How to open a hostel from scratch in an apartment? Non-residential premises under the hostel.

TO how to open a hostel ? This question is often asked by Russian entrepreneurs. After all, cheap housing is not only convenient for tourists and just visitors, but also can bring a good profit to its owner. Let’s take a look at what it takes to start this type of business.

What is a hostel?

Despite the fact that hostels have existed for more than a century, they appeared in Russia relatively recently. At its core, a hostel is a hostel, but not a service one, where workers or students are accommodated (although they also use the services of modern hostels), but private, for everyone. This is housing where not a room is rented, but a bed: several beds are arranged in the living quarters for the inhabitants, and the toilet and bathroom (or shower room) are common to everyone.

Hostels are of little use for a long comfortable stay, but they have one undoubted advantage - cheapness. A bed in such a hotel costs several times less than in a regular one. Accordingly, the advantages of hostels can be appreciated by a variety of people:

• travelers and tourists (especially those who do not use the services of travel agencies, but prefer to choose the route themselves);
• correspondence students who come during the session to take exams;
• employees of organizations on short-term business trips.

In a word, a hostel is a good option for those who need a roof over their heads for a while, a place where you can sleep, wash up, and relax in between chores.

How to open a hostel in Moscow without breaking the law?

Now hostels are becoming more and more popular. They can be found in almost every city. At the same time, Moscow is the center of Russia, the center of places of study, work, business activity (and tourists in the capital will always find places to go and see). That is why the question of how to open a hostel, especially relevant in Moscow. Accordingly, we will focus mainly on Moscow norms - it’s good that in relation to hostels they practically do not differ from those in other cities.

To avoid this, you can register:

• one of the forms of partnership (full or limited);
• public or non-public JSC.

With regard to the hostel, it is most convenient to register as an individual entrepreneur or open your own LLC. The latter is even preferable: in case of ruin, all losses will fall on the organization, and not on personal property.

Where to open a hostel?

But suppose the registration has already taken place, there is a certificate in hand, a certified copy of the charter is in the folder, the seal has been ordered and received. What will be required next?

First of all, you will need a living space in which the hostel will be located. The following options are available here:

1. Build a building from scratch. This is the most expensive option, but the most promising in terms of business: you can initially plan the premises for a hostel, place living rooms, showers, toilets, and so on, as it is more convenient. However, the absolutely prohibitive cost of land in Moscow makes this option extremely unlikely for an individual entrepreneur or a small company.
2. Acquire non-residential premises and, after a major overhaul, convert it into a suitable for temporary residence. This option will also require considerable costs and approvals.
3. Use existing apartments. This method is now spreading more and more widely.

In the event that a hostel is opened on the basis of an apartment, it will be necessary to somehow legalize its status for use in business activities. The easiest way here is for an individual entrepreneur: if the housing already belongs to the entrepreneur, he is legally entitled to use it for business activities, so no transfer to a non-residential fund or anything else is required.

In the same case, if the hostel is opened on the basis of an LLC or other commercial organization, you must:

• transfer the apartment to the ownership of the company (by issuing it, for example, as a contribution to the authorized capital);
• or conclude a lease agreement (even if the owner of the apartment and the sole participant of the LLC are one person, since from the point of view of the law they are completely different persons).

Coordination and contracts with organizations

If the apartment is used as commercial housing, then before how to open a hostel, it will be necessary to coordinate this with the supervisory authorities and conclude a number of agreements.

The minimum required to be agreed upon is:

1. Conclusion of the fire inspection on the safety of the apartment as a hostel. This is a necessary thing, because the owner of the hotel is responsible for the life and health of his guests. This conclusion is especially important if the room was being repaired and the load on the power grid increased: the slightest short circuit or heating of the wiring could well lead to a fire.
2. Permission of the sanitary service of Rospotrebnadzor (formerly called SES). The sanitary condition of the hostel premises must comply with current standards.

In addition, by deciding how to open a hostel, will have to negotiate with other organizations. For example, you will have to conclude a separate agreement for waste disposal (MSW). Typically, such contracts are concluded with residents, but since the apartment will be used as a commercial hostel without permanent residents, the volume of solid waste will increase markedly.

It can be useful to provide residents with Internet access (via Wi-Fi or in another way). The popularity of such a hostel will be high, but the service requires an agreement with the provider.

Regulatory requirements for a hostel

Dealing with that how to open a hostel, it should be noted that since 2014, GOST R 56184-2014 has been adopted in Russia, relating to this particular type of housing.

To comply with this GOST, the hostel will need:

• at least 4 sq. m of living space for each bed (including bunk beds);
• a distance of at least 75 cm from the bed of the upper tier to the ceiling (respectively, three-tier beds in most apartments are prohibited);
• not less than 2.5 m height in residential premises, 2.1 - in the halls;
• at least 1 toilet, washbasin and shower for 15 residents;
• mandatory allocation in addition to the bedroom as a common area for recreation, meals, receiving guests. Its absence is permissible only if the hostel has its own cafeteria or there are catering establishments within walking distance.

GOST also introduces norms for towels and bed linen: their change for residents should be carried out at least once every 5 days. However, this rule only applies if the owner of the hostel generally provides the residents with bed linen and towels without fail. The fact is that in this respect GOST is similar to railway standards regarding reserved seat cars, where you can not pay for a bed and sleep on a bare shelf.

For hostel beds, the rules are as follows:

• dimensions - at least 80 by 190 cm (double beds 140 by 190 cm are also allowed);
• the distance between the beds is at least 75 cm.

The bed is provided with a mattress with a cover, a pillow and a blanket. Bed linen, as already mentioned, may be included in the cost of living, but may also be issued for a fee.

Finally, for each tenant there should be either a bedside table for things and clothes, or a separate section in the closet, equipped with a lock.

Hostel staff

Deciding how to open a hostel, the owner must take care of the recruitment of staff who will serve the residents. In principle, an individual entrepreneur may well do this personally - however, it is unlikely that an entrepreneur will be able to sit in a hostel without getting out, accepting residents. For a commercial organization, hiring staff will be mandatory at all.

In practice, the minimum staff for a hostel is an administrator and 1 or 2 maids who clean the premises. In the event that the hostel provides additional services (food, laundry, etc.), other workers may be required.

Each of the staff members will need to conclude an employment contract (See A sample of a standard employment contract with an employee for 2014-2015 (download the form)). In addition, the owner of the hostel is obliged not only to pay wages, but also to deduct money to pension and medical funds, as well as comply with the requirements of labor legislation.

How to open a hostel - a step-by-step plan: necessary documents, advertising promotion methods, equipment, detailed calculations and payback periods.

Capital investment in business: from 500 000 rubles
Hostel payback period: 1-2 years

Not so long ago, few people knew about this type of budget hotels as a hostel.

The practice, so widespread in Europe, has begun to gain popularity in Russia over the past 5-7 years.

The opportunity to live in a comfortable environment with everything you need for little money has caused great demand among the population.

Therefore, many entrepreneurs began to wonder, how to open a hostel.

Some of them have used this method of budget overnight stay and appreciated its benefits.

They have determined for themselves how they want to see the hostel, they know a lot of secrets and "tricks", but they absolutely do not understand the organizational side of the issue.

While others are experienced entrepreneurs who know how to profitably invest in real estate.

But organizing a hostel requires a more soulful approach than the ability to calculate costs.

What documents are needed to open a hostel?

Paperwork to open a hostel is something that intimidates first-time owners.

Actually, you shouldn't worry.

Yes, registering a business is a long and stressful process.

However, you can delegate the collection of papers to specialists for a fee.

The only thing you definitely shouldn't do is open a hostel without permission.

Such a move is fraught with fines, problems and a complete failure of the hostel idea.

To legally open a hostel, you will need the following documents:

• or LLC;
• certificate of tax registration;
• a document confirming the ownership of the premises;
• permission to operate the hostel based on the results of the inspection of the fire inspection and SES;
• garbage collection agreement with the relevant organization.

The above list is the basis, which can be "overgrown" with additional papers, depending on the current legal requirements for business.

The relevance of the data before registering the hostel should be carefully checked.

It is better to play it safe at the start than to have problems with regulatory authorities in the future.

We analyze the market before opening a hostel

The mere fact that a hostel as a business must be in demand is not enough to organize the business.

It is important to analyze the niche in which you are going to open a hostel.

To do this, pay attention to competitors in the region and the general development trend of hostels.

Now there are more than 5,000 hostels and establishments of a similar format operating in the country.

Their number has doubled over the past 2 years, which indicates an accelerated pace of niche development and high customer demand.

It is noteworthy that half of the hostels are concentrated in two cities - St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Thus, in order to open your hostel in one of them, you will have to “fight” with competitors.

At the same time, the prospects for business development in large cities are much better.

If we analyze the hostel organization formats, the leader is rooms with an average capacity (30-50 guests).

This business option is beneficial for entrepreneurs due to relatively modest capital investments and quick payback.

What are the risks of opening a hostel?

Such an idea, how to open a hostel in Moscow or St. Petersburg, has risks not only because of high competition ...

Any mini-hotel can face circumstances that can ruin a business.

Entrepreneurs must analyze potential risks before opening a hostel, and think over ways to minimize them.

Risk	What is dangerous for business?	How to avoid?
All kinds of emergency in the hostel	Emergencies can cause harm to the property of the hostel or its residents. In extreme cases, lead to a suspension of work.	Hostel property must be insured. Employees to be briefed on how to behave in emergency situations. It is important to equip the premises with fire extinguishing systems.
Seasonal fluctuations in demand	Decrease in income and profitability of the business.	It is important to be able to interest the client of the hostel during the recession. Think over an advertising campaign, enter special offers.
Poor hostel location	Audience reach is falling. Along with it - the profitability of the hostel.	The problem needs to be “cut in the bud” even before the opening of the hostel. Pay attention to a preliminary analysis of the location. Assess its prospects.
Low qualification of employees	Loss of clients, emergence of conflict situations.	You have to hire people in person. Do not save on training hostel workers.

How to open your hostel and promote it: advertising methods

It is important to understand not only how to open your own hostel according to all the rules of the law, but also how you will promote it to the masses.

And the service sector - those areas that can not do without a marketing strategy.

You should immediately tune in that high-quality cheap advertising does not exist.

There are rare exceptions, but you should not rely on them.

Consider 3 main channels for promoting hostel services:

Website and promotion of the hostel on the Internet.

A modern business cannot do without its own website.

Do not be stingy and order its creation to specialists.

After all, the electronic page will be the face of the hostel.

The site itself does not attract customers so actively, but rather is an important image attribute.

For guests to find you, use seo-optimization, contextual and banner advertising.

This pleasure is not cheap, but the effect is noticeable.

Another important element of the marketing policy of modern business.

Most of the hostel visitors are students, young people, and budget tourists.

They are attracted not just by the opportunity to spend the night, but by the spirit that reigns in hostels.

It is worth opening the pages of the hostel on Facebook and Vkontakte.

This will allow you to share news, hold promotions, collect feedback from guests and create your own special atmosphere that you want to plunge into.

Websites for booking hotels and hostels.

Few people are unaware of the existence of online accommodation booking resources.

Hostels that are not there lose up to 90% of their potential target audience.

Just listen to this number!

But the registration process is simple and, as a rule, free.

How to choose a building to open a hostel?

To choose a location and decide, how to open a hostel in non-residential premises or apartment, first select the format.

There are three main types:

A large hostel that is ready to accept more than 100 guests.

In Russia, this format is not in demand due to the lack of demand and the high financial entry threshold.

If you are still interested in this hostel option, you will need to rent a large non-residential premises.

To ensure fullness, work should be done to conclude agreements with firms that can hold seminars or conferences.

Hostel with medium capacity (30-50 guests).

The most requested. For their organization, they usually buy out 2-3 apartments located on the floor and combine them.

This is enough to equip the hostel with a kitchen, two bathrooms, a hall and 5-6 bedrooms.

In an ordinary apartment, you can arrange a hostel for 10-15 guests.

The mini-format of the hostel is chosen by those who like to relax in a cozy home environment.

This option requires the least investment, but pays off over a long period.

The peculiarity of such hostels is that the price of a bed can be 10-15% higher than that of competitors.

And this will be justified, because the level of comfort in mini-hostels is much higher.

• advantage - the close location of the hostel to the city center;
• it’s good if there are interesting sights nearby the hostel;
• it is important for guests that there is a good transport interchange near the hostel;
• it should be easy for visitors to find the hostel, so a noticeable sign, signs are needed.

Hostel as a business: necessary equipment

Those who have already stayed in hostels more than once know perfectly well what they should be equipped with.

If knowledge is limited to your own apartment and expensive hotels, here is an indicative list of the necessary equipment:

Equipment	Description	Price (in rubles)
Furniture	Usually hostels buy wooden furniture. From the base, you will need: a wardrobe in the hallway, a large shelf for shoes, beds and bedside tables in the bedrooms, a table and chairs in the kitchen, sofas and armchairs in the rest room.	100 000
Technology in the hostel	The list of necessary equipment depends on what services will be provided in the hostel. The minimum set includes: Wi-Fi router, washing machine, iron, refrigerator and microwave, plasma TV, luggage storage for valuables.	90 000
Other things for the hostel	Do not forget that you have to provide guests with textile accessories. Experience shows that for each bed in a hostel, 3 sets of bed linen are useful. You will quickly see that such a reserve justifies itself. A sign of good taste is the issuance of towels and disposable slippers to customers.	80 000
Creation of comfort	As already mentioned, the hostel is not just a "bedroom". This entourage place, which for many is associated with a special setting. A good hostel has its own distinctive style, which is created by interior details. These can be interesting pillows, panels, a rack with books, special lamps.	30 000

Calendar plan how to open a hostel from scratch

To plan how to open a hostel from scratch, it is worth making a calendar plan.

It will allow you to monitor whether all stages of the organization are going according to the planned schedule.

Hostel opening stages	1 month	2 months	3 months
Registration of an individual entrepreneur or LLC
Carrying out marketing research
Conclusion of a lease agreement
Repair and redevelopment of premises
Staff search for a hostel
Obtaining permits from SES and fire inspection
Advertising campaign planning
Purchase of equipment and furniture
Internet connection
Installation of equipment in the hostel
Interior design
Start of the hostel

It is worth noting that in the business plan of the hostel, the calendar plan should be supplied not only with deadlines, but also with an indication of performers and responsible persons.

Recruitment for the hostel

In order to open a hostel in an apartment or non-residential premises, you will need to assemble a team of professionals who will work there.

Often family members are involved.

It is important to take people "from the outside" only with work experience.

A big plus is the knowledge of foreign languages.

The number of staff depends on the size of the hostel.

Often the level of cleanliness is the weak point of hostels.

To avoid problems, sign a contract with for periodic general cleaning.

Also, do not forget about laundry, and conclude an agreement with a dry cleaner for the provision of this service.

How much does it cost to open a hostel?

"The biggest risk in business worldwide is the risk of being inefficient."
Mikhail Prokhorov

So from organizational issues, we came to the question of how much does it cost to open a hostel?

Regular investments in the work of the hostel

We must not forget that a business needs not only start-up investments.

To operate the hostel, you will need to invest a certain amount every month.

Payback periods and profitability of the hostel as a business

Due to the price advantage over expensive hotels, the hostel pays off faster and requires less investment.

Dry calculations show that 100% load of the hostel will bring about 115,000 rubles per month.

However, at the beginning of the hostel and the low season, such an indicator cannot be achieved.

It is realistic to achieve 75-85% profitability of the hostel with the active use of advertising methods.

With this indicator, it is possible to recoup the investment in 1-2 years.

How to make good money by opening your hostel, you will learn from the video:

The hostel is a place for a budget holiday, but not for the poor.

Guests should not see shabby doors, broken locks, mold, or a broken electric kettle.

Follow the details at the hostel.

Many people stay in a hostel for the sake of impressions.

Develop a special hostel style.

It could be a Soviet Union theme or a psychedelic creative space.

Many guests are tourists.

Enter additional services in the hostel: excursions, the ability to call an inexpensive taxi, free city maps.

thinking through how to open a hostel, it is worth managing only personal funds, not credit.

But when things go uphill, you can contact the bank or investors to get money for the development of the business.

In this case, the risks are lower, and it is easier to get consent from sponsors.

After you promote one point, you should think about opening new hostels.

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Quite a lot of people are wondering how to open a hostel in an apartment legally, but not everyone knows the answer to it. All because they did not study the information. To know the answer for sure, you just need to carefully read this article.

Hostel Disadvantages

Before you open a hostel in an apartment legally or not, you need to know all the disadvantages of this business.

The first thing I want to note is the presence of strangers in the same room. Not all hostels allow you to rent a room. Usually tourists are provided with a bed in a large room. Not everyone will be comfortable being with strangers in the same room.

Also, before you open a hostel in an apartment legally, you need to take care of a place to store valuables. For guests, a very big problem is where to leave valuables, because there are many strangers in the room.

In addition, a shared bathroom also scares off visitors to some extent.

• Firstly, it is impossible to visit it, because there is always someone there.
• Secondly, even with very good cleaning, it is unhygienic.

Hostels don't offer extras because it's a cheap place to stay, not a five-star hotel. And this upsets many visitors.

There is also a minus from the business side - it is quite difficult to find a room for a hostel. After all, it has special requirements.

The downside is that marketing alliances are very poorly developed in our country, although this practice is widespread in Europe. This is just an agreement by the hostel owner, for example, with the owner of a cafe working nearby, so that guests are provided with free or discounted breakfasts.

Another point to think about before opening a hostel in an apartment legally is the compliance of the room with European standards. Of course, in our country there are no such standards, but such compliance, although it will cost a lot, will quickly pay off with grateful guests.

Most entrepreneurs, after having opened a hostel in an apartment legally, decide that it is better to work without the help of intermediaries. At first, of course, yes, but over time, this can lead to a narrowing of the target audience and a small hotel occupancy.

Hostel benefits

Everything is clear with the shortcomings, but what are the advantages of this business? What you need to know before opening a hostel in an apartment?

The main reason why hostels are popular is the inexpensive cost of living.

You can rent not only a room, but also a bed. This is a great solution for solo travelers.

The main target audience is youth. This means that they will be interested in communicating and meeting new people. This means that they will not be embarrassed by life in the manner of a hostel.

Most often, hostels are located near the center, which attracts tourists even more.

What do you need to open

Of course, every novice businessman thinks about how to open a hostel in an apartment. You need to start by understanding the purpose of the hostel. It belongs to the tourism sector, and therefore it does not require many documents to open it.

First of all, you need to visit the tax office and register as an individual entrepreneur or as a limited liability company. After registration, you need to open a bank account, to which all transfers will be made.

It turns out that before you open a hostel from scratch in an apartment, you do not need to run around all kinds of authorities and collect documents. Nevertheless, there are several mandatory conditions.

1. For each person in the hostel, a minimum of five square meters of living space must be provided.
2. One sink should be installed based on six people.
3. The toilet is designed for twelve people.
4. One shower can be used by no more than fourteen people.

All the same applies to questions about how to open a hostel from scratch in an apartment. But there are some nuances there:

• it is forbidden to use basements and basements for the hostel;
• the room must comply with fire safety standards;
• hostel owners must keep a migration record of foreigners.

That is, to open a business, you still need to obtain permission from the fire service and SES.

How to draw up documents

If registration cannot be done at the tax office, then you can turn to online services for help. Specialists will help to collect a package of papers required for registration, this saves a lot of time.

When the organization is already formalized, then the question of business support arises. With this, you can also contact accounting services. They will help you collect documents, save time and money. They are interested in customers, so there are practically no mistakes.

How to choose a room

Before thinking about how to open a hostel in your apartment legally, you need to analyze the territory. Naturally, it is best to open a hotel of this kind in the center. Especially if it's not the capital. The size of the room is chosen based on the number of beds. So, you can not make less than ten beds in a hotel. An ordinary residential apartment is perfect, subject to the footage. If we assume that the price per square meter will be in the region of fifteen thousand, then a three-room apartment for ten beds will be enough.

How to open a hostel in your apartment is more or less clear. But how to do the same in a separate room? This is also a good option. In this case, the possibilities increase, for example, you can rent several floors. The price per square meter is about the same as for an apartment, but you can find a room where they ask for ten thousand. Redevelopment, together with repairs, will cost eight thousand per square meter.

Against the background of all these calculations, the construction of a separate building, which will cost no more than six million, no longer seems such a crazy idea.

It is important that opening a hotel in non-residential premises complicates everything. For such a business, registration of an LLC, the presence of partners and an additional package of documents is required.

The algorithm of actions for opening a hostel in

apartment

Everything is not so difficult, you just need to follow a certain order. How to legally open a hostel in an apartment in Russia?

Before you rent an apartment for a hostel or use your own, you need to do some research. For example, to find out what kind of people live around, their social status, the transport interchange of the area, the location of the house itself, the presence of shops and other necessary institutions around it.

In order to correctly assess the competitiveness of the future hostel, you need to find similar establishments nearby.

Much in the hotel business depends on the neighbors. So that in the future the district police officer does not often go to the entrepreneur because of the huge number of complaints, you need to find a common language with the neighbors.

It would be nice to write a business plan: "How to open a hostel in an apartment." If it is correctly compiled, then the payback will take no more than six months.

When a place is chosen, they begin to deal with the arrangement. The first thing to do if the business is done in your own apartment is to withdraw it from the housing stock. If this is not done, then each guest will be required to sign a contract of employment. According to the rules of accommodation for hostels, there are no single rooms. For this reason, it is necessary to make a redevelopment. In connection with such problems, you need to think ten times whether it is possible to open a hostel in an apartment and whether it is necessary.

The nuances of redevelopment

As a rule, in such hotels it is customary to have a certain number of double rooms, and the rest of the rooms are occupied by bunk beds. Repairs should be of the middle class, therefore it is easier to purchase the necessary furniture and materials from a domestic manufacturer. With such repairs, you can meet six hundred thousand. There is no need to make some unthinkable decor in the rooms, clean and bright rooms will be quite enough. But you need to choose very high quality beds, because healthy sleep is important for many tourists.

The distance between the latter should not be less than seventy-five centimeters. The color scheme is preferably bright, because mostly young people will live there. This once again suggests that before you open a hostel in an apartment for illegal immigrants or foreign tourists, you need to think over the design very well.

Recruitment

It is the individual approach that distinguishes a small hostel from a huge hotel. The quality of service can make a hotel very popular or make it close soon. That is why it is necessary to select personnel very carefully.

In order for the hostel to function normally, it is enough:

• hotel manager;
• administrator;
• couples of maids;
• cooks;
• assistant cook.

It has long been known that it is by the administrator that a hotel or hostel is judged. Therefore, the question of what is needed to open a hostel in an apartment and make it profitable can be answered - a good administrator. Indeed, the more pleasant and helpful the person at the reception, the more good reviews remain about the hostel. His ability to speak English also plays an important role. Ideally, the administrator must be fluent in conversational speech.

How to advertise correctly

Nowadays, most people are looking for a haven on the World Wide Web. This means that the main focus should be on advertising on the Internet.

1. Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, VKontakte, Odnoklassniki work great. Recently, Instagram has gained immense popularity and attendance.
2. Word of mouth continues to work. If a person liked the service, then he will recommend the hostel to all friends and acquaintances.
3. Contextual or banner advertising (when a photo is added to the text) also show good results. The cost of such a service is rather big, but it will bring good results. So, marketing of this kind will cost up to sixty thousand.
4. Good old business cards also show good results. They need to be laid out in crowded places (cafes, bars, train stations, educational institutions). This also includes advertisements in free newspapers. This is not a very costly advertisement, because a text ad in it can be published for two thousand, and a modular ad in the region of five thousand.
5. For travel agencies and corporate clients, special discount programs can be developed. But do not forget about sports clubs, schools or other institutions that are often on the road.

Only constant work can make a business successful. You cannot first learn how to open a hostel in an apartment in Moscow or a provincial town, and then just sit and wait for the profit to go into your hands. Only constant updating of services, improving the quality of service and new advertising can ensure prosperity.

Profitable Business Secrets

The main function of the hostel around the world was considered to provide accommodation for the night. But over time, everything changes. Now even a hostel needs at least a minimum package of services. Tourists need Internet access, as well as toiletries and cosmetics, for which they are willing to pay.

In addition, you can put a hair dryer, coffee maker, microwave, refrigerator and other appliances in common areas.

Food can be dealt with in a variety of ways. One of them is to give the guest the right to cook their own food. The second option is to have a chef on staff, which means you need to make a menu. The third option may be an agreement with the owner of the nearest cafe for the supply of food or for a discount for guests. It is important not to stand still and constantly develop and diversify.

Some nuances

Today, the tourism business is very popular both in our country and in the world. This means that competition even among hostels is huge. Therefore, the services provided must correspond to a given level. A modern tourist is accustomed to comfort, for this reason, a hostel that does not correspond to one star is unlikely to return. And the consumer is not to blame, but the entrepreneur. Due to competition, it was businessmen who increased the level of comfort for the same money. This trend has led to the fact that now a lot of money is needed to open a hostel.

A modest interior and a list of services will be in demand only if there is no competition.

Among other things, it is very important to build the correct algorithm for registering guests. Everything must happen on time and according to all the rules.

As for household appliances, there are also some nuances here. For example, it is better to refuse ordinary teapots. It will be much more convenient to use thermal pots. They are much larger in size and boiling water is always at hand.

You can also try to create a hostel website. Firstly, it sets tourists up for trust. Secondly, where, if not on your own website, you can place complete information about your business.

Summing up, we can say that it is not enough to figure out how to organize a hostel in an apartment. It is important to learn how to lead and develop it correctly. Because time passes very quickly, and the level of development of mini-hotels is high. And consumer demands are constantly growing. But it's very interesting to create something from scratch and bring it to some grandiose level. It is quite possible that one hostel will lead to a whole network of prestigious hotels around the world. To do this, you just need to work hard and not give up.

But not everything depends on the leader. Many moments are connected with the hotel staff. It should consist of professionals who not only do their job well, but also love it. It is the person who plunges into the matter with his head that will be able to make it better, not because the boss requires it, but according to his personal desire. Equally important is the collective mood. The key to success is a friendly team that knows how to solve all problems within. Only when people are ready to help each other and listen will the matter be argued. If the team is quarrelsome, then they will simply drown the business with their squabbles. Therefore, the leader must take the most responsible approach to the choice of employees. After all, he does not take servants for himself, but chooses a family for himself, on which the success of his offspring depends.

The hotel business is characterized by high profitability and quick payback, so this line of business attracts many start-up entrepreneurs. The most profitable option is a hostel or mini-hotel. These establishments are very popular because they do not require large financial investments and at the same time bring good profits. In this article, we will talk about how to open a hostel from scratch and attract the attention of customers to it.

Where to begin?

A ready-made business plan for how to open a hostel can be found on the Internet. But it's better to make it yourself. In this case, you can take into account all the important points and roughly calculate future expenses.

The document must contain the following items:

• Planned budget;
• Technical equipment;
• Location;
• Sample list of services;
• Advertising.

To get an answer to the most important question, is it profitable to open a hostel, you also need to conduct a thorough market analysis and assess the level of competition.

The target audience

At its core, a hostel is not an ordinary cheap hotel, but a real subculture that differs significantly from inexpensive hotels designed for people with low incomes. Mostly students who do not have the means to rent a room in an expensive hotel stop in such institutions.

The main requirements that young people place on hostels are:

• Purity;
• Access to the Internet;
• The presence of a kitchen and a bathroom with the necessary household appliances;
• Convenient location.

If you have a desire, I want to open a hostel, where to start this process? Experts recommend first of all to determine the target audience. This will allow you to understand whether your service will be in demand in this region.

Location

Next, we will deal with the location of the hotel, that is, we will try to decide where to open a hostel. It is most profitable to start such a business in large cities that are often visited by tourists. By the way, this is a great business idea for Crimea. During the holiday season, inexpensive accommodation in resort towns is in great demand, so in the summer such a hotel will bring good profit. But in winter, you will have to switch to economy mode, since tourists rarely visit the Crimean peninsula in the cold season.

So, what does it take to open a hostel? First of all, this is a room. The best option is a former hostel. But in this case, you will have to make repairs in the rooms and purchase furniture.

Beginners are often interested in whether it is possible to open a hostel in an apartment? Of course, you can, but for this you need to issue permits and fulfill all the requirements established by law. If in doubt, it is better to open a hotel in it. Owning your own home is a big plus, since rent is too expensive these days. It is desirable that the apartment is located on the first floor. In one room, you can equip 3-4 beds, respectively, you can populate the apartment at the same time 9-12 guests. Over time, when you reach a net profit, you can buy out several neighboring apartments and thereby expand your business. Before you open a hostel in an apartment, you need to make a good repair and equip all rooms in accordance with the requirements of the SES and the fire inspection. We hope you have received an exhaustive answer to the question of whether it is possible to open a hostel in an apartment building.

Activity registration

Now let's talk about how to legally open a hostel in an apartment. Working illegally will not work, because huge fines can be imposed on you. Therefore, before starting such an activity, register an individual entrepreneur or LLC. It will not take you much time and money.

In addition, before you open a hostel from scratch in an apartment, as mentioned above, you need to carefully study all the requirements of the SES and firefighters. To avoid any problems in the future, be sure to familiarize yourself with the laws on tourism activities.

If you open a hostel in a residential area, you will have to conclude an agreement with each guest and issue it as a separate registration card. To simplify your life, you can transfer an apartment to a non-residential fund. Another requirement is a separate entrance to the institution and the written consent of all neighbors. In principle, this is all that is needed to open a hostel in an apartment.

Repair and equipment

The arrangement of a mini-hotel is a separate issue that requires a serious approach. There are special rules here, without which you will not be able to open your institution. First of all, for one person living in a hostel, 5-6 square meters should be allocated. meters of area. You also need to consider that one washbasin is designed for six guests, a toilet for twelve people and a shower cabin for fifteen guests.

If you want to open a hostel in a residential building, be sure to take care of soundproofing. This will help you avoid problems with guests and neighbors. In addition, provide high-quality heating, ventilation and lighting of rooms. Select one free room and arrange a relaxation area in it. Place a comfortable sofa, a few armchairs, a TV and a table for games in the room. It is also advisable to purchase an inexpensive laptop and a Wi-Fi adapter.

In a multi-bed room it is better to put bunk beds. The kitchen should have kitchen furniture, as well as a refrigerator, coffee maker, microwave and washing machine. In the bathroom, you need to install a shower, 2-3 washbasins and a toilet. Before equipping a bathroom, you need to make a quality repair in it.

So, let's calculate how much it costs to open a hostel?

Furniture and equipment:

• Beds - 10-15 thousand rubles;
• Refrigerator - 15 thousand rubles;
• Coffee maker - 2 thousand rubles;
• Microwave - 3 thousand rubles;
• Kitchen furniture - 15 thousand rubles;
• Washing machine -8 thousand rubles;
• Shower cabin - 11 thousand rubles;
• Washbasins and toilet bowl - 7 thousand rubles;
• Repair of a bathroom - 30 thousand rubles.

In total, about 110 thousand rubles and more will have to be spent on the arrangement of the hostel. The amount will depend on the area of ​​​​the premises, the quality of repairs and furniture and other characteristics. If you are ready for such expenses, you can safely get down to business.

A hostel is a great option, because during a crisis people start to save money and therefore prefer to stay in cheap hotels. Before setting up a hostel in it, think carefully again. If you do not have enough time to engage in such a business, you can buy luxury housing and rent it out to foreigners. According to experts, such activities in some cases bring more profit than hostels.

Staff

Everyone knows that the demand and popularity of an institution largely depends on the quality of service. If you want the hostel to bring good profits, you need to take a responsible approach to the choice of staff.

For a small establishment, it is enough to hire a manager, an administrator and 1-2 maids. If financial possibilities allow you, invite a cook and a kitchen assistant to work.

The administrator is the face of the hotel. He is engaged in the reception of guests and their accommodation. For this position, you need to find a responsive sociable person. It is desirable that he speaks English in case foreigners move in.

Financial investments

It is not so easy to say exactly how much money is needed to open such a business. Beginners who are interested in how to open a hostel in a private house can promote such a business with minimal investment. But in order to implement a larger project with the purchase of a franchise, you will have to raise a large start-up capital. It is also difficult to determine the payback period. It largely depends on which city you want to open a business in, how well the location is chosen, as well as on the pricing policy of your institution. Before you open a hostel in a non-residential premises, you need to perform preliminary calculations according to the following scheme:

• Rent - 10 thousand dollars;
• Arrangement of rooms - 12 thousand dollars;
• Purchase of household appliances - 8 thousand dollars;
• Salary to employees - 3 thousand dollars;
• Paperwork - $ 500;
• Advertising - $500;
• Additional expenses - 2 thousand dollars.

This example shows that the minimum entry threshold for this business is approximately $36,000. If you own your own property, you can exclude rental costs.

In general, this is enough, which brings a decent stable profit. If you're still in doubt, buy a franchise. Working under the wing of a well-known brand is a win-win option that will allow you to achieve a quick payback.

Profit

In large cities, one bed costs 8–14 dollars per day. If you accommodate 15 guests daily, you can earn an average of $4,500 per month. But, as a general rule, hostels have around 60% occupancy, which means you'll be making a steady monthly income of around $2,300.

If you subtract from this amount the cost of utilities and paying taxes, there will be approximately 2 thousand dollars. This is enough, because during the crisis, the incomes of the population began to decline, so not only traveling young people began to settle in hostels, but also adults with a small income.

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Customer acquisition

If you want a business to bring good profit, one desire, I want to open a hostel, is not enough. First of all, you need to take care of an effective advertising campaign.

The best advertising for a hostel is the recommendation of your friends and acquaintances, as well as promotion through various student clubs and Internet conferences. In addition, you can place advertisements on international sites. Another effective way of promotion is business cards and flyers. They can be distributed at airports, train stations, cafes and various educational institutions, that is, wherever potential customers may be. Many hostel owners place advertisements on online booking services. This service is inexpensive, about 200-300 rubles per month, so it is quite affordable for start-up entrepreneurs.

Today, the real estate market is considered by many experts to be one of the most promising options for investment. On the one hand, against the backdrop of currency devaluation, the growth in prices for the purchase of apartments stopped for a while. On the other hand, the rental price is only increasing, as in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities, students, young families, workers from other cities and countries, business travelers need temporary shelter. The best solution is to open a hostel from scratch.

The very process of organizing a business is simple, but apart from initial investments, it requires a thorough analysis of the real estate market and knowledge of the main trends in its development.

Portrait of a modern hostel

Hostel is a fairly new concept for the Russian tourist infrastructure. In Europe, such establishments have existed for more than 100 years. Hostels differ from hotels in their concept and target orientation. It can be called a "youth hotel" - the rooms are arranged in a block or corridor system. It also contains a kitchen where each guest can cook their own meals.

Some of the hostels can be called truly student hostels - they are designed not for students in universities, but for active youth who love to travel, discover new horizons and at the same time do not pursue "bourgeois conditions".

Description of the modern hostel:

• New furniture;
• modern technology;
• WiFi;
• clean rooms.

In other words, this is practicality, space saving, while you will not find any similarity with bedbug beds, armored beds and other attributes of Soviet hostels.

Potential clients of hostels are progressive youth who love communication, travelers, as well as successful adults with their own unique philosophy - downshifting (a lifestyle that does not accept workaholism, corporate ethics and many other social norms).

What do you need to open a hostel?

There are two options for opening a hostel: buying a ready-to-live-in premises (perhaps an already operating business) or organizing your own business from scratch. Each of these options has its pros and cons. Before making a choice, an investor needs to weigh everything, analyze other options, for example,. You can also open such a franchise mini-hotel, but be prepared to pay.

Location selection

The owners of this business say that the most difficult thing in the process of opening is to find a good place. It should be a comfortable building with rooms, a corridor, amenities. Large hostels have a lobby, a reception desk, some even have an elevator. Therefore, opening a hostel in a non-residential building is a very expensive and not always profitable option. The amount of repair will exceed the cost of the building itself at times and will pay for itself for a long time. You will also need to prepare a lot of permits (for example,), which will take a lot of time.

You can open a hostel in an apartment with several rooms. But in this case, you should not count on a large income. Larger projects start from 150 m². There are several spacious rooms, a common living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. The design of the room should be in a single, carefully thought-out style.

On the scale of a large city, it is not easy to find and open a room in which you can organize a hostel. And choosing an inconvenient location or a place that does not meet all the standards, you may not recoup your investment.

Requirements

Since 2015, special GOSTs have appeared in the legislation of the Russian Federation, which regulate the work and opening of hostels.

The main ones can be called:

• ceiling height - from 2.5 meters;
• one bed should account for at least 4 m²;
• for 15 beds it is necessary to equip one shower room and one toilet;
• the bathroom should be outside the rooms;
• each hostel should have places for guests to communicate;
• availability of a kettle and drinking water;
• the presence of a kitchen is an optional requirement if there is a place for a snack nearby.

Advice: since 2015, it is officially allowed to convert ordinary apartments into hostels. To do this, the property is re-registered as a non-residential premises, after which it is possible to conduct commercial activities in it.

In this case, the guests should not disturb the peace and living conditions of the neighbors of this house. You can not open a hostel on the ground floor or in the basement.

Opening a hostel in an apartment is much cheaper and easier (rental costs are lower, equipment costs are also relatively low). In this case, disagreements with neighbors may arise.

Room equipment

The cost of equipment depends on the region and is constantly changing. On average, the following investments will be required in order to open a hostel from scratch:

In a multi-bed room:

• bunk bed - 12-30 thousand rubles. per piece;
• bedside table - 1500 rubles apiece;

• microwave oven - 3-6 thousand rubles;
• refrigerator - 15-30 thousand rubles;
• kettle - 800-1500 rubles;
• kitchen set - 20-30 thousand rubles;
• washing machine - 15-25 thousand rubles.

Equipment of the place for communication of guests:

• Wi-Fi router - 1-3 thousand rubles;
• Table, chairs - 12-20 thousand rubles.

Bathroom:

• shower stall - 12-28 thousand rubles;
• dryers - 600-1000 rubles;
• toilet bowl - 4-7 thousand rubles;
• hair dryer - 1-3 thousand rubles.

Recruitment

The number and qualifications of employees depend on the scale of the project. If you are planning to open and organize a hostel in an apartment, you can perform all the duties yourself or hire one assistant who would meet guests and keep things clean and tidy.

To organize a hostel with an area of ​​​​150-200 m², you need to hire the following staff:

• administrator - receiving calls, placing guests, providing them with everything necessary, monitoring cleanliness;
• maid - regular wet cleaning, laundry, washing kitchen equipment;
• accountant - reporting (often use the services of third-party companies (outsourcing), which charge for the amount of work performed, since it is not advisable to hire a specialist at a rate).

If this option seems too expensive for you, consider.

Business registration

In order to open a hostel from scratch (as well as when buying), you need to draw up a considerable package of documents. The hostel is an object of tourist infrastructure, so for its operation it is necessary to prepare a legal framework. First you need to choose the organizational and legal form (IP or LLC) and register in the tax. To open a mini-hotel, you need:

1. a document confirming the ownership of real estate or a lease agreement;
2. registration certificate;
3. extract from the USRIP or USRLE;
4. confirmation of payment of taxes;
5. work permit from the sanitary and epidemiological service;
6. permission from the fire department;
7. contract for the removal of household waste, recycling of fluorescent lamps.

Depending on the specifics of the business and the choice of direction, other documents may be needed, for example, at the time of opening.

Promotion

The success of opening a project from scratch depends on the number of guests. The brightest and most inexpensive establishments, providing comfortable accommodation, face a lack of customers at the start. In order for the institution to gain popularity, it is necessary to apply radical actions:

1. inform students about your services by making additional discounts (10% upon presentation of a student card), try to interest them as much as possible - the more people there are in the group, the cheaper the rooms will be;
2. distribute information online. Since the Internet is the main source of information among young people, it is necessary to promote the institution in this area. Create groups on social networks, order advertising on city forums, open the institution’s website by posting as many photos, descriptions of conditions, benefits, features, etc. as possible;
3. conduct targeting of potential customers (setting target priorities and benchmarks) and work with a group of interest, for example, a volleyball or football team, a dance school, etc. (you can negotiate with the leaders of such classes and, when choosing your institution for living, give a small part of the proceeds to them);
4. cooperate with travel agencies, which often include the cost of living in the ticket;
5. enable direct booking through web resources;
6. create an excellent reputation - these are reviews on city forums, impressions after a visit to a hostel that was opened from scratch. Good recommendations optimize the most effective way of promotion - word of mouth.

How to open a hostel in Moscow?

Moscow is a city of great opportunities. This well-established statement is also relevant for entrepreneurs who want to open a hostel. By organizing this business from scratch in Moscow, you can be sure of a constant flow of customers in any season. The main task is to provide comfortable living conditions and actively promote their services. But it is in Moscow that there are a number of pitfalls that should be taken into account.

First, there is a lot of competition. According to the Interregional Association of the Hostel Industry, today there are more than 5,000 hostels and mini-hotels operating in the Russian Federation. More than half of them are open in Moscow and St. Petersburg. This indicates a high level of competition, which is difficult for beginners to deal with.

Secondly, the cost of real estate (both buying and renting) is high. But even this is not the main problem. The most difficult thing is to find a suitable object, since tourists or business travelers will not waste time searching for and traveling to the most remote places in Moscow, and everything suitable can be occupied in the center and nearby areas.

Advice: when choosing real estate in Moscow, do not agree to the first offer that comes across, if it completely does not suit you. This aspect plays a key role in the success of the business, so start the search in advance, and take the choice very seriously.

If insurmountable difficulties arise during the organization, analyze other options for starting a business, for example, where to start.

The dynamically developing market of tourist infrastructure in Moscow makes its own adjustments to the organization of the business of opening a hostel from scratch. But if you organize the key points correctly, you can get a stable flow of customers and a quick return on business.

Organization of a hostel from scratch is a new format that has grown into an actively developing direction for Moscow and large cities of Russia. This trend is understandable - you can become a hosteler for little money. Perhaps this is the most budgetary method of entering the hotel market. To open it, investments from 400 thousand rubles are needed, although, depending on the development path and the scale of the project, this amount can grow to 5-6 million.

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You can open a hostel only if all the requirements and norms of the law are observed. Also, be prepared to work hard in the future. Even having hired all the necessary personnel, it will still have to be controlled and constantly supported by the chosen development concept.

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