Otherwander Soho selects Apaleo as driving force behind fully digital pod hotel concept | News
Otherwander Soho, the recently opened 566-pod hotel in central London, has chosen Apaleo, the API-first property management platform, to power its fully digitized guest journey and highly streamlined business model.
Opened on June 1, 2026 at 92 Dean Street in the heart of Soho, Otherwander Soho has built its technology ecosystem around interoperability, automation and real-time data flow. Instead of putting the property management system (PMS) at the center of its operations, the hotel adopted a middleware-led architecture in which systems connect via open APIs and data moves across the business in real time.
Within that architecture, Apaleo’s open platform provides the inventory and guest data layer, allowing Otherwander to centralize key operational data and giving the brand the flexibility and interoperability to build, adapt and scale its fully digital business model over time.
Using a fully digital guest journey, Otherwander Soho combines single and double sleeper cabins with premium shared facilities, creating a compact, design-led stay for modern city travelers. Guests check-in online and access both the building and their pod using a QR-enabled Wanderpass stored in their mobile wallet, eliminating the need for a traditional reception and creating a hassle-free journey from arrival to departure.
The decision to partner with Apaleo was the result of a four-and-a-half-year technology assessment process that included traditional hospitality platforms, all-in-one technology suites and alternative architectural models.
Otherwander Soho selected Apaleo because its API-first architecture best aligns with the company’s middleware-led strategy, which provides complete flexibility to support custom development, create a fully digital guest journey, and continually evolve the technology ecosystem over time.
Apaleo’s collaborative approach made it a true growth partner for Otherwander’s innovation-led greenfield project. Inspired by airlines and e-commerce, Otherwander Soho has created a hospitality model based on the way people travel today, prioritizing efficiency, flexibility and convenience. Designed with future growth in mind, the unique architecture gives the brand the flexibility to evolve its technology ecosystem and scale the concept to new locations over time.
The project also reflects a broader industry shift away from rigid legacy systems towards open, interoperable ecosystems that support continuous innovation.
Ulrich Pillau, CEO and Founder of Apaleo, said: “What’s particularly interesting about Otherwander Soho is that they evaluated technology through the lens of the business model they wanted to create. They prioritized openness, interoperability and flexibility because they understood that innovation doesn’t come from a single system. It comes from creating an ecosystem where data, applications and workflows can work together. As the hospitality industry becomes increasingly automated and AI-driven, we’re seeing more and more hospitality brands embracing this approach. I’d also like to share the entire Otherwander team on bringing such a fantastic concept to life.”
Sophie Hartley, Director of Technology & Digital Strategy at Otherwander Soho, says: “From the start we knew we wanted to create a fully digitalized customer journey, but we also wanted a middleware-led architecture that made the PMS part of the ecosystem rather than the center of it.
Apaleo’s open APIs were critical because they allowed us to connect systems, centralize data, and build a technology ecosystem that can continue to evolve.
“Beyond the technology itself, we found a true partner in Apaleo. Their openness, flexibility and willingness to listen and collaborate made it possible to build the architecture we envisioned from day one.”
Fredrik Korallus, CEO of Otherwander Soho, said: “From the beginning, our goal wasn’t simply to do something different. It was to simplify. We wanted to remove the friction from the guest journey and eliminate the complexity of hotel operations. Too often, hospitality relies on disconnected systems, fragmented data and processes that create unnecessary work for teams and unnecessary frustration for guests. We needed technology partners who shared our vision for a more connected, intuitive way of working, and Apaleo helped us turn that vision into reality to put.”
