Экономические науки/ 6. Маркетинг и менеджмент

Ассистент Степанов Илья Владимирович

Ассистент кафедры «Туризм», Институт Туризма и Гостеприимства, филиал Российского Государственного Университета Туризма и Сервиса

Concept-hotels, new view on the hospitality

Hotel sector of real estate is one of the most developing segments of real estate market of any country of the world, and hotel business is one of the most prospect branches of business activity which exists today.

Each person is a consumer buying definite set of products and services every day. At the same time he chooses things necessary to him followed by those reasons known to him alone and he buys spontaneously and rashly only 10% of his purchases. Choosing product (service) the consumer gives his preference to those which meet his requirements. Such consumer has his definite view of producer and its proposals; he has his own opinion about its superiority in front of other similar products (services). Such consumer’s view can be formed spontaneously then it is obviously not favorable for the company. It is better for the company to think about its image beforehand and to create general belief about prestige of its products (services). It is achieved by way of development and correct realization of promotion policy for the products (services) and communicational policy of the company.

Today in Moscow it is observed a positive dynamics of foreign tourists flow. As a result hotel market is one of the most developing and at the same time it is not enough studied.

Today on the hotel market of Moscow the demand is outgrowing supply, buyers over. It is not only as the result of growing demands in hotel service but also due to decrease of hotel room capacity.

Quantity of rooms in metropolitan hotels has been reducing first of all due to replanning and reprofiling of acting hotel enterprises and on the second place due to their closing.

It is very important to note that concept hotels become popular all over the world. In Moscow rich in cultural and historical sights we have all conditions to open concept hotels, but this place is not enough studied by Russian consumers because hotel services consumer is not well-informed about concept-hotels. Consumer doesn’t know special features and peculiarities of concept hotels and their range.

New view on the development of hotel business.

Onrush of hotel and restaurant business in connection with “museum boom” and thirst for new non-standard decisions give work to many famous western architects. Especially we may observe this thirst from designers’ creative work naturally included in cultural and artistic context of the present, even on the level of private ideas and business, which is more typically expressed in the creation of boutiques, hotels and restaurants.

Owners of “concept” hotel net, victualler, fashion businessmen, famous modelers and artists together with well-bred and young designers and architects create unique interior objects.

The main thing is a correct concept with unique and bright image which becomes a symbol and guarantees recognition of the brand and guarantee of definite level of prestige.

Concept hotels are the one which attract famous designers for their creation and the design of each room is unique at that the design is made by the same person who made interior façade. A popular design-hotel Delano in Miami, for instance, was projected by Philip Stark. The place of concept-hotel in Russia is absolutely free; however building of such hotel is a very courageous project because there are a lot of rich hotels in Moscow.

Boutique-hotel is a historic building in historic center of the city, not far from cultural and historic and business sights of the city; it is inner design in fashion, fusion or hi-tech design.

The aim of creation of boutique-hotels is to let the guests feel comfortable themselves as they are at home on the one hand but at that time let them feel that nothing reminds them about home because hotel should arouse another impression and feelings through the atmosphere, service, design and something else intangible and unpredictable things specially created for the guest.

Art-hotels are like theatres or museums. It is historical or newly-built building in modern style with obligatory styling to medieval castle or Opera of those past times. Such hotel creates an atmosphere of tour into the past without losing connection to the present.

Concept art’otel belongs to Dirk Gadeke, a patron and collector.

Design-hotels are a fantasy of designers. They are made in modern or hi-tech style; they are built and decorated by one designer in one style and tendency. They represent an atmosphere of extravagance, novelty to the guest showing the beauty of designer’s thoughts. The main idea of design hotels is a masterpiece which is created to be amused and captured by visitors.

It is not possible to forget such hotels, they are remembered forever and people return in them several times.

There are not any featureless hotels among them and they are not the same. Everyone who wants to spend unforgettable weekend in the place of his dreams, to make a business trip or to go shopping and everyone who wants something unusual and special can find his design-hotel.

Concept-hotels are not a mere sale of a room, high quality service and additional services but first of all this is a sale of definite atmosphere and good spirit. This is a main aim which is in front of concept-hotels. Concept-hotels create image, corporate culture and they do their best to be recognizable and simple the same time special and extraordinary.

Methods of promotion of concept-hotel:

Step 1. Who we are?

Positioning by the main categories: product, optional services, personnel, image

USP (unique sale proposal) technique

Step 2. Who our potential customers are?

For those, who can estimate original design, innovative technologies and creativity. The aim of hotel creation plays very important role. The aim of creation of concept-hotels is to let the guests feel comfortable themselves as they are at home on the one hand but at that time let them feel that nothing reminds them about home because hotel should arouse another impression and feelings through the atmosphere, service, design and something else intangible and unpredictable things specially created for the guest. Potential clients of concept-hotels are guests who seek for novelty and individuality of the hotel, its creativity, peculiarities. These are guests tired of monotony and uniformity of net hotels; these are guests who like to live some days in so-called “theatre”. Potential client are creative persons, designers, photographers, modelers etc.

Step 3. Who our competitors are?

Part of the market, what they propose, how they positioning themselves. Matrix of weak and strong points in comparison with competitors.

Competitors of concept-hotels in Russian market of hotel service for the present time are five stars and deluxe hotels. Concept-hotels don’t compete between themselves because they have just started to enter Russian market. There are only two boutique-hotels in Moscow.

Nowadays label “boutique” is often used as a marketing tick. Such companies as Hotels and Starwood holidays and Canadian group Germen are directed to the broad

Segment of De luxe Hotels combines the top of hotel hierarchy amounting to not more then 200 hotels all over the world. Such hotels are situated in the very center of the biggest capitals due to their advantages. The level of service and prices in such hotels are the highest.

Boutique-hotels are actually the same class with De luxe hotels but they are oriented on special type of accommodation and service. Boutique-hotels are situated in historical buildings and they have short quantity of rooms. The main clients of such hotels are wealthy people who like intimate atmosphere. The main differences of boutique-hotels are a minimum of public zones, high quality rooms, exclusive interiors, small elite restaurants and individual service.

Art-hotels offer the same set of services of the same quality as De luxe hotels but they are oriented to narrow segment of market.

Design-hotels differ from the other hotels by their extravagancy and novelty. They propose the same set of services that De luxe hotels. Prices and level of service are elite.

Full service five stars hotels (Luxure Hotels) are the one with vividly expressed commercial style of business. They are oriented basically on the individual business tourists. They are situated in the center of the big cities close to business centers.

Full service four stars hotels (Upscale Hotels). This category is characterized by reduced set of service in comparison with five stars hotels. Hotels of this segment are demanded by business tourists who don’t need the whole set of service rendered by luxe class.

Hotels of reduced types or four stars hotels with catering (Midscale Hotel with F&B) are the most widespread type of hotels in the world. They propose reduced restaurant possibilities. Business service namely fax and Xerox are available only in reception and accommodation service department. Administration can reduce room prices due to this economy on hotel infrastructure.

Limited Service Hotels (Bed and Breakfast Inns, Garny hotel) are four stars hotels with limited service propose spacious rooms with sufficient furniture but without gluts of full service hotels.

Economic three stars hotels are similar to the previous category. There are no restaurants in such hotels and the only food to be proposed to the guests is continental breakfast in the hall.

Budget hotels differ from economic three stars hotels by room dimensions. They are smaller. Besides they have a reduced set of outfit. Owners of such hotels are concentrated on overnight stay of their tourists but not on their food. It helps to reduce room price to 30% in comparison with full service hotels. These hotels are chosen by business tourists with limited budget and young travelers.

Apart-hotels of long-term stay (Extended-Stay Hotels). This segment is actively develops in Europe although apart-hotels are typically “American product”. These are rooms of apartment type. They have separated bedroom and living-room and kitchen. Administrative part and service rooms with reception desk and dining-hall are traditionally situated in the other building. Hotels of this category are destined for tourists living more then ten days in them.

Motels on highway are simple module one or two- floor buildings situated in the outskirts of city. They usually have up to 400 places. They have TV-sets and choppers with fresh drinks.

Hostels are cheap hotels which offer beds in comfortable and spacious rooms. They are destined mainly for low-budget tourists main parts of which are young people.

Image and philosophy of the hotel is composed of furniture, accessories then this image is visualized and specified.

This is the most low-budget and simple methods because it is easier to find historical building with definite mythology and restore it then to build a new one. Building in the center of Moscow is forbidden then this variant is the most appropriate in this case.

It is easy to find a historical building in Moscow; there are a lot of them in any cultural and historical centers of any country. Undue care of them leads to their fall into decay and they crumble with age.

Opening of a boutique-hotel in one of such buildings can help keep its form without any changes in city panorama. This way was chosen when they opened the first boutique-hotel in Russia “Golden Apple”; former house of Chekhov situated on Malaya Dmitrovka Street close to Lenkom theatre, Pushkinskiy cinema, Historical museum was reconstructed for the hotel.

There are a lot of manorial estates in Moscow; they survived in the fire of 1812, in Revolution 1917 and finally in World War II; they started to destroy in course of time.

This category of memorials need to be reconstructed most of all that’s why it is necessary to study the idea of restoring “Manorial nests of Moscow”. Manorial estates of XVII-XVIII were built in one of two styles Empire or wooden Empire. One of the most vivid samples of this kind is house of Rasumovskies (addres: Kazakova street, house 18-20). This house is to be reconstructed because it is the best one to open a concept-hotel in it.


Литература:

1.                  Джанджугазова Е.А. Философия отелей, или новые концептуальные решения в гостиничном бизнесе. Сборник материалов международной научно-практической конференции. Туризм: подготовка кадров, проблемы и перспективы развития. Издательство «Прометей» 2006г.

2.                  Степанов И.В. «Музейный бум, или мода на бутик-отели» сборник материалов «Проблемы развития внутреннего туризма в центральной России: образование, менеджмент, планирование» 3-ей региональной научно-практической конференции, ЯГПУ им. Ушинского, Ярославль 2008.

3.                  Рольф Йенсен «Общество мечты», СПб, 2004

4.                  Т. Веблен «Теория праздного класса»

5.                  Материалы сайта www.gaomockwa.ru

6.                  Материалы сайта www.RBK.ru

7.                  www.epouqehotels.com

8.                  www.designhotels.com

9.                  www.goldenapple.ru