse regulatory environments across 27 countries. Each nation features unique tax laws, licensing regimes, and payment systems. HotelOnline has addressed this complexity by investing in country-level teams with the necessary cultural fluency and regulatory insight. 

This commitment to a local presence has been crucial for establishing long-term stability and trust. Initially, the company faced resistance from hoteliers who were hesitant to adopt digital channels. Many small operators lacked the resources to manage multiple booking platforms or respond to pricing signals effectively. HotelOnline's turnkey solutions offered a blend of simplicity and sophistication, bridging a gap that larger international systems struggled to address.

Founded with KSh3 million in seed capital, the business was initially self-financed. The company was incorporated in Dubai, and later expanded to Singapore, decisions that provided access to more favourable legal, financial, and investor frameworks while maintaining a pan-African operational focus. In 2023, HotelOnline secured a significant investment from Yanolja, a South Korean travel technology company. 

This partnership has provided both fresh capital and enhanced technical capabilities, reinforcing HotelOnline's mission to be Africa's premier digital infrastructure provider for hospitality. With headquarters now in Singapore and active subsidiaries in Kenya and Norway, HotelOnline operates with a globally distributed workforce, increasingly concentrated in East Africa. The region offers a cost-effective combination of affordability and talent, enabling the firm to scale rapidly without compromising quality.

The venture has not only benefited travellers and hotel owners, but has also contributed to an industry that has been historically constrained by access, visibility, and inefficiency.