home Diseases Opening a hostel from scratch. Non-residential premises for a hostel - the law on hostels. We are drawing plans: to find a room and create a hostel in it

Opening a hostel from scratch. Non-residential premises for a hostel - the law on hostels. We are drawing plans: to find a room and create a hostel in it

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

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

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

The practice, so common 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 aroused 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 stays and appreciated the benefits.

They have determined for themselves what they want the hostel to be like, they know many secrets and tricks, but they have absolutely no understanding of 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 sincere approach than the ability to count expenses.

What documents are needed to open a hostel?

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

There's really no need to worry.

Yes, registering a business is a long and nerve-wracking 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 complete failure of the hostel idea.

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

or LLC;
tax registration certificate;
a document confirming ownership of the premises;
permission to operate the hostel based on the results of an inspection by the fire inspectorate and SES;
agreement for waste removal with the relevant organization.

The above list is a basis that can be “overgrown” with additional papers, depending on the current legal requirements for business.

You should carefully check the relevance of the data before registering the hostel.

It’s 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 have demand is not enough to organize a 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 trend of hostel development.

Now there are more than 5,000 hostels and establishments of a similar format 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, to open your own hostel in one of them, you will have to “fight” with competitors.

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

If we analyze the formats of hostel organization, the leader is premises with medium 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 the idea of opening a hostel?

An idea like opening a hostel in Moscow or St. Petersburg has risks not only because of high competition...

Any mini-hotel may encounter circumstances that could ruin its business.

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

Risk	Why is it dangerous for business?	How to avoid?
All sorts of emergencies in the hostel	Emergency situations can cause harm to the hostel property or its residents. In extreme cases, lead to suspension of work.	Hostel property must be insured. Provide employees with training on how to behave in emergency situations. It is important to equip the premises with fire extinguishing systems.
Seasonal fluctuations in demand	Income and business profitability are falling.	It is important to be able to interest a hostel client during a recession. Think over an advertising campaign, introduce special offers.
Poor location of the hostel	Audience coverage is falling. Along with it comes the profitability of the hostel.	The problem needs to be “cut in the bud” even before the hostel opens. Pay attention to preliminary location analysis. Assess its prospects.
Low qualifications of employees	Loss of clients, emergence of conflict situations.	You need to hire people in person. You shouldn’t skimp on training hostel workers.

How to open your own 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 is those areas that cannot do without a marketing strategy.

You should immediately realize that there is no such thing as high-quality, cheap advertising.

There are rare exceptions, but you shouldn't rely on them.

Consider the 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.

Don’t skimp and order its creation from specialists.

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

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

To ensure that guests 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’s worth opening the hostel’s Facebook and VKontakte pages.

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

Hotel and hostel booking sites.

Few people do not know about the existence of resources for online booking of accommodation.

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 a format.

There are three main types:

A large hostel that can accommodate more than 100 guests.

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

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

To ensure fullness, you need to work on concluding agreements with companies that can hold seminars or conferences.

Hostel with medium capacity (30-50 guests).

The most in demand. To organize them, they usually buy 2-3 apartments located on the floor and combine them.

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

In an ordinary apartment you can set up a hostel for 10-15 guests.

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

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

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 noticeably higher.

advantage – the hostel is close 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 connection near the hostel;
It should be easy for visitors to find the hostel, so a noticeable sign and signs are needed.

Hostel as a business: necessary equipment

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

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

Equipment	Description	Price (in rub.)
Furniture	Usually, hostels buy wooden furniture. From the basics, 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
Equipment in the hostel	The list of necessary equipment depends on what services will be provided at the hostel. The minimum set includes: Wi-Fi router, washing machine, iron, refrigerator and microwave, plasma TV, storage rooms 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 you will need 3 sets of bed linen. You will quickly see that such a reserve is justified. A sign of good manners is to provide clients with towels and disposable slippers.	80 000
Creating comfort	As already mentioned, a hostel is not just a “bedroom”. This is an atmospheric place, which for many is associated with a special atmosphere. A good hostel has its own distinctive style, which is created by the interior details. These could be interesting pillows, panels, a stand with books, or special lamps.	30 000

Schedule plan for 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 track whether all stages of the organization are going according to the planned schedule.

Stages of opening a hostel	1 month	2 months	3 months
Registration of individual entrepreneur or LLC
Conducting marketing research
Conclusion of a lease agreement
Repair and redevelopment of premises
Searching for staff for a hostel
Obtaining permits from SES and fire inspection
Planning an advertising campaign
Purchase of equipment and furniture
Internet connection
Installation of equipment in the hostel
Interior decoration
Start of work of the hostel

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

Recruitment of staff for a 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.

Family members are often involved in cases.

It is important to hire people from “outside” only with work experience.

A big plus is 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 us for periodic general cleaning.

Also, do not forget about washing, and enter into an agreement with a dry cleaner to provide this service.

How much does it cost to open a hostel?

“The most serious risk in business around the world is the risk of being ineffective.”
Mikhail Prokhorov

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

Regular investments in the operation of the hostel

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

To operate a hostel you will need to invest a certain amount monthly.

Payback periods and profitability of a hostel as a business

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

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

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

It is possible to achieve 75-85% of hostel profitability 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 own hostel, you will learn from the video:

A hostel is a place for a budget holiday, but not a poor one.

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

Keep an eye on the details in the hostel.

Many people stay in a hostel just for the experience.

Develop a special hostel design 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, You should only manage personal funds, not credit.

But when business takes off, you can contact the bank or investors to get money to develop the business.

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

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

Useful article? Don't miss new ones!
Enter your email and receive new articles by email

Now there are many sources of income if you consider the option of working for someone. But many people don’t like this idea; people want to open their own business, try themselves as a manager or manager. There are more than enough ideas for starting a business today, you will learn about one of them right now.

What is the profitability of the hostel?

How cost effective and profitable are hostels? Have you ever been interested in this information? But in vain, because this type of small business is a very profitable business that can bring simply dizzying profits, but for this, of course, you should first try.

First, it is necessary to analyze the general situation of the profitability of such establishments not only in the country, but also in the city.

First of all, you need to consider the following: opening a hostel is much more profitable than a hotel. Not so much profitable, but safer and less risky. The cost of the hostel is relatively small; you do not need bank loans to purchase premises for the hostel. And also such an acquisition quickly pays for itself and begins to bring real profit.

What do you need to open a hostel? Paper aspects

Someone wants to buy a hostel that is already equipped and suitable for living in and simply become its owner, in order to make a profit over time with the help of calculations and calculations, and, of course, to proudly bear the title of hostel manager. Some people prefer purchasing a ready-made base to this option.

In order to open such an establishment, you need to fill out a lot of documentation, write a single application and go through paperwork. So, in order to open a hostel from scratch, the following is required: documentation:

license - a paper that is needed to open any public establishment. Today there are quite a lot of opportunities to buy a hostel franchise. That is, purchase a building that is built in strict accordance with the rules of the network of such institutions;
permitting documents from the sanitary and epidemiological service - this is also impossible to do without;
It is also important to obtain permission from the fire department.

After you have collected all the necessary papers, you will need to register with the tax office in order to formalize the activities of an entrepreneur or to certify yourself as a separate legal entity. Those who already own such small businesses assure that there is no need to give any bribes, there is no deception. The state benefits from the opening of such establishments, because this to some extent increases the number of tourists and visitors to the city.

Hostel premises

So, let's choose a place. You can rent a room for a hostel, or you can buy it if you have the finances. In any case, it should be a conveniently located non-residential building with rooms, corridors, a spacious foyer, preferably elevators and, of course, amenities. So setting up a hostel in non-residential premises is not an option. Otherwise, the cost of repairs will significantly exceed the cost of the building itself. Be sure to consider several possible options, and if none of the buildings you see suits you, look again. In large cities and regions, finding such a building is not entirely easy, but it is quite possible.

Be sure to pay attention to how radically the building will need to be converted into a hostel. People who have been successful in running hostels claim that they initially just bought commercial property that was low in price because they just wanted to sell it.

By the way, there are requirements for hostel premises, which must be followed when creating and equipping rooms. The minimum area per person is five square meters, the bed must measure at least 80 by 190 centimeters, and the distance between the beds must be at least 75 centimeters. One toilet can serve a maximum of twelve people, and a shower room - for fifteen. There can be one sink for up to six customers.

How much does it cost to open a hostel?

You can take a somewhat original step and come up with a specific concept for the establishment. For example, a hostel for climbers or for musicians and athletes.

Try to calculate your steps ahead as much as possible. Financial difficulties can become a significant obstacle to creating a small business of this type. Re-equipment, repair work, facade work, and so on - all this requires money. Therefore, the calculation “the building will cost such and such a price, but everything together is ten to twenty thousand more expensive” is wrong! In addition, cleanliness and order will need to be constantly maintained, and the payback of the hostel, although quite fast, is not instantaneous, by no means.

Personnel search- a separate topic. Choose only truly experienced people who are good at working in this field; it is better not to hire beginners when starting a business. Even if inexperienced people agree to receive very little wages, still give preference to those who know how to work, even though they ask for more money.

Let's talk about numbers

The payback period for any hostel is about six years. There are no specific numbers, since this will depend on its popularity and attendance and, of course, on the cost that you set for a night’s stay.

To some extent, buying a franchise is more profitable, especially if the establishment that is the basis of the franchise is quite popular. If you purchase a franchise unit, you are relieved of the responsibility of finding a suitable building and creating a hostel concept. The main task will be marketing, that is, advertising. You also retain the selection of personnel and general responsibilities of the franchise owner. The payback of this option is much more active. However, many people want to independently manage everything related to their business estate, so they start a business from scratch.

Hostel promotion

In order for your establishment to quickly become popular, advertising is necessary. There is no point in waiting for the hostel to promote itself, because no matter how wonderful the conditions you offer are, information does not always spread quickly. Therefore, we need to act.

1. Really experienced businessmen recommend working with an audience of schools and universities, because pupils and students often travel to different cities, and room reservations are made for a large number of people at once. Set a kind of limit: the more people there are in the group, the cheaper the rooms will be. By the way, this type of visitor is the most effective word of mouth; your task is to demonstrate the advantages of a mini-hotel.

2. Register your hostel on the most popular social networks, add friends, offer services with prices (if they are good enough) and amenities listed. This also works well. In the space provided for filling out information, indicate the coordinates of the establishment and your contacts. The Internet network is very, very wide; for young people today, the World Wide Web has become the main source of information. Therefore, place advertisements on websites and pages, create a separate website for your hostel, indicate as much information there as possible, upload as many photos as possible.

3. Specialized schools, clubs and basketball teams should also be taken into account. Organize advertising for them too. And for managers, let there be special bonuses, this will work in your favor.

4. Make commercial offers with bonuses, promotions and seasonal discounts, for example. This way the number of visitors will increase more actively.

5. Contact travel agencies. Most travel agencies immediately offer travelers accommodation, as this gives a person a guarantee that he will have a place to live immediately upon arrival, and, accordingly, improves the quality of the company’s services. Contact several travel companies, leave your contacts, and arrange room reservations. The company's employees themselves will be interested in placing a person with you, especially if you offer a good price and proper conditions.

6. Corporate clients are the heads of different firms and enterprises. Offer them your services, let your subordinates know about it. Give out business cards generously and don't be greedy with voice advertising - talk about the establishment non-stop.

Advertise the establishment endlessly. You can hire promoters to distribute flyers. You can come up with many more ways to promote a hostel, ranging from small to large-scale marketing projects.

Let's highlight the general rules of hostel management

How to properly manage a hostel so as not only not to go bankrupt, but soon to start making a net profit. We offer several simple but very effective rules.

Open a hostel - no problem! It's not that difficult if you look into it in more detail.

Did the article help? Subscribe to our communities.

Over the past few years, hostels have become very popular and in demand. Their popularity is a nuisance to large hotels, which have already begun to pale in comparison to the inconspicuous dwellings. By the way, they are inconspicuous only at first glance.

What's the advantage? There are several factors:

Cheapness of services;
use of a variety of premises;
minimum number of service personnel;
no need for huge investments.

In Russia, such places are most often associated with dormitories. On the one hand, they really resemble student rooms, on the other hand, this is a completely different direction, which is developing very quickly in European countries, where the profitability of such mini-hotels is high.

While this niche has not yet been occupied by us, and the entire sphere is considered relatively free, you can start arranging it from scratch, implementing ideas at reasonable prices. What do you need to open a hostel?

Permits and documents for opening

Those who are interested not only in the opportunity to open such an establishment in their city, but also in further development prospects (network business throughout the country), must officially register their business. To do this, you need to prepare the following documents.

Ownership/Rental Rights. Provide all documentation confirming your ownership of the property or the lease agreement.
Registration certificate. Register as a sole trader if you plan to take on one project first. In the future, when your business grows, you will be able to register as a legal entity.
Tax Inspectorate. Register and receive a certificate of payment of income taxes. To reduce reporting hassles and reduce deductions, start with a single tax.
Conclusion of the SES. The premises used must comply with all standards and requirements of the sanitary and epidemiological service.
Fire inspection. You need to obtain a conclusion that the premises used meet the standards and regulations, and are absolutely safe for both residents and staff.
Services. One of the first things you need to provide is a copy of the contract with a company that specializes in household waste removal.

Search for premises

An ordinary multi-room apartment is quite suitable. To begin with, three rooms are enough, in which you can accommodate up to three or four bunk beds. At the same time, in the process of placing beds and other necessary items, you are guided by the following rules:

Comfortable furniture;
the distance between the beds is at least 75 cm;
toilet, shower, from 3 to 5 washbasins;
hot water (required!);
about 5 m? for each visitor;
free Internet.

Staff

Administrator

A highly responsible and professional person whose responsibilities include accommodating residents, organizing meals, monitoring the sanitary condition of the hostel, and working at the reception desk. You must collaborate with two administrators who will work in shifts. An additional requirement is proficiency in English.

Accountant

Part-time employee or just a few days a month.

Housemaid

Part-time employee. Main responsibilities include cleaning rooms, stairs, kitchen equipment, and disinfecting bathrooms. All necessary cleaning equipment is provided by the hostel management.

Services

As a rule, people from 20 to 35 years old stay in such mini-hotels. Therefore, in addition to standard equipment (individual lockers, hangers, sockets, bed linen, towels and dishes), it is also important that wireless Wi-Fi is available.

Proper advertising will attract new customers to the hostel. Even if many of them do not currently need such services, they will be informed about their availability, which means, if necessary, they will be able to use them.

Alternatively, you can attract the media, but today it is better to order posting advertisements around the city, promoting services on the Internet, placing bright posters with contact information in places where there is a large concentration/traffic of potential clients.

If you live in one of the resort towns, it would be useful to establish contacts with travel agencies that will attract tourists to your establishment, as this is affordable.

If you do not own free real estate, the main expenses will be on its purchase or rental. The most ideal accommodation is in the historical part of the city or near the center.

So, the complete arrangement of one room (4 beds, safe, locker and bedside tables, inexpensive wall decoration) will cost you about 50,000 rubles.

The average salary of one administrator is 20,000 rubles (you will have two), and a maid’s salary is up to 10,000 rubles. Furnishing the kitchen will cost 60,000 – 80,000 rubles. Bathroom and shower - within 70,000 - 80,000 rubles. Add to this Wi-Fi and breakfast delivery (at the request of clients).

Taking into account the fact that in the rented premises you will have approximately 4-5 rooms, two administrators and two maids, one kitchen and two or three bathrooms and a shower, Wi-Fi connection, then it will cost you about 500,000 rubles.

Also today, many properties enter into contracts with a security service, because there are very different people in the rooms. If you live in a tourist city, you can also prepare additional excursion options, a map of local attractions, cycling routes, etc.

Risks

For the first 6 months you don’t have to expect high occupancy. The maximum option is up to 30%. Reason 1: almost no one knows about you and there are few reviews. Reason 2: those who have been to the city more than once try not to change their habits.

If you started a business in a resort town by the sea, lake, or picturesque river, big profits await you in the summer, and the off-season period is characterized by losses. You need to prepare for this in advance.

Tourist flows may fall due to the economic or political situation. No one is immune from this.

How much will you earn?

Now that you know how to open a hostel, you are interested in the possible profit, right? According to the latest statistics, high-quality advertising will allow you to achieve 80% workload at the end of your first year of work. On average, the daily cost of accommodation varies from $20 to $25. In Moscow, St. Petersburg and other big cities it may be higher. So, per month you will receive around $4,000 - $5,000.

Considering that full payback begins at 30% occupancy of the hostel, the remaining 50% will be your net profit. Yes, you will spend on rent, utilities and possible unforeseen expenses, additional services, but you will still remain in the black.

As you can see, to open a hostel, you need to work hard and invest a considerable amount, but all expenses will pay off quickly enough if you run your business correctly, rationally and gradually. In the future, it will be possible to seriously think about opening not just one object, but several at once or even an entire network. How do you like this idea?

Check out bank offers

RKO in Tochka Bank.

Open an account