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FAQ: how to open a hostel. Business plan for opening a hostel from scratch

A mini-hotel that does not require serious investments and brings a steady income is the dream of many entrepreneurs. To learn how to open a hostel from scratch, read this article.

Hostel - what is it?

A rather new phenomenon for Russia, which has not yet managed to gain a foothold in the understanding of people.

Some consider a hostel to be an ordinary hostel in which there are people of different nationalities. This is a little different, below we will talk about the reasons for the appearance of such a stereotype.

In practice, the hostel is a fashionable trend that came from Europe. Many young people traveling around the world stay overnight in small rooms that can accommodate several people at once.

The building has a place for cooking and eating, rooms for two or more people, a bathroom, often a common living room. This is called a hostel.

Prices here are much lower than in ordinary hotels, and the level of service is sufficient for those who want to comfortably live in a foreign city for several days.

Video - how to open a successful hostel:

Unfortunately, many Russian entrepreneurs call hostels places where several dozen two- or even three-story beds are placed in one room, there is one toilet for everyone on the floor, and there is no place for eating at all.

These underground flophouses, proudly called hostels, influence the entire industry. A foreign tourist, looking for a hostel familiar to him, may find himself in a place where he wants to run away without looking back, cursing the harsh Russian service.

Hostel types

aimed at a youth audience;
intended for conference participants.

These two types of hostels are seriously different from each other, primarily in the price range. Another difference is that most often the hostel of the first type occupies a smaller area compared to the second.

Well, the second one is often empty, while the workload of the first one can reach 80-90% per month. However, even one delegation, which arrived only for three or four days, can cover all the expenses of the second type hostels. This is also worth considering.

Requirements for hostels in Russia

Our legislation, with a delay of only four years, managed to notice that something new has appeared in Russia - hostels, on which both individual entrepreneurs and legal entities earn money.

Therefore, in January 2015, special GOSTs appeared that regulate the work of hostels.

In addition, the official definition of a hostel has appeared - now it is an economical place intended for low-budget tourism. The GOST notes that the hostel has rooms of various sizes, and the bathroom is located outside the rooms.

The legislators did not lose sight of the fact that gives the hostel a special romance - a place for guests to communicate, it must be in every hostel.

But as far as food is concerned, the requirements turned out to be mild. The hostel does not have to be equipped with a place for cooking if there is a place where you can eat within walking distance. The only thing you need to provide is the availability of clean drinking water and a kettle.

Finally, the requirements for the rooms were determined. There should be at least four square meters per bed, and the ceiling height in the rooms should be at least 2.5 m.

There are also requirements for the bathroom: at least one shower and one toilet cubicle must be equipped for 15 people. Therefore, if the hostel has 46 beds, then four bathrooms will be required.

There is one more requirement for hostels. If earlier it was not clear whether it is allowed to place hostels in ordinary apartments, then from January 1, 2015 this issue has been removed: the placement of hostels in apartments is officially allowed.

Prior to this, the apartment had to be re-registered into a non-residential premises, and then commercial activities should be carried out in it.

And so now hostels are subject to the requirement of part 4 of article 17 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation: they must not disturb peace and living conditions for all citizens in this house, comply with sanitary and fire standards.

What does it take to open a hostel from scratch?

The main one is a room located in the city center and meets the requirements of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation.
Then it is necessary to purchase furniture and equipment, arrange rooms and solve sanitary issues. You will also need to register as a .

But the most important thing that a hostel owner needs is a clear understanding of their target audience and where to look for it. Only by creating a constant flow of customers, you can bring the hostel to payback.

Hostel space

You can arrange a hostel in an ordinary apartment with several rooms. But this will be a small level that will not be able to bring constant profit.

Larger projects start with an area of 150 square meters. Then you can create several individual rooms at once, a common living room, decorate everything in a youth style and create a kind of center of attraction for travelers, hipsters, young entrepreneurs and many other representatives of progressive youth.

If the owner of the hostel wants to immediately go to the business class level and receive conference delegates in his hostel, then he will need a room with an area of at least 300 square meters.

It can be a whole floor, or one of the sections of the building, which should be decorated in the same style. At the same time, the requirements for the premises of the hostel are unchanged: at least four square meters per bed.

Is it possible to organize a hostel in an apartment?

Since January 2015, officially you can. But you should immediately think about the specifics of the hostel. It will take considerable effort to load it at least 50% of its maximum capacity.

In addition, the consent of other tenants living in this building will be required. This often becomes a stumbling block between entrepreneurs and residents.

What about in a non-residential area?

If it meets the standards of SanPina and Fire Supervision, then it is possible. But if the room is located on the basement floor of a building or even in the basement, without windows, then the law here is strict - people cannot be settled in the basement.

Documents to open

lease agreement or ownership of the premises;
the conclusion of the sanitary service on the suitability of the premises for living;
a similar conclusion from the Fire Supervision;
registration documents of a legal entity or individual entrepreneur.

Furniture and equipment

A hostel without beds is like a car dealership without cars. Therefore, the beds will have to buy. They will need a lot: by the number of beds plus spare ones.

Beds must also meet certain requirements: the minimum dimensions are 80 x 190 cm for a single bed and 140 x 190 for a double bed. And putting them closer than 75 cm to each other is prohibited. The only exception is for beds separated by a partition.

Video - how to open a hostel (success story):

In addition to beds, you will need wardrobes, bedside tables for personal belongings, tables for eating, a minimum set of dishes, a washing machine, and possibly more than one. Many visitors to the hostel ask for access to the Internet, which must be provided.

In the common living room, a TV, a sofa, several armchairs and pouffes will not be superfluous. They will help create a cozy atmosphere.

Do not forget about irons and ironing boards, your visitors will really need them. And if you think about having a few hair dryers in your hostel, then the women will kiss you. Well, unless they're married and have wet hair.

Name for the hostel

Nobody limits you here. But if tourists often come to the city, then do not forget to provide an English version of your name. A bright sign that will help you navigate in an unfamiliar place and advertising booklets with your name will attract new guests.

Staff

You will need an administrator who will control the settlement of residents, resolve issues that arise and accept payment. It is also necessary to foresee how the premises will be cleaned: a cleaning service or a hired person.

Accounting is simpler, and the functions of promoting the institution are assigned to the administrator.

To eliminate the facts of theft by the staff, consider a system for accounting for guests and the total time they spent in the institution, as well as a reporting system for all current expenses.

Or ignite your team with the idea of creating the best hostel in the city, involve them in development, and then you can forget about theft, you will become a single team focused on results.

Business processes

The whole essence of the hostel can be built in the form of a chain of actions.

Promotion - booking by a potential client - check-in - payment - accommodation - provision of additional services - check-out - feedback collection - recommendations = promotion.

In a simpler form, this chain looks like this.
First, you promote your establishment by advertising it to a potential target audience. After your hostel is booked, after the person finds you in the city and checks in.

He pays for accommodation for a certain number of days or hours. At the same time, you provide him with additional services, ranging from hot breakfasts ordered at the nearest cafe to organizing city tours.

After the person moves out, you get to know his opinion, correct mistakes and do everything so that he would recommend you to his friends. This is also a promotion that again leads to the launch of the entire chain.

In each of these points, you can build an additional system to increase the reputation of your hostel. For example, meet a person at the airport to help find you without any problems. These and many other actions are normal practice for a European service. In Russia, they are getting used to it.

Promotion

Here we come to the most interesting. Your entire ideal hostel won't last a month without active promotion. Traditional channels are not suitable here, you need targeted advertising aimed only at those who have arrived in your city and are looking for a place to spend the night.

The gold mine for you is Facebook and other social networks. Most of the young people traveling around different countries first find a place to sleep through the FB, contact the administrator, book a room, and only then arrive.

Be prepared to spend a lot of time and effort on promoting on this social network. Reputation plays a very important role in this business, so the first clients attracted through FB will promote you on their pages.

Do not forget also about the various conferences taking place in your city. Organizers can become your partners, sending participants to you and getting their share from this.

This is the only way to develop the hostel and ensure 100% occupancy.

conclusions

A hostel is a good way to earn money, but it requires a lot of effort and patience, however, like any business. Much depends on the reputation and quality of services provided. In all other respects, this is a mini-hotel with a special atmosphere that attracts adventurers and travelers.

Video - 10 steps to take to open a hostel:

Discussion (15 )

A hostel is a great opportunity for a traveler to have an inexpensive rest and clean up in a clean environment. For an entrepreneur, if the right place is chosen, this is an opportunity to have a stable income.

We have a studio apartment in Kazan. They wanted to rent it out as a hostel during the 2018 World Cup, but decided to leave it as it is. They just posted it on Avito and the client was found, they no longer violated the agreement. And a friend in St. Petersburg keeps a hostel, I also, in my opinion, rented places there via the Internet.

Do you know that on average, in order to open a hostel for 30 people, it will take about 1 million rubles. But often this amount is not enough if there is no experience in this area, because, without knowing many of the nuances, it is impossible to minimize costs. The most important link in the expense item is rent, of course, if this is your premises, then I think everything will work out!

I want to open a small hostel, I got a big apartment from my grandmother, as well as provide services for conducting city tours for hostel residents and just tourists who came to the city. Tell me, please, how should I proceed - to open an individual entrepreneur or an LLC? What are the pros and cons in either case? Can any of you help in this matter, I would be very grateful.

Hostel, the idea is good and I immediately liked it. I even began to develop a business plan, but recently there have been problems at the legislative level - the deputies decided to tighten this type of activity with some prohibitions (for example, opening a hostel in a residential building). Who is in the know?

I think that it makes sense to open a hostel in more or less tourist cities and in the center, because this topic in Russia is not yet very popular and is not very successful. When I started my business, I thought about opening a hostel, but my friends advised me to start with a regular store, although it was really a long time ago.

No matter how tempting the idea of opening your own hostel may seem, it seems to me more unprofitable! You have to be a genius, at the very least. Be prepared for the fact that at first you will suffer more losses than profits and earn only, perhaps, a headache from inspection visits! I consider it inexpedient to open a hostel in an apartment - our apartments are too small for this. If tourists are your priority, then they will definitely choose a more spacious place. It will be more comfortable for them to rent, for example, an apartment for rent than to huddle in a tiny hostel with other guests.

A hostel is one of the most profitable assets on the real estate market, but if you do not have your own premises, it is problematic to find one in Moscow, because not all owners accept this form of rent.

Personally, I have been seriously thinking about converting my square meters into a hostel for a long time.
Now the apartment is rented by the day, given the convenient location, it is also a profitable business, but the idea of a hostel seems more attractive to me. I periodically visit Europe and sometimes stay in hostels. It is always full of people, students and workers who are not able to rent separate housing.

A hostel is a profitable business, if you approach it with full responsibility, because you need to observe not only perfect cleanliness and legal aspects, but also come up with an individual design for your hostel so that people who stay once come back again and recommend it to their friends and acquaintances.

The idea to open a hostel came about by chance, and I inherited a four-room apartment on the ground floor in the city center. The apartment, of course, was “killed”, I had to take out a loan to make repairs, but after 4 years everything paid off. The main thing is not to be afraid, but to act. An idea came up - implement it, no matter how crazy it may seem.

The main problem that will haunt the hostel owner is communication with neighbors, especially if you plan to open it in an apartment. Officially, this is not prohibited, but you will have to go through "all the circles of hell", because such things are perceived by people with hostility, of course! - a den on the landing. Therefore, if possible, try to avoid apartment options, ideally - in a non-residential building or a separate entrance to a non-residential premises. If this is not possible, then I advise you to go around all the neighbors in advance and convey to them the idea of the hostel movement. This will help you avoid problems in the future.

I bought an apartment in the city center, usually a three-ruble note. I wanted to rent, but the idea arose to open a hostel. As far as I understand, it is not necessary to transfer the premises to non-residential now, since in the future it may be necessary for the growing daughter.

I read in the news of our city about the opening of a hostel, so to speak, "for guest workers." On the one hand, it seemed to me an excellent business idea - the only hostel of its kind in the city, there are a lot of guest workers, there will be demand, the quality of housing is of a low level, the cost is minimal. But then I thought about the accompanying problems ... well, you need to take into account all the features of the life and customs of "guests from neighboring countries." They need an eye and an eye, they love to quarrel among themselves, especially if there are representatives of various diasporas. We need security, we need special control over sanitation ... and these are additional costs. And it becomes not clear whether the game is worth the candle.

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, there are no such standards in our country, 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.

For each person in the hostel, a minimum of five square meters of living space must be provided.
One sink should be installed based on six people.
The toilet is designed for twelve people.
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.

Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, VKontakte, Odnoklassniki work great. Recently, Instagram has gained immense popularity and attendance.
Word of mouth continues to work. If a person liked the service, then he will recommend the hostel to all friends and acquaintances.
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.
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.
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.

A hostel is an analogue of an inexpensive hotel, where guests are offered a comfortable place to spend the night. The market for such establishments is actively developing, so novice entrepreneurs can invest in this particular business, having previously assessed all the risks and profitability of such a business.

Market analysis

To assess the prospects of opening a hostel in a particular region, it is worth considering the demand for such a service from potential customers, which are:

students, youth (about 65% of all visitors);
tourists and travelers who want to save on overnight stays (the number of such clients is growing by 2% annually);
people who came to the city for work.

Additionally, it is worth analyzing the level of city attendance by tourists and a map of large-scale interesting events that should take place in the city. These can be various sporting events, concerts of popular artists, exhibitions, seasonal festivals, etc. At the same time, you need to consider how many hostels are already open, what services they provide, and how you can beat the competition.

Business registration

The type of registration depends on where you plan to open a hostel:

In the apartment. In this case, you will need to register as (IP). This is a fast and affordable procedure.
In non-residential premises(similar to a mini-hotel). In this case, you already need to register as (LLC). This procedure requires more paperwork and will cost a little more than registering an individual entrepreneur. In more detail about how an individual entrepreneur differs from an LLC, and what are their advantages and disadvantages, he will tell.

When opening a business, a hostel can be assigned the following:

23 - activities of other places of residence;
23.5 - activities of other places of temporary residence that are not included in other groups;
20 - activities for the provision of places for short-term residence.

It is also required to purchase a cash register and register it with the tax office. Beginner entrepreneurs at the initial stage of doing business are recommended to choose (STS), which involves the payment of 15% of the organization or 6% of the total cash turnover per year.

Be sure to get a bank account to make it easier for customers to pay and print.

GOST requirements for a hostel

To figure out how to organize a hostel from scratch, you need to familiarize yourself with the regulatory framework. In 2015, GOST 56184-2014 "General requirements for hostels" was adopted, according to which a budget hotel establishment must be equipped according to the following rules:

under one bed you need to allocate at least 4 square meters. m.;
the ceiling height of the room must be at least 2.5 m;
beds should be at least 80x190 cm in size, and the distance between them should be from 75 cm;
the room must be equipped with a fire extinguisher and a special log must be kept to ensure fire safety;
for 15 seats, it is required to equip 1 shower cabin, and the bathroom should be located outside the living quarters;
to equip 1 toilet for 12 people;
equip 1 sink for 6 places;
provide guests with access to drinking water and a kettle;
equip a room for communication of guests, for example, a living room;
if there is a place where you can eat near the hostel, it is not necessary to equip the kitchen in the hostel itself;
prescribe for the staff and guests of the hostel the rules of conduct, their rights, duties and responsibilities that will follow in case of their violation.

Additionally, you need to take into account clause 5.7.3 of GOST R 56184-2014, according to which basement floors and basements cannot be equipped for a hostel.

To make it easier to understand the requirements of GOST, the following examples should be taken into account:

A hostel for 10 people should be equipped with 1 bathroom, 1 shower room and 2 sinks, and the sleeping area should be at least 50 sq. m.
A hostel with 50 beds must have at least 6 rooms, each of which can accommodate 8 people. Requires 4 bathrooms. In addition to the rest room, it is worth equipping a snack room - a full-fledged dining room or a mini-bar. You will also need a utility room for storing bed linen, inventory, supplies, etc. It is worth equipping a household room to wash and dry clothes, linen, etc. in it.
When opening a hostel for 100 people, you need to choose a room in which it will be possible to build several blocks with separate bathrooms, a kitchen, a lounge, etc. In this case, you can buy out several apartments, which are then re-planned into one mini-hotel. If things go well, it will be possible to expand or.

As for the location, it is recommended to rent a room for a hostel in the city center. At the same time, one can proceed from the location of interesting tourist places, good transport interchange, and the presence of metro and train stations nearby.

It should be noted that entrepreneurs open mini-hotels more often in apartments than in non-residential premises, since much less financial investments are required for their arrangement. As for the shortcomings, one can single out possible conflict situations with neighbors. To avoid them, it is worth taking the discipline of both employees and guests of the hostel with all responsibility.

A specialist in the video will tell you how to make the correct layout of the hostel:

Accommodation in a hostel during the holidays is becoming popular. In addition to the main audience of students, other travelers have also moved into the inexpensive segment of the hotel business. Even foreigners are very interested in Russian hostels.

How to make money on this wave by opening your hostel from scratch? Let's get a look.

Drawing plans: find a room and create a hostel in it

The first thing to do is to find a good place. What does "good" mean?

The hostel is easy to get to

The location is two hours walk from the nearest bus or subway stop? It is not suitable for business. Travelers are divided into two groups: some think over the route, others go "wherever their eyes look." And no one plans to rest in such places.

Easy to get out of the hostel

What's even more important. A motel in the middle of nowhere won't make much money anymore. A motel in the middle of nowhere without attractions won't make any money at all.

As a result, the most needed places to create a hostel are in the center of Moscow. High traffic, proximity to transport, good views. Guests who have chosen a hostel for a business trip, as well as tourists on vacation, will be able to quickly get anywhere.

Alternatively, a hostel can take on a narrower niche if it "settles" on distant attractions. Cons: Fewer customers, business more dependent on the season. Pros: there is a tangible advantage over competitors. Rent outside the center - below.

Technical details of organizing a hostel from scratch

What footage of the premises will be required to open a hostel? Usually - about 150 square meters or more. Depending on how many guests are planned. The most common solution is from 10 to 15 beds in two or three rooms.

Less is not in demand and will not pay off the costs. Travelers turn to hotels for private rooms. More is not very convenient. It is more difficult to find the area, higher costs for rent, supply and risks.

The hotel business is seasonal, guests will arrive unevenly, and too large a room will greatly lose profit. In addition, even in the non-residential stock, it will be necessary to reckon with the load on the local power grid and other utility restrictions.

How to create a hostel with the right layout?

The classic hostel begins with a major renovation in the chosen premises. The former room is not suitable for a room for 6 people.

This is important: accommodation standards require at least 75 centimeters between beds, and at least 5 square meters per guest.

Routine renovations are done in a few bright, light colors to attract customers but not interfere with a relaxing holiday.

For individual design, consult with the designer. These are almost one-time costs, but they should be approached seriously and responsibly: the hostel “carries” a new appearance for a long time.

Interested in the hospitality business? Find out more about how you can buy a hostel in Moscow from the owner, how much it will cost and how quickly your investment will pay off.

Staff and equipment - to be satisfied with the hostel

The premises have been found, the marafet has been set up. The next step in organizing a hostel is people and equipment. Before the guests arrive, there is still a lot of work: at the reception desk they should be met by sociable and responsible administrators. English is good, but not always required.

Here, guests receive the keys to their rooms, linen, leave things in the storage rooms. Then they will need beds, appliances in the kitchen, appliances in the bathrooms and toilets. Optional seating area. It is individual for each hostel, but the classic recipe is a Wi-Fi router, chairs, TV, board games.

Approximate cost:

The price of a bunk bed is about 13 thousand rubles. You will need 5 pieces (≈ 65’000 ₽)
Bed sheets. Full set - 1.5 - 2 thousand. 10 pieces. (≈ 17’000 ₽)
Several pear chairs ≈ 6’000 ₽ for 4 pieces.
Fully equip a bathroom - from 30 to 60 thousand rubles. A minimum of two rooms is required.
A kitchen with everything you need can cost about 30 - 35 thousand rubles.

In total - about 215 thousand rubles. The cost of utilities and Wi-Fi will be significantly less, but monthly.

The hostel will also need a cleaning lady and an accountant. In both cases, it makes sense to use a ready-made service - it's cheaper and more rational than keeping staff for these positions.

Inexpensive marketing to make the hostel recognizable

Congratulations! You have overcome the stages of "how to open a hostel" and "how to organize a hostel". It's time to think about advertising.

How to attract clients when all the preliminary work is done? There are many thematic platforms for this, including FastTravel, Trivago, Booking and others.

Some of them post ads for free. But this does not eliminate the need for your own website and social media accounts, where customers can leave their opinions and reviews.

What are good reviews? Negative ones provide material for development, good ones create a reputation. And reputation is the main source of income in the hotel business.

Hostel income and documents for a quiet life

Where does the hostel get the lion's share of their income to cover all of the above? Of course, with the provision of beds.

But there are other types of profit. For example, you can find machines that make caramel or popcorn and take over the way movie theaters and American motels make money. Or put any other complex equipment (sometimes they take money even for using a microwave or refrigerator).

Some hostels provide parking, breakfast, or video games for a fee. On the territory of the mini-hotel you can put ATMs or machines with drinks or sweets.

If there are many guests, it is worth negotiating with local attractions and museums about hosting advertising for tourists.

All this is considered commercial activity, and hostels themselves, according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, fall under the category of simplified taxation. No special licenses are required, but you will need permission from firefighters (the room must meet minimum standards) and the sanitary and epidemiological service.

In addition, an agreement on garbage collection and an agreement on the lease of premises (or papers confirming ownership) are important.

Today you can find many ideas for starting your own business. One such idea is to open a hostel. So what awaits a businessman if he decides to start this particular business, and how to open a hostel?

Hostel business. The relevance of the institution.

Today, hostels are not uncommon. In almost every city in Russia, and even more so in Europe and the West, you can find 2-3 decent hostels. Unlike hotels, hostels provide the client with fewer services, but you also need to pay less for accommodation. In this regard, hostels are very popular establishments, especially among young people.

Recently, the relevance of hostels has grown several times. After all, hostels are convenient. Moreover, their convenience applies not only to customers, but also to hostel owners. After all, if he knows how to organize a hostel, then soon the institution will begin to bring good profits.

At the legislative level, such concepts as a hostel and a mini-hotel are not defined. A hostel is a small facility where several people live in one room, the furniture is bunk beds, chairs, with one bathroom and a bath for the entire room. Despite such conditions, hostels with good placement and not overpriced accommodation are in constant demand. Some hostels offer free WI-FI, safe deposit boxes, breakfast, etc. Before organizing this business, read the bill No. 876688-6 “On Amendments to Article 17 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation”. It was adopted in the first reading on May 13, 2016, the second reading is planned for November 2016. Also read GOST R 55322-2012 “Accommodation services. General requirements for hostels.

Today, hostels are divided into three types:

Youth;
With referral to conferences;
Mixed.

The last type is optimal, as it includes the two previous ones. Compared to the first type, the second requires more space. Also, a youth hostel requires less costs. The second one is often empty, but just one visit of the delegation will be able to recoup all monthly maintenance costs.

Before actually opening a hostel, you need to think through every little thing, in accordance with your own capabilities. Write down the positives and negatives. Know that there is no golden business that immediately begins to make a profit. It all depends on the individual qualities of the entrepreneur.

Documents required to open a hostel

A hostel, like a business, requires the owner to obtain a lot of documentation. So what do you need to open a hostel?

The first step is business registration.

Registering an individual entrepreneur is the easiest solution for this business. The cost of registering an individual entrepreneur, with the opening of a bank account, obtaining a seal will cost 3,000 rubles.

The second step is business licensing.

This business does not need to be licensed, you just need to notify Rospotrebnadzor of the start of its activities. Your premises must comply with all fire and sanitary standards. Be guided by GOST R 55322-2012 “Accommodation services. General requirements for hostels.

The third step is the selection of the necessary premises.

Basically, hostels are organized in residential buildings. Now hostels are located in apartments, using gaps in the legislation. And if the amendments to the Housing Code of the Russian Federation are adopted, then this will introduce significant difficulties when opening this business. Therefore, having studied Russian legislation, one should carefully approach the choice of premises for this business. The premises in which your hostel will be located must be transferred from residential to non-residential. This translation is a rather complicated and lengthy process. Also, with this transfer, you will need to make a separate entrance to your premises and this is not at all a cheap investment. Therefore, it will not be profitable to transfer small premises for a hostel from residential to non-residential.

Now the following documents may be required to open a hostel:

Conclusion of the sanitary and epidemiological service;
Paid bills related to electricity, water, electricity, if necessary, the Internet;
Agreement with a company for the removal of solid waste;
Transfer from residential to non-residential (if necessary).

We warn you that the process of registration, and, consequently, the list of documentation is typical for each region of Russia. Therefore, before opening your hostel, it is recommended to get advice from a lawyer, he will help you figure out what documents are needed to open a hostel in your region.

Profit, profitability and payback of the hostel, let's talk about numbers.

The main point in the business plan is the economic side of the business. After all, it is impossible to create a hostel as a business without calculating profit, payback period, etc.

Profit brings only the correct organization of the hostel. On average, a night in a hostel costs 500-700 rubles. We plan to accommodate in our premises with a maximum load of 12 people.

As for the initial investment in a business, everything is more complicated here. To open a hostel, the business plan must take into account the availability of not only equipment, but also staff. Let's take a closer look at what initial expenses and fixed expenses for a business a hostel owner expects.

initial investment.

Selection of a suitable apartment on the ground floor, we conclude a lease agreement. The area of the apartment is 94 sq. meters;

Transfer of the premises to non-residential, in time takes from six months, the cost is 400,000 rubles;

Repair of the premises, construction of the entrance group - 800,000 rubles;

The cost of rent for the period of translation and repair 18 * 30,000 = 540,000 rubles;

Signboard - 50,000 rubles.

The initial investment will be approximately 1,790,000 rubles. You can save only if the desired apartment is yours. You can negotiate with some owner of the apartment, transfer his premises to non-residential, and then rent it.

Basic equipment costs:

Beds (bunk beds) - 90,000 rubles;
Full kitchen set - 25,000 rubles;
Washing machine - 15,000 rubles;
Kettle - 800 rubles;
Hairdryer - 1000 rubles;
Refrigerator - 15,000 rubles;
Stove - 15,000 rubles;
TV - 10,000 rubles;
Sofa in the recreation area - 10,000 rubles;
Video surveillance - 20,000 rubles;
Other - 30,000 rubles.

On average, the equipment will require an amount of 231,800 rubles. Additionally, you will need funds for bed linen (2 sets per bed), towels, kitchen utensils, cleaning equipment, dishes, detergents, toilet paper, and more. We will accept an additional amount of 70,000 rubles.

In total, the opening of a business will require 2,100,000 rubles.



Rent and renovation of an apartment
Purchase of equipment
other expenses
working capital
Organizational expenses
Total expenses

Staff for the hostel.

We are planning 3 administrators for the hostel, they will also perform the function of maids. Bookkeeping - outsourcing services.

The cost of doing business can be viewed in the table below.



fixed costs
Wage
Payroll taxes
Rent
Depreciation
Accountant services
Variable costs
Hostel materials
Communal expenses
Transport

Insurance IP
Other variable expenses
Total cost

All prices are taken taking into account the average cost in Russia, we warn that they may differ depending on the specific region. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you calculate the business plan on your own, or use the services of the specialists of the Business Technology portal, taking into account the exact cost data.

Hostel revenue for the considered period of 2 years will be:

In the business plan we are considering, where the planning horizon is 2 years, it can be noted that this period turned out to be insufficient, because. as a result of the calculation for both reporting periods, net profit showed a negative indicator. For a correct calculation, the business planning horizon must be increased to 4-5 years.

We have calculated one of the costly options for opening a hostel. If you have in mind a ready-made premises that meets business standards, then the payback and profitability will be different. The payback of our business turned out to be 23 months.

Where to get start-up capital?

Start-up capital is the foundation of the hotel business, even if it concerns opening a hostel. Not every person can immediately have sufficient start-up capital, so you need to look for other ways. The best solution would be to attract investors. Presumably, owners of bars, restaurants, cafes, who have the opportunity to expand their own activities, can become business partners.

How to attract target customers? Advertising and future promotion of the hostel.

For those who are thinking about how to make a hostel popular so that it does not close in the first months of operation, it is necessary to know about the right marketing.

First, we determine what audience the hostel is designed for. Most often these are young people from 20 to 30 years old with average incomes, as well as foreigners. In connection with this information, you can calculate an advertising strategy, the tools of which can be:

Advertising on international sites. It is convenient that you can find sites where advertising will be practically free. The advantage of this advertisement is that visitors can pre-book accommodation in a hostel.
Social media. Create your own groups on popular social networks. Gain as many subscribers as possible, subscribe yourself. You can agree on cooperation with popular people on the network, they will competently advertise your hostel in their own account.
Advertising on the street.
Movement promoters at railway stations and airports. A person who has just arrived in the city and does not yet know where to spend the night will definitely take a leaflet and choose the hostel.
Promotions and discounts for permanent residents. Develop a system of bonuses and discounts, people like to receive nice gifts, such as free breakfast or a discount.

If your hostel is designed for businessmen who come with a delegation, then the advertising emphasis should be placed directly in these places.

What is a modern hostel like? Requirements.

The design of the hostel is one of the most important points. Agree that if the hostel is unusual, then you will want to return to it. Now every self-respecting hostel must comply with the requirements put forward by government agencies. Namely:

You can not open an institution in the basement or basement floors;
Ensuring a high-quality soundproofing system;
Sanitary facilities are calculated according to the principle:
1 toilet for twelve guests;
1 shower cabin for fifteen guests;
1 sink for six guests;

The sleeping area must be at least 0.8 x 2 meters. Often, hostels use beds with two tiers. So there is much more free space in the room;
Arrangement of storage chambers for personal belongings of guests;
It is desirable to provide the room with air conditioning and internet;
It is imperative that the hostel must have such premises as a place to relax, namely a small hall with magazines, a TV, and the like, and there must also be a kitchen. This allows people to feel more comfortable, especially in the kitchen they can cook their own food.

Choosing a place for a hostel

The place where the hostel will be located directly affects the profit. The best option is to be located near public places, such as:

railway stations;
airports;
Cafe;
Educational establishments;
bars;
Offices.

Do not choose a place near large hotels that could seriously compete with your business. It is desirable that the place plays in your favor. Hostels located in the sleeping areas of the city are rarely popular. It is also not recommended to open this institution in remote areas, or in places with high crime.

It is noteworthy that hostels in the city center, which are within walking distance of the main tourist attractions of the city, are especially popular. The ideal place is a place near stops and interchanges of public transport, such as metro, buses, trams.

Today it is not difficult to open a hostel. Tips for its organization can significantly increase the profit from the business.

So that you do not have to constantly renovate the hostel, introduce a system of residence rules that is mandatory for guests. They will have to familiarize themselves with it before they move into the room;
If you are in doubt about which documents are needed to open a hostel, and which are not needed in your particular case, then it is better to contact a legal consultant;
Calculations of profit, profitability and payback should be done individually for your own region;
It is better to order furniture for a hostel in bulk at the factory, so you can get a decent discount;
Don't forget to ask for a warranty card for furniture and equipment;
The quality of service is the main criterion due to which a business will either succeed or lead to failure. Always focus on whether you yourself would like to live in such conditions or not;
Periodically monitor the cleanliness in the hostel yourself, cleanliness should be at the highest level;
Monitor the market before opening a hostel. Create something new, something that has not been before. Only a bright and unusual interior can attract a huge number of people who want to settle in your hostel;
If you want big profits, don't save! Beds should be comfortable, linens should be changed immediately after the guest checks out. Do not let the mess in your establishment.

Now you know how to open a hostel from scratch. We hope that we have helped you understand the main points of this business. We wish you success in your endeavors!