1898: The hotel is almost as old as Esbjerg. In 1875, Skolegade was just two muddy carriage tracks between Our Savior's Church, some small townhouses and a number of building plots. 25 years later, the street was a buzzing shopping street with two hotels, a detention center and a large post office. In 1898, the "Modern Hotel"'s state-of-the-art rooms were ready for business travelers. And the restaurant - which at the time was a café - was ready for the city's new citizens, who became more and more in a furious hurry.
1912-1948:
In 1912, Carsten Jespersen's wife could call herself Mrs. Hotel Director Jespersen. Carsten Jespersen bought the Mission Hotel, which his son Sand Jespersen took over the operation of in 1930. In 1941, the hotel was sparkling newly renovated with i.a. telephone in 40 of the 60 rooms. The newspaper wrote: "On the whole, the Hotel is characterized by the homely cosiness and tranquility, which has given it a good reputation among all who have had the opportunity to visit Esbjerg." Police reports from 1945 show that Sand Jespersen was repeatedly arrested by the occupying forces.
1948-1975:
The Rasmussen family, who had to travel from their hotel in Fredericia at the end of the war, found in 1948 the hotel that was to become their life's work. Guests queued outside the hotel on Sundays to eat clear soup and pork roast. The fishermen and their families met in the restaurant and the lady washed the stairs with petroleum water. The house got a lift for both guests and cars, the rooms got a bath and toilet and the young men got long hair and trumpet pants.
1975-2019:
The second generation took over in 1975, when Poul and Kirsten Rasmussen married and took over the Mission Hotel Ansgar. In the period after the takeover, Esbjerg - and the rest of the world - was not known again. Ansgar has made it through with the calm and traditions intact. In 2014, Kirsten Rasmussen sold the hotel to Lars Hedeby Sørensen and Kurt Kruse Sørensen.
2019: Danske Hoteller A/S køber Hotel Ansgar, som dermed er det 22. hotel i Danmarks største privatejede hotelkæde målt på antal hoteller. Danske Hoteller A/S består af 23 individuelle kroer og hoteller med hvert sit charmerende særpræg og hyggelige atmosfære. Hotel Ansgar køres videre i den samme gode ånd, som i Rasmussen familiens tid, med sjæl og charme, og med stor vægt på den personlige service.
