How to open a hostel from scratch reviews. How to open a hostel in an apartment. Personnel and equipment - to make the hostel happy

How to open a hostel - a 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 periods: 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, began to gain popularity in Russia over the past 5-7 years.

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

Because a lot of entrepreneurs began to wonder how to open a hostel.

Some of them used this method of budget overnight and appreciated their advantages.

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

While others are experienced entrepreneurs who know how to invest money 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 what scares beginner owners.

In fact, you should not worry.

Yes, registering a business is a long and nervous 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's idea.

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

or LLC;
certificate of tax registration;
document confirming the ownership of the premises;
hostel work permits 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 may “grow” with additional securities, depending on the current requirements of the legislation on business.

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

It is better to be 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 a demand is not enough to organize a business.

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

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

Now the country has more than 5,000 hostels and institutions of a similar format.

Their number over the past 2 years has doubled, which indicates the accelerated pace of development of the niche 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 have to "fight" with competitors.

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

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

This type of business is beneficial for entrepreneurs thanks to a relatively modest capital investment and quick payback.

What are the risks of having an idea to open a hostel?

Such an idea as opening a hostel in Moscow or in St. Petersburg has risks not only because of high competition ...

Any mini-hotel may be faced with circumstances that could ruin the business.

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

Risk	What is dangerous for business?	How to avoid?
All kinds of emergency in the hostel	A state of emergency may harm the property of the hostel or its residents. In extreme cases, lead to a suspension of work.	The property of the hostel needs to be insured. Employees should be trained in emergency situations. It is important to equip the room with fire extinguishing systems.
Seasonal fluctuations in demand	The income and profitability of the business are falling.	It is important to be able to interest the hostel's client during a recession. Think over an advertising campaign, enter special offers.
Bad hostel location	Audience coverage is falling. Together with it - the profitability of the hostel.	The problem needs to be “chopped in the bud” even before the hostel opens. Pay attention to a preliminary analysis of the location. Rate its promise.
Low qualification of employees	Loss of customers, the emergence of conflict situations.	Take people to work in person. Do not save on training for the hostel workers.

How to open your hostel and promote it: advertising methods

It’s important to understand not only how to open your hostel by 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 tune in to the fact that high-quality cheap advertising does not exist.

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

Consider the 3 main channels for promoting hostel services:

Website and hostel promotion on the Internet.

Modern business cannot do without its own website.

Do not skimp 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 gives noticeable.

Another important element of the marketing policy of modern business.

Most of the hostel's visitors are students, youth, budget tourists.

They are attracted not just by the opportunity to spend the night, but by the spirit that prevails 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 in which you want to plunge.

Hotel and hostel reservation sites.

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

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

Just listen to this figure!

But the registration process is simple and usually free.

How to choose a building to open a hostel?

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

There are three main types:

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

In Russia, such a format is not in demand due to lack of demand and a 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, it is necessary to work on concluding agreements with firms that can hold seminars or conferences.

Hostel with an average capacity (30-50 guests).

The most sought after. For their organization usually buy 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 hostel's mini-format is chosen by those who like to relax in a cozy home environment.

This option requires the least investment, but also pays off over the long term.

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

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

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

Hostel as a business: necessary equipment

Those who have repeatedly stayed in hostels are well aware of what they are worth equipping.

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

Equipment	Description	Cost (in rubles)
Furniture	Typically, hostels buy wooden furniture. From the basic, you will need: a sliding wardrobe in the hallway, a large shelf for shoes, beds and bedside tables in bedrooms, a table and chairs in the kitchen, sofas and armchairs in the lounge.	100 000
Appliances at 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, left-luggage office 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 the hostel, 3 sets of bed linen are useful. You will quickly be convinced that such a supply is justified. A sign of good taste is the delivery of towels and disposable slippers to customers.	80 000
Creating comfort	As already mentioned, a hostel is not just a “rooming house”. This is an entourage place, which for many is associated with a special setting. A good hostel has its own distinctive style, which create interior details. It can be interesting pillows, panels, a rack with books, special lamps.	30 000

Schedule how to open a hostel from scratch

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

It will allow you to track whether all stages of the organization are on schedule.

Stages of opening a hostel	1 month	2 month	3 month
Registration of IP or LLC
Marketing research
Conclusion of a lease
Repair and redevelopment in the 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 a hostel
Interior decoration
Getting started hostel

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

Staff 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 knowledge of foreign languages.

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

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

To avoid problems, conclude an agreement with periodic cleaning.

Also, do not forget about washing, and conclude an agreement with a dry cleaning service for this service.

How much does it cost to open a hostel?

“The most serious risk in business worldwide 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 hostel

We must not forget that a business needs not only starting investments.

For the hostel to work, you need to invest a certain amount monthly.

Payback periods and profitability of a 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’s work and low season, such an indicator is impossible to achieve.

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

With such an 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 of budget rest, but not poor.

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

Stay tuned for details at the hostel.

Many stay in a hostel for the sake of experience.

Design your own hostel style.

This may be the theme of the Soviet Union or psychedelic creative space.

Many guests are tourists.

Enter additional services at the hostel: guided tours, 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 obtaining consent from sponsors is easier.

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

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The hotel business is profitable and promising, but entering it is quite difficult. This is due to the high cost of arranging and maintaining a full-fledged hotel. But there is an alternative - to create a hostel. This does not require large investments, especially if you already have an apartment. Let's figure it outand what is needed for this.

Basic concepts

A hostel is essentially a hostel. Guests here are not located in separate rooms, but in a common room, and payment is per place, not per room. Usually the hostel's amenities are general: there is a small kitchen for cooking, a bathroom and a shower. This is a very convenient option for large groups of tourists and for young people.

The hostel is a kind of hostel for large companies

The hostel has a short stay and is designed for students, schoolchildren and middle-aged people. This is a great option to save - on average, one place costs 300-500 rubles, while hotel rooms start at 2-3 thousand.

Advantages

Hostels appeared in Russia just a few years ago and quickly became popular. They were appreciated by travelers who do not like to spend a lot of money just to spend the night in a new city. The advantages of a hostel as a business include:

A small amount needed to start.
Low utility costs and taxes.
The ever-growing popularity of this type of housing.

The easiest way is to organize a hostel in an existing apartment. You do not need a lot of money to equip it - a standard redecoration will be enough. Buy bunk beds, appliances and furniture - you don’t need anything else.

How to open?

In order to legally formalize the opening and start working, it is necessary to open an IP. The easiest way to work on UTII.

Note:in order to open in the hostel, you need to withdraw the apartment from the housing stock. To build a separate housing in most cases is impractical - it is better to just buy real estate.

The withdrawal of an apartment from the housing stock is based on the following documents:

A statement written by the property owner.
A document confirming ownership of the apartment.
House plan.
Technical passport, apartment plan.
The finished project for redevelopment.

The hostel has a fun and friendly atmosphere.

It may take a lot of time to complete these documents - you will have time to make repairs in the room. Be sure to makehostel business plan with calculations and clearly stick to the amounts indicated.

Place selection

To open a business, it is very important to choose a good place. You should be interested in either the areas of train stations and business centers, or the city center. That is, those places in which there is a high cross of tourists and business travelers.

Note:you must first study the issue of real estate prices - it is quite possible that acquiring an apartment in the city center will be an impossible task for you. In this case, it is better to locate the hostel in a residential area with good transport interchange.

Requirements

Russian law strictly regulates the process of creating “hotel rooms”. So, per visitor should have at least 5 square meters. m. of living space, and the distance between the beds should be more than 75 cm. Practice shows that in a standard treshka you can place 9-10 beds.

Also in the room should be:

Two or more shells.
Shower stall.
The bathroom.
Hot water (boiler).
Durable and comfortable furniture.
Free wifi.

How to open in an apartment

How to open a hostel in an apartment? Very simple. For this, you will not need additional costs for hotel licenses or transfer of real estate to non-residential fund. The fact is that officially the concept of “hostel” is absent in the legislation. Moreover, laws allow the use of apartments for commercial temporary residence of citizens. That is, you can well use the apartment to create a kind of hotel complex - this is completely legal. The main thing is to observe several conditions:

The hostel should not be located in the basement or basement.
For 15 people there should be one shower cubicle, for 6 - one sink, for 12 - one toilet bowl.
The berth should not be less than 1.9 * 0.8m (bunk beds can be used to save).

When opening a hostel, do not try to force everything into beds - guests should be comfortable

From optional but preferred conditions:

The presence of high-speed Wi-Fi. It is the Internet that can be decisive when a visitor chooses a place to live.
Good degree of sound insulation. The less you interfere with your neighbors, the less likely they will complain about your business. Therefore, take care of soundproofing the walls, installing quality windows and doors.
The presence of a split system. This is the standard for hostels. It should be comfortable, and air conditioning provides comfort in the summer.
The presence of a common lounge and kitchenette. These premises will significantly expand the number of your customers. People like to relax in the evening watching TV or cook a simple breakfast in the morning.

Note:be sure to consider storing valuable items. You may need to put several safes or organize a kind of left-luggage office.

Pay special attention to furniture: it should be as strong as possible, simple and reliable.

Opening in non-residential premises

If you got a non-residential premises, then expenses are guaranteed to increase. Everything rests on paperwork: you have to get permission from the SES and firefighters, draw up various design statements and approvals. We recommend that you apply with registration questions to the services of intermediaries - they will do everything quickly and relatively inexpensively. If you do this yourself, then you can spend more than one month of time.

How profitable is it

So you already knowNow let's see if it is profitable. Renting a standard two-room or three-room apartment for a long period will bring you 20-40 thousand rubles a month. If you place a hostel for 6-10 people in this room and take the daily payment from customers, you can easily reach 90-100 thousand per month. Plus - the provision of additional services in the form of breakfast, coffee, pastries, transfers, consultations and other things. That is, the profitability of the hostel will be about 15%.

In general, the creation of such a hotel business is more profitable than simply renting an apartment, but more time consuming. It should be understood that the hostel will be beneficial only in cities with high tourist traffic: you need to go at least 50-70% load daily. If you live in a depressed city, in which almost no one comes, then the discovery may be unprofitable. However, you will not lose much - real estate will still remain in price, and new repairs will increase its market value.

The average payback period for investments in a hostel is about 6 years (taking into account the purchase of the apartment, and not its availability). If your apartment, then in most cases the invested money will be repulsed after 3-4 months.

If the size of the room allows, then equip more expensive rooms for two

Prospects

Many conservative people believe that hostels have no future and will die out, being crowded out by hotels. But this is not so. The hostel is its own philosophy. More and more people refuse traditional hotels because of their high cost and ossification. Indeed, if you spend all day at work or sightseeing, then why do you need a luxurious room with three meals a day? You only need a place to come in the evening, take a shower and spend the night. Many institutions of this type offer an alternative: either one large room with 6-8 beds, or one with 2-3. Living in the first is cheaper, in the second - more comfortable. Hostels are ideal for those who do not like to overpay. They are often used by students, young couples, groups traveling in 4-6 people (you can buy a small hostel entirely).Hostel as a business definitely promising. Especially if you approach its creation with a soul, creating a unique design and style of housing. Keep clean and timely repair of equipment, do not skimp on toiletries, be polite with customers - and your business will receive many positive reviews and bring good profit.

How to advertise

For advertising, you can use traditional methods (media, outdoor) and modern (Internet). It would be more correct to combine these two methods. Order in your city advertising flyers and several banners, distribute and hang them near train stations, tourist places, offices. In parallel, create a website on the Internet with a detailed description of your services and photos of rooms. Indicate all the details: location, services provided, location map. Additionally, register in hotel reservation systems such as Booking, Travel, Oktogo and others. Remember that most rooms are now booked via the Internet - people choose interesting options without leaving their home and pay for them through a card. Perhaps you will be able to agree on cooperation with travel agencies that organize tours to your city. This is ideal - although you will earn a little less from the client (you will have to share with the agency), but you will have a constant flow of customers.

The presence of a kitchen and household appliances in the hostel will significantly expand the number of customers

Possible problems

What are the pitfalls can meet you on the way? If you open in a residential building, then the neighbors will become a problem. Not everyone likes the fact that new people are constantly walking along the landing, and some will simply envy your business and periodically write complaints to various authorities. Promise your neighbors various preferences from your undertaking: regularly wash the stairwells, repair the staircase, change the light bulbs, etc. It will be beneficial for you, because even if you have beautiful rooms, and there is always a lot of dirt in the stairwell, tourists just won’t come next time. If your apartment is located on the ground floor, you can organize a separate entrance, additionally attaching a porch and a place for the administrator. And do not save on noise insulation.

In contact with

Now there are many sources of income, if we consider the option of working for someone. But many do not like this idea, people want to open their own business, try themselves in the role of manager or manager. There are more than enough ideas to start 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, which can bring dizzying profits, but for this, of course, you should first try.

First you need to analyze the general situation of profitability of such institutions not only in the country, but also in the city.

First of all, you need to consider the following: to open a hostel is much more profitable than a hotel. Not so much profitable as much safer and less risky. The cost of the hostel is relatively small, for the purchase of premises under the hostel you do not need bank loans. And also such an acquisition quickly pays off 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 adapted for living and just become its owner, in order to make profit with the help of calculations and calculations, and, of course, to proudly bear the title of hostel manager. Someone prefers to this option the acquisition of a ready-made framework.

In order to open such an institution, you need to draw up a lot of documentation, write a single application and survive the paperwork. So, in order to open a hostel from scratch, the following is required documentation:

license - paper that is needed to open any public institution. Today, there are quite a few opportunities to buy a hostel franchise. That is, to acquire a building that is built in strict accordance with the rules of the network of such institutions;
permits of the sanitary-epidemiological service - this also cannot be done;
it is also important to obtain permission from the fire department.

After you collect all the necessary papers, you will need to be registered with the tax office in order to formalize the activities of the entrepreneur or to certify yourself as a separate legal entity. Those who already own such a small business assure that no bribes are needed, there is no deception. It is beneficial for the state to open such establishments, because this to some extent increases the number of tourists and visitors to the city.

Hostel room

So, 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 to arrange a hostel in a non-residential premises is not an option. Otherwise, the amount of repair will significantly exceed the cost of the building itself. Be sure to consider a few suggested options, and if none of the buildings you saw were comfortable with you, look for more. In large-scale cities and regions, finding such a building is not entirely easy, but quite possible.

Be sure to pay attention to how radically it will be necessary to convert the building into a hostel. People who have succeeded in managing hostels say that they initially bought just commercial real estate, which was low in price because they simply wanted to sell it.

By the way, there are hostel room requirementsto be followed when creating and equipping rooms. The minimum area per person is five square meters, the bed should have a size of at least 80 by 190 centimeters, and the distance between the beds should be at least 75 centimeters. One toilet can serve a maximum of twelve people, and a shower room for fifteen. The sink can be one for six clients.

How much does it cost to open a hostel?

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

Try to maximize your steps forward. Difficulties with finances can become a significant obstacle to the creation of a small business of this type. Re-equipment, repair work, front works and so on - all this requires money. Therefore, the calculation "the building will cost such a price, but all together ten to twenty thousand more expensive" - \u200b\u200bis wrong! In addition, cleanliness and order will need to be constantly maintained, and the payback of the hostel, although quite fast, but not instant, is by no means.

Staff search - a separate topic. Choose only really experienced and well-trained people in this field, it is better not to take newcomers at the start of a business. Even if inexperienced people agree to receive very small wages, still give preference to those who know how to work, although they ask for more money.

Talk about numbers

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

Buying a franchise is to some extent more profitable, especially if the institution, which is the basis of the franchise, is quite popular. If you purchase a franchising unit, you will be relieved of the obligation to search for a suitable building and create a hostel concept. The main task will be marketing, that is, advertising. You also have the choice of staff and the 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 entrepreneurial estate, so they start a business business from scratch.

Hostel promotion

In order for your institution to quickly become popular, advertising is needed. There is no point in waiting for the hostel to unwind on its own, because no matter how wonderful the conditions you offer, the information does not always spread quickly. Therefore, you need to act.

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

2. Register your hostel in the most popular social networks, add friends, offer services with prices (if they are pleasant enough) and a list of amenities. This also works well. In the place reserved for filling in the information data, indicate the coordinates of the institution and your contacts. The Internet is very, very wide, for young people today the World Wide Web has become the main source of information. Therefore, place ads on sites and pages, create a separate site for your hostel, indicate the maximum information there, upload as many photos as possible.

3. Specialized schools, clubs and basketball teams are also worth considering. Organize advertising for them too. And let there be special bonuses for managers, this will play in your favor.

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

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

6. Corporate clients are the heads of various firms and enterprises. Offer them your services, let subordinates know about it. Distribute business cards generously and do not be greedy for voice advertising - talk about the establishment non-stop.

Advertise the place endlessly. You can hire promoters to distribute leaflets. You can think of many more ways to promote a hostel, from small ones to large-scale marketing projects.

Highlight general hostel management rules.

How to manage a hostel in order not only not to go bankrupt, but also soon to start making a net profit. We offer some simple but very effective rules.

Open a hostel - no problem! Not so difficult, if you look in more detail.

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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 hostel, where workers or students are accommodated (although they happen to also use the services of modern hostels), but a private one for everyone. This is a dwelling where not a room is rented, but a bed: a few beds for residents are arranged in the living quarters, and the toilet and the bathroom (or shower) are common for everyone.

Hostels are of little use for a long comfortable stay, but they have one undoubted advantage - cheapness. A berth 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);
part-time students who come to take exams during the session;
employees of organizations on short-term business trips.

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

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

Hostels are now becoming more popular. They can be found in almost every city. At the same time, Moscow is the center of Russia, the focus of places of study, work, business activity (and tourists in the capital will always find where to go and what to see). That’s why the question is how to open a hostelis especially relevant in Moscow. Accordingly, we will be guided mainly by the Moscow standards - 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 in faith);
public or non-public joint-stock company.

In relation to a hostel, it is most convenient to register as an IP or open your own LLC. The latter is even preferable: in the event 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 on hand, a certified copy of the charter is in the folder, the seal is ordered and received. What will be needed next?

First of all, you need a living room, which will host the hostel. The following options are possible here:

Do not know your rights?

Build a building from scratch. This is the most expensive option, but the most promising one in terms of business: you can initially plan the layout of a hostel, place living rooms, showers, toilets and more, 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.
To purchase non-residential premises and after major repairs to remodel it suitable for temporary residence. This option will also require considerable expenses and approvals.
Use existing apartments. This method is now spreading more and more.

In the event that the hostel opens on the basis of the apartment, it will be necessary to somehow legalize its status for use in entrepreneurial activity. The simplest thing here is the IP: if the housing already belongs to the entrepreneur, he is legally entitled to use it for entrepreneurial activity, so no transfer to a non-residential fund or something 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 (having issued this, 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, because from the point of view of the law they are completely different persons).

Coordination and agreements 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 supervisory authorities and conclude a number of agreements.

The necessary minimum by agreement is:

The 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 undergoing repairs and the load on the power supply network increased: the slightest short circuit or heating of the wiring may well lead to a fire.
The permission of the sanitary service of Rospotrebnadzor (previously called SES). The sanitary condition of the hostel's premises must comply with current standards.

Also deciding how to open a hostelwill have to negotiate with other organizations. For example, you will have to conclude a separate garbage collection agreement (MSW). Typically, such agreements are concluded with residents, but since the apartment will be used as a commercial hostel without permanent residents, the amount of solid waste will increase significantly.

It is 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 a contract with the provider.

Hostel Regulatory Requirements

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

To comply with this GOST hostel you will need:

not less than 4 square meters m of living space per 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 high 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 is also a common area for rest, meals, reception. Its absence is permissible only if the hostel has its own cafeteria or there are catering facilities within walking distance.

GOST introduces standards for towels and bed linen: their change for residents should be carried out at least 1 time in 5 days. However, this rule only applies if the owner of the hostel provides bed linen and towels to the residents without fail. The fact is that in this respect GOST is similar to railway standards regarding reserved seats, where you can not pay for a bed and sleep on a bare shelf.

For hostel beds, the rules are as follows:

dimensions - not less than 80 by 190 cm (double beds of 140 by 190 cm in size are also allowed);
the distance between the beds is at least 75 cm.

The bed rests on a mattress with a cover, a pillow and a blanket. Bed linen, as already mentioned, may be included in the price, but may be issued for a fee.

Finally, for each tenant there should be either a bedside table for clothes 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 tenants. In principle, an individual entrepreneur may well be able to do this personally - however, it is unlikely that an entrepreneur will be able to sit in a hostel, taking residents. For a commercial organization, hiring personnel will be mandatory at all.

In practice, the minimum staff for the hostel is the administrator and 1 or 2 maids involved in cleaning the premises. In the event that the hostel provides additional services (food, laundry, etc.), other employees may be required.

An employment contract will be required with each member of the staff (See Sample standard employment contract with an employee 2014-2015 (download form)) In addition, the owner of the hostel is required not only to pay salaries, but also to transfer money to pension and medical funds, as well as comply with labor laws.

This article contains useful information on how to open a hostel, what steps you need to take to do this, how to register such a business with the Federal Tax Service and obtain permission from other authorities. How much money is needed for opening, how much you can earn, and how to organize and promote a business in the market.

The hostel is a new, but rather promising area of \u200b\u200bthe hotel services market. However, no matter how paradoxical this may sound, it is impossible to unequivocally answer the question “Is it profitable to engage in this business?”. After all, it all depends on the region and the scale of the hostel itself - a single or a whole network.

There are several main advantages of the described business:

low threshold for entering the market;
relatively small initial investments and further monthly expenses;
annual growth in hostel popularity;
large target audience.

It should be noted that as of 2016 in the overwhelming majority of Russian regions among hostels is low, and the demand for such services is constantly growing. Therefore, the most active entrepreneurs understand that while the market is not oversaturated with offers, it is necessary to act.

Below will be described all the features of the business and what you need to run it.

The target audience

It is clear that the main income is brought by the hostel's customers. The more of them, the higher the profit. But who are these customers?

The main audience of the hostel, regardless of the region, is tourists with a limited budget and students. The activity of the first is in the spring and summer. While the latter become lodgers during the school year during the sessions. Often during the study period, a hostel is more like a student dormitory than a hotel. And this is a common practice that exists all over the world.

Often, young couples use hostel services. Each family has its own reasons.

A large flow of customers is noted in recreation areas, in the city center, historical centers, as well as in resort towns. The more attractive the settlement for tourists, the more guests the hostel receives. Profitability in this case will be high.

Therefore, the main thing is not only to know your target audience, but also to choose the right location for the institution. This is described in detail below.

How much does it take to open?

At the initial stage, to open a hostel, you will need about 200 thousand rubles. This is the minimum amount for an average institution. What is included in it?

Room Equipment:

bunk beds - from 10 thousand rubles / unit.

Recreation area equipment:

laptop / s - from 20 thousand rubles per 1 piece;
wi-Fi adapter - up to 1 thousand rubles;
internet payment - up to 500 rubles / month;

Kitchen equipment

kitchen set - up to 20 thousand rubles;
refrigerator - up to 18 thousand rubles;
microwave - up to 6 thousand rubles;
coffee maker - up to 5 thousand rubles;
washing machine - up to 12 thousand rubles.

Bathroom equipment

toilet bowls - up to 4 thousand rubles / piece;
washbasins - up to 2 thousand rubles / piece;
shower stall - up to 12 thousand rubles.
turnkey bathroom equipment - up to 40 thousand rubles.

The figures show that the initial budget depends on the number of rooms and equipment. At the same time, one must remember about paying state fees when registering a business, as well as the amount of rent or purchase of premises.

Spent on launching a business 200 thousand rubles. they can return within six months, provided that the hostel is constantly loaded at 35% - 40%, then the breakeven point will reach 70%. But then again, accurate numbers can only be obtained by calculating specific costs and potential profits.

How to register a hostel?

For official registration of the hostel, you can register as an individual entrepreneur or open an LLC. The best option would be IP. The tax system for hostels is UTII.

The most profitable option for opening a hostel will be the purchase of ready-made areas with their further refurbishment. The construction of a new building is extremely expensive, as the full payback of the business will have to wait more than 3-5 years.

Finished areas, in the form of residential apartments, must be removed from the housing stock. To do this, you need the following documentation:

documents confirming ownership;
technical passport of the apartment;
apartment plan;
redevelopment project;
floor plan of the building.

If the mini-hostel will be located in the apartment of a residential building, then one must remember the relevant legal acts and administrative codes. That is, the activity in no way should interfere and cause discomfort to other residents of the house.

Hostel Location

To get a good and constant flow of customers, the hostel should be located near the station or in the city center. But it is worth considering that real estate in such places is expensive. Therefore, it is sometimes expensive to maintain an inexpensive hostel in the center. It is optimal to choose a sleeping area within the city with a developed transport connection.

To determine the location of the institution, you need to study the tourist routes of the city. The closer the hostel is to them, the greater the flow of customers.

As for real estate, sometimes entrepreneurs buy out buildings for demolition. However, most often they are in disrepair and repairs will result in a large amount. And this is again unreasonable costs that will pay off for a long time.

The hostel can also be opened in the former dormitory building. However, the profit here will directly depend on the rent. Therefore, this is not always beneficial.

The most profitable option is to open a hostel in a 3-room apartment. It can easily organize up to 9 beds.

The following requirements apply to hostels in an apartment:

There should be at least 5 square meters per client. m. of living space.
The distance between the beds is from 75 cm.
The presence of hot water and the necessary bathroom equipment.
Free internet using Wi-Fi technology.
Comfortable and functional furniture.
Equipped with all necessary appliances kitchen.
The presence of a landline telephone.

Hostel in non-residential premises

The hostel can also be opened in a non-residential premises. If for example, it was decided to place the institution in the city center, but there are no residential buildings for rent. But for this, all actions will have to be documented. In particular, this applies to redevelopment of premises, construction, repair and other works.

For non-residential premises it is necessary to create a project with all statements, TSN, etc. All this must be agreed with the fire inspectorate and SES. Only after obtaining permissions can you start redevelopment and organization of the hostel.

In the case of non-residential premises, it is better to invest in additional services of a designer and constructor. This will help to get rid of a number of difficulties in the design of the hostel.

Basic room requirements

In order not to make problems and not get fines for non-compliance with legal norms, you need to know the basic requirements applicable to the hostel's premises. These include:

It is forbidden to open the hostel in the basement or in the basement.
Compliance with fire and sanitary standards.
The presence of good sound insulation in all residential premises of the hostel.
The presence of air conditioning.
The arrangement of the bathroom should comply with the following standards: 1 toilet for 12 people, 1 shower for 15 people, 1 sink for 6 people.
The size of one berth is 0.8x1.9 meters.
Availability of free internet.
Equipped luggage room for customers' belongings.

You can find out more about the requirements for hostel rooms at the local fire department and SES.

Equipment and furniture

The main furniture for the hostel is bunk beds. In the kitchen you need to put a refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, washing machine and the necessary kitchen set. In the bathroom there should be a shower, toilet and from 2 washbasins (see. "Basic requirements for the room").

In the recreation area, you can place one or more laptops with Internet connection.

Also, before equipping a hostel, it is necessary to carry out repairs (decoration, repair, redevelopment, etc.).

Hostel staff

In order to properly organize the effective work of the hostel and create a favorable environment for customers in the state, you must have the following employees:

Administrator for accommodating clients, organizing guest amenities, receiving calls and monitoring the hostel’s sanitary condition. If the institution will be large with a workload of more than 60%, then it is advisable to hire two administrators.
Accountant for accounting hostel. This specialist can be taken on in order to save on salary.
A maid for cleaning the hostel's premises, disinfecting the bathroom, buying cleaning products, cleaning equipment, etc. Such a specialist also does not need to be hired for a full day - 2-3 hours a day are enough.

Hostel promotion

Local media (TV, newspapers).
Posting ads and distributing leaflets.
Placing signs on the building.
Advertising the hostel over the Internet using its own website and.
Advertising of the hostel on social networks through groups and communities from Central Asia.

It is worth paying attention to the worldwide hostel association - useful contacts in this field of services will not be superfluous and will help bring more customers.

It was already mentioned above that students belong to the target audience. Therefore, advertising should be placed next to educational institutions and in places where students are crowded.

As for tourists, it is desirable to establish mutually beneficial relations with travel agencies. They will lead the bulk of customers.

For effective advertising on the Internet, where the vast majority of customers are located, it is necessary to create an official website with detailed information and add it to the advertising networks Yandex.Direct and Google.AdWords. On social networks, a good return on advertising can be obtained through targeting. More details about all these tools can be found on the official websites of advertising networks.

How much can you earn at a hostel?

This question interests entrepreneurs more than others. After all, any business is launched specifically for profit. And what is its size in the case of a hostel, will be calculated below.

The average price per person per day is about $ 25. In small cities, it may be less, in large more. With a hostel workload of 80%, monthly income will be approximately $ 5,000. Hence, the payback on this amount is 30%, and the profit is 50%. Do not forget about utilities, rent and other obligatory payments.

Possible risks

At the initial stage, the hostel's workload will not exceed 30% - 35%. Therefore, in the first six months you should not count on big profits. It is better to pay more attention to advertising, then all risks will be reduced to a minimum.

In resort cities, you can experience difficulties with the clientele. In spring and summer there will be profit, but in the off-season there is a risk of one loss.

The flow of hostel customers directly depends on the political and economic situation in the country. The worse it is, the lower the influx of tourists and, accordingly, low profits.

The rest is nothing to fear. Especially if the business is clearly thought out, an effective marketing strategy and an adequate pricing policy have been worked out.

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