Christian Ottenbacher began his education in Gastronomy in 1984. He first completed an apprenticeship as a cook at the Wald & Schlosshotel Friedrichsruhe. This was followed by stays abroad in Switzerland, France, Austria, the United States as well as Spain. 

From 1991 to 1993, he studied hotel management, business management and administration at the Hotel Management School in Heidelberg.

He returned to Asperg in 1994 with his wife, Dr Dory Ottenbacher. Their son, Ricardo, was born in 1997.

In 1998, Christian Ottenbacher took over the management of the Adler Asperg. A year later, he started building a new hotel wing with 10 rooms, two meeting rooms and a conference terrace. Together with his wife, he has implemented his international experience in the hotel. 

The couple has also remodelled and renovated the hotel during this time. 

The modernization of the Adler also progressed through the digitalization of the business. This task was taken over by Dr. Dory Ottenbacher in 1998. The goal was and still is to facilitate the operational or decision-making processes and to improve communication between staff and guests. As a result, the Adler has become more efficient.

One of the highlights of this part in the Adler's history was the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande in 2012.

For the Ottenbacher family, individual customer service, the company's regional roots are very important, as well as committed employees and a competent management team that guarantee the Adler a future.

The team at the Adler stuck together like a family during the pandemic. During this time, they considered how to reinvent themselves and get closer to their customers. The "meal-to-go" service and "Adler's Feine Küche im Glass" are the results of these considerations. 

125 years after Christian and Christiane Pauline Ottenbacher acquired the inn in Asperg, the Adler is a customer-oriented, cosmopolitan family business with 70 rooms, conference and meeting rooms, a wellness area, five restaurants and 70 employees.

In the future, the Adler will continue to focus on personal hospitality, individual offers and good staff.