Odom Hotelz, a new hospitality group owned by real estate developer The Jay Odom Group, plans to open six hotels in Okaloosa, Walton and Bay counties starting in 2024.

• The hotels will operate under the IHG, Hilton and Marriott brands but aim to provide an elevated guest experience that goes beyond typical brand standards, according to details from The Jay Odom Group.

Odom Hotelz President Jay Odom said the hotels will offer high pay to attract passionate, service-oriented staff.

They also plan to make the properties stand out with exterior paint colors not typical of their brands, abundant landscaping and spacious bar areas aimed at serving local businesses and social communities.

“We’ve stepped outside the traditional paradigm of brand owners and hotel owners to create a non-formula franchise,” Odom said.

The first Odom Hotelz property will open in a community that hosts large conferences, so it will have 4,500 square feet of meeting space – about five times more than its brand usually offers.

“We’re determined to make our standard the new standard,” Odom said.

The Jay Odom Group, founded in 1987, is a major real estate developer in the Florida Panhandle with a portfolio that includes residential communities, retail centers, offices and other hospitality properties.