Business idea: how to open a roadside hotel (motel)? roadside hotel

A roadside hotel can become quite a profitable business if the approach to its organization is correct. You can read about the prospects for the development of this business outside the country, or you can begin to master and ennoble this direction hotel business in the domestic field, since this niche is practically not occupied. Most establishments of this kind are nondescript and have a narrow focus. We can safely say that in this case the demand for good hotels with a decent level of service far exceeds the offer.

The target customers of such hotels are tourists, travelers and drivers of various vehicles. The location of roadside hotels is very convenient. They are located on highways or major highways, that is, in the area where the infrastructure as such is completely absent. Often these hotels are located at the entrance to settlements different meanings to ensure more possibilities for quality service.

The features that are inherent in roadside hotels include those described below.

The size of such hotels is not large, since it is difficult to predict the influx of visitors. The construction of large-scale complexes can be extremely unprofitable, although there are exceptions. For hotels of this type, due to the absence of other establishments in relative proximity, the presence of organized catering is typical, at least at the level of fast food. In most cases, there is also an improved parking space, since a significant part of the customers are their owners.

The windows of roadside hotels most often overlook the road and are a kind of observation point for their own vehicle. Not infrequently, such hotels are opened near traffic police posts, guaranteeing travelers not only comfort, but also a sense of security.

In roadside hotels, guests can check in at any time of the day and most often these are night hours, so it is desirable that each room is equipped with a separate entrance. Such a solution will ensure proper peace for all guests. In this case, the list of services is strictly limited, since the cost of living cannot be high.

Hotels of this type are characterized by modest furniture sets and lack of additional service, because it is simply not relevant for institutions of this kind. More advantages are given by the location of the hotel near gas stations or cafes.

The quality of roadside service is constantly improving and today we can say that it fully meets the needs of the population in terms of recreation.

Have you decided to start your own hotel business? This is a fairly promising and profitable business, which, with the right organization, will quickly pay off. The main thing is to choose a place where to open a hotel and advertise it correctly. The best option for beginners, this is a classic mini-hotel with 10-15 rooms. It is not difficult to open it, and with the right approach, it brings profit no less than a traditional hotel.

Studying the market

Thinking about how to open a mini hotel? First of all, study the existing market. Where should you open a hotel? where it will be in demand. This resort towns, major metropolitan areas, popular tourist settlements. Think about who will be staying in your rooms. Students and young people usually choose hostels - they are satisfied low price and common rooms.

A mini-hotel is an ideal choice for a novice entrepreneur

Mini-hotels are used by people aged 23 to 65 who prefer to live in a separate room. Mini-hotels are also popular with couples, couples with children and business travelers. Think about which one target audience can become your client.

Note: make a portrait of your consumer, having calculated his age, income level, the services he needs. Based on this, you will be able to build a future hotel promotion strategy.

Then do competitor analysis. Your city probably already has hotels and mini-hotels, since this business brings good money. Find out what room stock they offer, what price range and what Additional services. Find out about room occupancy, opening hours, etc.

Then find the market leaders. It is they who set the tone for the entire hotel business in the city, shape the habits of guests and probably know how to dump. You will need to adjust to the leaders, while offering your visitors more Better conditions for less money. Or at least the same conditions.

What format to open

If you do not have serious experience in the hotel business and a huge start-up capital, then the easiest way is to open in the mini-hotel format. This is a small hotel, which consists of a maximum of 30 rooms. Similar mini-hotels are located near the main key infrastructure facilities:

bus stations;
railway stations;
metro stations;
road junctions;
downtown;
close to popular attractions;
near gas stations or along highways.

A mini-hotel can be built or rented

A mini-hotel implies the presence of a shared kitchen and microwave in each room, several showers and bathrooms. In some cases, showers can be installed right in the rooms. A prerequisite for today is the availability of a high-speed Wi-Fi Internet. It would also be useful to have a convenient parking nearby, but this is an optional option.

Production plan

Let's look at what it takes to open a hotel with 20 rooms. This is a classic size for a mini-hotel. The numbers should be divided as follows:

3 deluxe rooms. Here it is necessary to make high-quality repairs, equip your own bathrooms, install all the necessary furniture in the rooms and household appliances, create kitchenettes.
13 rooms under classic double rooms. Moreover, make 7 rooms with two single beds, 6 with double beds.
Allocate 4 rooms for single rooms.

Read also: How to open your bar from scratch: a business plan

You will also need to equip a full-fledged kitchen for cooking, supplying it with utensils and household appliances, as well as create a comfortable bathroom for several people. In addition, the mini-hotel should have a reception desk with an administrator, technical rooms for storing washing supplies and linen, a boiler room and a separate room for washing and ironing.

Furniture in the hotel should not be chosen the cheapest. It is advisable to install beds with metal frames, wardrobes with strong doors on several hinges, cover the floor with industrial linoleum or “office” laminate.

Additionally, the mini-hotel can be equipped with a small bar and a gym. This will allow you to significantly expand your reach of customers and bring in additional funds.

Financial plan

There are two options for the development of events:

Find a suitable size room and rent it.
Build a hotel from scratch.

Of course, the first option will require less initial costs, but you will give a solid amount every month, reducing your own income. The second option will require serious investments, but in the end you will have your own building in convenient location, which can later be sold or rented out if you get tired of doing business.

Building your own building takes about two years. The expected investment amounts are as follows:

Obtaining permits, research and design work- 1 million rubles.
Construction of the building, finishing - 10 million rubles.
Landscaping of the surrounding area, creation of own parking - 1 million rubles.
Purchase of furniture and equipment - 5 million rubles.
Other expenses - 1 million rubles.

In total, building your own facility will cost you about 18 million rubles.

A year of hotel operation costs about 4.5 million rubles, of which:

Taxes, wages - 2.5 million.
Utilities, operating expenses, purchase of linen, washing supplies, etc. - 1.5 million.
Other expenses - 0.5 million.

The expected profit from the hotel is about 7.5 million rubles. Rooms with an average cost of 1000 rubles per day will bring you: 1000 * 20 * 30 = 600,000 per month or 7,200,000 per year when fully loaded (in practice, this figure is 10% less, since it is not possible to ensure 100% occupancy of rooms all year round quite simple). With the right organization, you will receive 6,500,000 million from the rooms and about a million more rubles from the bar - gym. Net profit will be 7,500,000 - 4,500,000 = 3,000,000 rubles per year.

Note: not included in our 3 million rent for the building. If you build your own, then these 3 million will be your net profit. If you rent it, then about 1.5-2 million more will need to be paid for rent.

It turns out that building a hotel from scratch will pay off in 5-6 years. A rental building with an income of 1 million a year will pay off in 5 years. Therefore, building your own is much more profitable. Or look for options with a mortgage - it is better to pay off the debt for your building than just give money for rent.

In a mini-hotel, the administrator can act as a security guard

Work organization

Do you want to learn how to open a hotel from scratch? The first thing you should do is register. We recommend that you form an LLC and work according to a simplified taxation scheme. You can, of course, make an IP, but in this case you risk more serious fines and liability.

Russians complain that roadside service in Russia leaves much to be desired. Compared to the West, Russia lags far behind. In many regions of our country, there is no roadside service at all. Mostly people who often travel around the country sleep in their own vehicles. Of course, you want to stay at a roadside hotel (motel) during an exhausting journey and have a good rest. Therefore, if you are looking for a business where there is no competition, then roadside hotels are the best option for you. So, a motel is a small hotel, which is located in close proximity to the highway. An integral element of the motel is the presence of parking for cars. After all, car owners will be able to see their cars, so they will be much calmer. Motel rooms should be kept to a minimum. Therefore, to open a hotel you do not need too much money. As a rule, motels offer travelers a limited range of services. Therefore, the prices in motels are appropriate. According to unofficial data, there are about 2,000 motels in our country. But in the US, their number has exceeded 40,000 motels. As you can see, we are far behind the West.

How to open a motel?

This business begins with the search for a suitable location for the hotel. First of all, when choosing a location, one should focus on international routes, where there is a high transport traffic. It is desirable that there are cafes or supermarkets near your motel. When opening a motel, there are a number of serious restrictions and requirements to consider. For this business, the most effective type of advertising is an advertising sign. Drivers must see it from a distance. The motel should be distinguished by a convenient exit from the side of the highway and its own parking. In order for your motel to operate legally, you will need to obtain a lot of certifications and documentation. For a motel, an L-shaped or rectangular structure is suitable. Please note that rooms must face the street. This is the most basic condition for a motel. What should be in the motel rooms? Shower, bed, TV, several bedside tables. The motel does not need expensive repairs. The most important thing is that everything is clean, convenient and comfortable. As for additional profit, you can install a mobile payment terminal next to the motel. Customers will be satisfied, and you will provide yourself with additional profit. The motel can be designed for a specific theme. For example, in the USA there are motels that are made in the theme of a star spaceship, the wild west, and so on. Of course, the design of the motel plays an important role and can become a real attraction among travelers. Particular attention should be paid to the roadside sign, it should inform the driver in advance about the approach to your hotel. A sign for a motel should be large and spectacular. At the same time, it should be made on neon lights so that drivers can see it well in the evening and at night.

IN Lately publications began to appear on the roadside restaurant business. Much of the credit for this belongs to the publisher. But there are still very few materials about the features and problems of hotel enterprises operating on highways. This article aims to at least partially fill the gap.

My knowledge of the specifics of the industry comes from not only professional activities (we own and operate several roadside hotels in different price segments on the M-7 Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod), but also from personal experience: I travel quite a lot in Russia by car and have seen dozens of various establishments of this format.

On this moment in Russia there are very few high-quality hotels on highways - clean, tidy, with friendly service. The shortcomings of domestic hotels are especially noticeable in comparison with similar facilities in European countries. However, during peak seasons (usually the summer months), it is often impossible to get a room without a prior reservation, even in the most mediocre motels. These observations quite eloquently testify to the lack of competition, which means that the market in question is still far from being saturated.

Target guest groups

Of course, each direction has its own characteristics, including the specifics of the audience. We work on one of the busiest and at the same time heterogeneous highways, which provides our hotels with several categories of guests at once.

1. Truckers

For the hotel business, unlike the roadside catering industry, truckers are not the most “tasty” target group, despite its mass character. Most members of this profession are very limited in the budget allocated for the trip, so they usually spend the night in the cab of their car. Everything is quite logical: the more money you save on a trip, the more you can bring home.

Some truckers are not ready to sacrifice their comfort so much, however, they also prefer the most budget options lodging for the night: they rent not a whole room, but the most affordable sleeping area in the common room. This format of accommodation is more typical for a hostel than for a "classic" hotel.

However, there is an advantage in serving this category of guests: truckers actually live on the road, so they are in great need of additional household services such as laundry, ironing, showering. If you properly organize the space on the territory of the hotel, then by providing these services, you can significantly increase revenue. In addition, it is still very risky to spend the night on highways with expensive cargo, so the demand for paid guarded parking also remains stably high.

2. Business travelers

The large number of this segment of guests was a pleasant surprise for us. The fact is that in relative proximity to our hotels there are several large manufacturing enterprises, where business travelers from other cities and even countries regularly come. Of course, they need somewhere to stop. A couple of years ago, Germans lived in our hotel for three months, setting up equipment at one of the local factories. The record holders in terms of the number of days of stay were employees of a road repair company who reconstructed a large section of the route: the company paid for their accommodation for more than six months. At all average term The stay of business travelers is very difficult to establish, since it can vary from a couple of days to several months, depending on the scale and duration of the project for which specialists were involved.

3. Guests coming to relax for the weekend

This audience is very important developed infrastructure for leisure activities - the presence of a bath, pool, billiards, etc. Therefore, those who expect to attract this segment of guests should be given Special attention expanding the list of entertainment offered.

4. Tourists

Most often, roadside hotels manage to attract transit tourists, that is, those travelers who have covered only part of the planned route and need comfortable place for sleep. Such guests, as a rule, arrive late in the evening and set off again early in the morning. The main priorities for them are comfort and amenities in the room, a quiet and peaceful environment, as well as the ability to leave the car in safe place. In addition, they really like it when they are offered a free breakfast in the morning.

5. "Sweet" couples

Finally, another rather large group of visitors, without mentioning which my story would be incomplete, are single drivers who stop at hotels to pass the time with a companion, usually from local girls of easy virtue. Although we do not welcome this kind of leisure in our hotels, it is quite difficult to prevent it, while remaining polite and hospitable. After all, we are not going to ask each couple who they are to each other. To minimize the flow of this category of visitors, we have completely abandoned hourly pay rooms and we are very careful to ensure that representatives of the most ancient profession do not look for clients near our establishments.

Roadside hotel segments

Most roadside hotels in our country can be divided into three main categories:

Economy segment

Economy hotels on highways most often offer small rooms with amenities on the floor. Such hotels are most in demand among truckers and business travelers from small companies with a limited budget.