Well-known hotel chains. Abstract international hotel chains represented in Russia. Marina Usenko, executive vice president of JonesLangLaSalle Hotels

While boutique hotels are experiencing a period of popularity, we should not forget about hotel chains. In luxury hotels, in addition to high standards that meet all tastes and requirements, you can get an appropriate level of security. We offer an overview of hotels where, by staying, you can not only have a great night's sleep in a beautiful room, but get something more.

The Shangri-La hotel chain, known for providing top-level services, even sounds luxurious. This is how they really are. Both Shangri-La hotels and resorts around the world, such as Australia, UAE, India, Italy and Canada, always provide top-class services. In 2013, Forbes magazine recognized the Shangri-La Hotel as the best hotel in Paris. Situated on the banks of the Seine, it was once the palace of Napoleon Bonaparte's great-nephew, Prince Roland Bonaparte. You can't help but admire a hotel like this.

The first-class hotel chain “J.W. Marriott, named after its founder, John Marriott, is a worthy competitor to the world's luxury hotels. Services include personalized spa treatments, personal trainers, swimming pools and luxury suites. Hotel chain “J.W. Marriott is located in 75 cities around the world, including New York (formerly Essex House), Los Angeles, Hong Kong, in the cities of Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Mexico, UAE, South Korea, Malaysia.

Four Seasons is a Canadian chain of five-star hotels. There are a total of 98 hotels of this chain around the world, including Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Paris and the Seychelles. The hotels are mainly located in resort areas and offer their guests magnificent private beaches, all services related to the organization of water sports, such as sailing and diving, as well as other areas, such as skiing and playing fields in golf. It is impossible not to mention the famous spa treatments. The main function of a hotel is to provide relaxation facilities, and the Four Seasons copes with this task first-class, offering guests luxurious and comfortable beds for relaxation. If someone loves a hotel bed so much that they can't sleep on anything else, they can easily buy a branded mattress from $2,199 to $2,999, depending on the size.

The name “Ritz-Carlton” is the first name that comes to mind when thinking about a luxury hotel. This chain, which is now owned by Marriott, consists of 89 hotels located in 29 countries, including New York (where several Ritz-Carlton hotels are located), Los Angeles, Aruba, Bahrain, Canada, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. The Ritz-Carlton hotels are famous for their spa treatments. In 2013, the network was recognized as the best in the most popular and respected publications devoted to tourism-related issues and was awarded various awards.

In total, there are 9 hotels in the world belonging to the “The Peninsula” hotel chain, the first of which was opened in Hong Kong in 1928. The other 8 hotels are located in Beijing (Louis Vuitton's signature store is located here, which is a feature of luxury hotels), New York, Paris, Tokyo, Beverly Hills, Bangkok, Chicago, London and Shanghai. The hotel features first-class transportation services, transporting guests from the airport to the hotel by helicopter (a great way to avoid traffic jams). But if someone insists on a car, the hotel will provide him with a Rolls Royce car.

The network primarily serves guests from Asian countries, including China, Indonesia, as well as the Seychelles, Mexico, Maldives, Vietnam, Thailand, UAE and South Korea. If someone is looking for a unique atmosphere, then they should choose the Banyan Tree Hotel, where they will be provided with a luxurious villa for their holiday. To join the club, you need to pay $150,000, and then $3,300 weekly for a villa while on vacation.

Mandarin Oriental hotels are popular among stars and celebrities, including Lucy Lewey and Morgan Freeman. Christian Louboutin, the famous shoe designer, also stayed at this luxurious hotel. The Mandarin Oriental chain is known for its excellent spa treatments, including various types of massage, even a four-hand massage. Hotels are located in New York, Miami, Boston, Las Vegas, Atlanta, throughout Asia and the Middle East.

When the St. Regis” was purchased by Starwood in 1998, there was nothing left to do but develop a whole network of luxury establishments in resort areas of the world, including the USA, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, and the UAE. One of the richest men in the United States, John Jacobs Astor IV, once built the St. Regis" in 1904. Today, Forbes magazine recognizes the hotel, located in the Central Park area, as one of the best five-star AAA hotels. For a hotel room you will have to pay $1,045.

4. Aman

“Aman” is not just hotels, but real resort complexes with unforgettable service. The chain's hotels can be found in Bora Bora, France, Morocco, Montenegro, Turkey, Greece and Italy. Each hotel has at least 55 rooms, and there are 4 employees per guest. Guests relax in villas with sea views, golf courses or ski slopes, spa treatments, yoga classes, Pilates classes with a personal trainer. Some countries provide personal safari services.

Many hotels around the world belong to this chain, including Carlyte in New York or Crillon in Paris. The chain owns 11 hotels in 9 countries, 7 of which are luxury resorts. They are located on famous beaches overlooking the sea, and in deserts with views of dunes or oases. The hotel provides guests with the opportunity to play golf, undergo spa treatments, ride a yacht, go diving, go on themed excursions, and take part in wine tasting. Guests interested in food tourism can visit Menlo Park, San Martin in California, Jumbo Bay in Antigua and Abu Dhabi in the UAE.

The name “Jumira” is translated from Arabic as “beautiful,” which perfectly describes the hotel complex of the same name. At one time, the Essex Hotel in New York belonged to this chain. Mainly Jumira hotels can be found in the Middle East, Maldives, Rome, Frankfurt and London. Each hotel, whose design varies depending on the location where it is located, offers guests first-class spa treatments.

The Intercontinental chain owns 178 hotels, 53 of which are currently under construction. It is considered the most luxurious in the world. The total number of rooms is 60,560. Each hotel amazes with fabulous beauty. They can be found in New York, Beverly Hills, Miami, Bora Bora (here is one of the 25 most luxurious hotels according to Conde Nast Traveler's 2011 rating), Monterey, Paris, Washington (The Willard Hotel) and Las Vegas (The Venetian Hotel). The most expensive of them is in Hong Kong, where a room costs $13,000 per night. However, this

International hotel corporations began their penetration into the Russian hotel market in the early 90s of the 20th century, when the situation in a number of the world's leading hotel markets, primarily the United States, seriously deteriorated.

The development of the Russian hotel industry, previously closed to foreign management, began in Moscow. One of the first Moscow hotels built and managed according to American standards was the Slavyanskaya Hotel, included in the Radisson SaS hotel chain. The hotel's first hundred rooms were opened in October 1991. A year later, all 430 rooms of Radisson-Slavyanskaya went into operation.

In 1993, the following hotel brands were presented in Moscow: Intercontinental, Kempinski, Sas Radisson, Accor, Marco Polo, IMP Group, Renaissance. In total, there were no more than 10 top-segment hotels in Moscow that met international service standards. The average hotel occupancy was 70%.

There are almost 3.4 thousand hotels in Russia. Only 4% of this number are foreign and jointly owned or have management or franchise agreements with any known foreign company.

According to the State Statistics Committee of Russia, in 2004. in our country, the number of operating hotels was 3873. According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation, in 2004 the number of hotels in Russia decreased by 247 hotels, while in 2003 - by 45 hotels. According to available data, during 2005 the downward trend in the number of operating hotels continued. On average for the year, Russian accommodation facilities are barely 40% occupied. In Moscow hotels it was 64%. For comparison, here are download rates by region of the world: Europe - 61%, North America - 65%, Asia and Australia - 70%.

According to available estimates, the volume of the Russian hotel services market in 2004 amounted to about $12 billion, of which about $3.2 billion was in Moscow.

Surprising but true. In Moscow, where the number of arrivals exceeds 1.1 million people, in a city where the highest indicators in the country are noted and where today there is a real boom in the construction of office and retail space, there is a catastrophic shortage of hotels of European standards. The hotel business in the capital is mostly represented by outdated complexes with cramped rooms, morally and physically outdated interiors, and unpretentious service. Today there is only a large-scale liquidation of hotels that have expired. The complete liquidation of the complexes is most justified from an economic point of view - almost as much money would have to be spent on restoration as on new construction. At the same time, the hotels would remain just as outdated in layout, façade, etc. Therefore, a decision was made to demolish the complexes and build new buildings. Of course, the most important task facing the capital’s government is to build new hotels that meet international standards as quickly as possible.

According to estimates by the National Statistical Agency, in 2004 the number of 5-star hotels in Russia decreased from 23 to 18. At the same time, 8 five-star hotels have already been built or are currently being built in Moscow.

There is no doubt that the hotel markets of Moscow and St. Petersburg have a dominant influence on the state of the country's hotel industry as a whole. The rapidly developing areas also include, first of all, the resort city of Sochi, the investment attractiveness of which is not inferior to capital cities, as well as a number of millionaire cities, for example, Yekaterinburg.

The development of the hotel market is hampered primarily by land problems.

As soon as the cost of land exceeds 15% of the total investment, the hotel project becomes uninteresting. In addition, if housing, offices or retail premises pay for themselves in a maximum of 4-5 years, then for hotels the payback is just beginning from this level. In conditions where an economic crisis can occur in the country almost every day, investors strive to shorten the path from investing money to making a profit as much as possible. And hotel investments are long-term. To these problems are added problems of legislation, problems of personnel training, standardization of hotel activities

Despite this, interest in hotel construction in Russia continues to grow. It is reinforced by the persistent shortage of supply of hotel services in almost all price categories with stable demand. Particularly noticeable activity in hotel construction is observed in Moscow and St. Petersburg, a number of millionaire cities, as well as in the Krasnodar Territory. In a number of regions, the hotel business is developing even more dynamically than other sectors of the real estate market: residential and retail and office. Some international hotel corporations are planning to develop their hotels in Russia, not only in Moscow, but also in the regions. Many of them are already represented in Russia. A special feature of the Russian hospitality market at the moment is the beginning of the formation of national hotel chains.

Combining hotels into chains with the establishment of uniform service standards and the centralized provision of a number of services by the hotel, including reservations, material and technical equipment, security and others, significantly reduces management costs and increases the profitability of hotel enterprises.

It is quite obvious that the tourism industry brings good income, but only after at least a minimal contribution has been made into it.

It is upscale hotels that primarily attract foreign guests arriving in our country. Businessmen do not ignore them either. There are four times more domestic entrepreneurs in high-level hotels than those who come on vacation. Among foreign visitors, the gap is approximately 20%. And as business travel continues to dominate other types of travel, the role of luxury hotels in the Russian hospitality industry remains significant. Mostly hotels representing international hotel chains in Russia are concentrated in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Hotels under foreign management, joint ownership or foreign ownership. Moscow:

"National" 5* luxe;

"Aurora-Marriott" 5* luxe;

"Baltschug-Kempinski" 5* luxe;

"Renaissance" 5*;

"Mariot-hotel-grant" 5*;

Sheraton Palace Hotel 5*;

"Radisson-Slavyanskaya" 5*;

"Metropol" 5*;

"Marriott-Tverskaya" 4*;

"Novotel" 4*;

"Iris" 4*;

"Savoy" 4*;

"Aerostar" 4*; "Art-hotel" 4*.

St. Petersburg: “Grand Hotel Europe” 5* luxe; Sheraton Nevsky Palace 5*; "Astoria" 5*; "Pribaltiyskaya" 4*; "Angleterre" 4*; "Commondor" 4*.

It can be expected that the next stage in the activities of international hotel chains in Russia will be the construction of hotels of lower categories, in particular three-star ones. Their implementation in the regions and famous tourist centers of Russia is also on the agenda.

There are too few high-category accommodation facilities and tourist-level hotels that meet international standards in large Russian cities. Individual islands of quality accommodation, such as the five-star Atrium Palace Note1 & World Trade Center in Yekaterinburg and the four-star Quality Hotel Tuigrep in Tyumen, do not make a difference. The need for good, high-quality accommodation designed for different tastes and financial capabilities is increasing year by year. And international hotel companies were the first to feel the need to develop the regions.

Well-known international hotel companies have successfully begun to apply proven schemes. They are fully aware that the ability to build their own chains gives them undeniable advantages.

Radisson Hotel and Resorts Worldwide, in addition to the construction of a hotel in the capital in 1991, opened a hotel complex in Sochi two years later. Somewhat later, another four-star hotel was added to it - the Lazurnaya Piya Hotel, aimed at ski guests. However, the interests of the corporation are much broader: Radisson Hotel and Resorts Worldwide is trying to cover the tourist and business centers of the former USSR with a chain of hotels. The Baltics have become an important strategic direction for the company. Thus, two hotels have already been built in Lithuania: in Vilnius - the four-star Radisson-BAZ-Astoria (1998) and a recently commissioned hotel in Klaipeda, which is noticeably superior in class to any other hotels in the city. Since 1995, the five-star Radisson-ZAB-Da-ugava hotel has been operating in Latvia. In Estonia - the new Radisson-ZAB-Hotel Tallinn, considered the most expensive project in the country. Thus, the hotel chain in these regions will have a total of 1,500 rooms. The five-star Plaza Baku hotel operates in the Azerbaijani capital Baku. It is planned to open the first hotel chain “Radisson Hotel and Resorts Worldwide” in Kyiv. Today, this is the most significant presence of an international hotel chain in Russia and the post-Soviet space.

The American company “Best Western” is the second largest chain represented in Russia and other states of the former USSR. “Best Western” also extends its interests to the north-west of Russia and the Baltic states. In addition to the Moscow Art Hotel and the Novgorod Beresta Hotel, the company has made its mark in all the Baltic states: in Lithuania (Kaunas) - the San-Takos Hotel, in Latvia (Riga) - the Mara Hotel, in Estonia (Pärnu) - Hotel "Pärnu". And the Best Westerns in St. Petersburg closed the ring with the Neptune Hotel - this is the only three-star hotel represented in the company’s chain in Russia.

Best Western is rapidly filling the niche of inexpensive four-star hotels. She drew attention to the empty niche of three-star hotels, convenient not only for organized travelers, but also for mid-level businessmen. Having entered the market of the Baltic states with tourist-class hotels, the company may begin to develop this segment in Russia. Probably, her hotel in St. Petersburg will become an enterprise for accumulating experience and developing technologies.

The Marco Polo Hotel & Resorts company from 1991 to 1993. opened four hotels: two in Moscow and one each in St. Petersburg and Novgorod, thus becoming the largest hotel chain in Russia. However, she could not stay on the market and gradually her enterprises moved to other systems. Thus, the Palace Hotels in Moscow and St. Petersburg are included in the Sheraton system. The capital's Marco Polo-Presnya hotel became private property and a branch of the Visit-Moscow company. The Novgorod hotel "Beresta-Palace" switched to the "Best Western" system.

The English hotel corporation Forte / Le Meridien has agreements with two Moscow hotels - National and Country-Club. Her third hotel, Le Meridien Villon, is located in Lithuania. "Moscow-Country-Club" is the only five-star country hotel that meets the most stringent international standards. It is unique because before its appearance in the Moscow region there were only boarding houses and holiday homes that were unable to provide guests with all the necessary amenities.

“Moscow-Country-Club” has become a model of hotel culture, to which other Russian facilities that organize recreation for citizens near Moscow have begun to follow. However, until now “Moscow-Country-Club” has no equal. Among the offers are an 18-hole golf course, as well as a simulator that helps not only amateurs, but also professionals practice their playing techniques. The country hotel is also suitable for holding business meetings, symposiums, and conferences. For family holidays, there are 38 comfortable dachas on its territory.

The international corporation Bass International manages another country hotel - Holiday Inn Vinogradovo. This four-star hotel near Moscow is aimed at transit passengers, since it is located near Sheremetyevo-2, and at business tourists. Her immediate plans include attracting tourists who come on vacation. This is the first “swallow” of the Holiday Inn chain, and the company’s overall plans are to increase the number of hotels in Russia to ten. At the same time, another chain, Inter Continental, part of the Bass International corporation, left the Russian market. At the same time, Inter Continental began to actively penetrate the Central Asian market, where the corporation has its own interests.

Marriott International* has focused its attention so far only on the capital. Three hotels, Tverskaya, Grand Hotel and Interstate Hotels, operate on the basis of a franchise agreement. The Renaissance Hotel has a direct contract with the company, which gives its staff the right to work in other hotels of this system. All Marriott hotels are aimed at business tourists, corporate clients and individuals.

In the near future, Marriott International* plans to expand its presence in the Baltic states, and the construction of chain hotels is already underway in America and Georgia. In general, the company views the Eastern European market as one of the most promising and plans to continue to develop it.

The Kempinski Group is represented by two hotels in Moscow and St. Petersburg, which were among the first to gain fame as the best representatives of the Russian hospitality industry.

In addition to Moscow and St. Petersburg, the Sheraton company is also represented in Tbilisi - Metekhi Palace.

Operators of international chains operating in Russia believe that this market has higher demand indicators than in Western Europe. The growth dynamics of key economic indicators here is higher than in neighboring markets. All this contributes to the fact that international operators view the prospects for penetration/expansion of their presence in Russia positively. And they even go to some extent (compared to the early 90s) in prices for their services.

Experts associate the surge in activity of Western operators with weak market competition and positive dynamics in the development of the hotel business. For example, in 2005, the average daily rate in the capital's hotels increased by approximately 30-33% and amounted to about $220, the average occupancy remained at a stable level of 69-70%. The process is gaining momentum against the backdrop of the hotel development program adopted by the Moscow government, which provides for a threefold increase in the number of rooms and the launch of more than 200 new facilities by 2010. Based on this, it can be argued that the doors are open for new brands. And there are a huge number of them: such well-known brands as Hilton, Westin, Conrad, Intercontinental, Crown Plaza and many others are still missing.

The hotel business has long ago transformed from many national industries operating separately and independently in each state into a single economic space. It covers almost all developed countries and states actively involved in tourism. This is quite logical - it would be strange if the processes of globalization occurring throughout the world did not affect such an international business as the hotel industry. That is why currently the leaders in providing services in the hotel business are global brands, each of which is represented by many hotels scattered throughout the planet.

The largest of them are known to almost any average person, which is not surprising: according to some data, every fifth hotel in the world belongs to giant transnational corporations. And if you consider the size and capacity of the hotels they own, it becomes clear that they control about half of the global hotel market.

In order to have a more complete understanding of the leaders of the business segment under consideration, you should consider the most well-known hotel chains, focusing on the largest of them.

InterContinental Hotels Group

Created in 2003 in the UK, the operator of a chain of mid- and high-class hotels is more often referred to by the short name IHG. It operates the largest number of hotels based on their number of rooms. At the moment, the corporation controls more than 680 thousand numbers, and this figure is steadily increasing every year by about 2-3%. The number of hotels managed by IHG exceeds four and a half thousand. There are 13 hotels opened in Russia under the control of the group, four of which are in St. Petersburg. In addition to the brand of the same name as the corporation, IHG also manages the famous HotelIndigo, CrownPlaza and many others.

Hilton Worldwide

HiltonWorldwide is deservedly considered one of the oldest (founded at the beginning of the last century, namely in 1919) and most famous corporations in the hotel business. Having gone through a series of reorganizations and acquisitions in the past few years, Hilton has further strengthened its position, confidently occupying second place among the world's travel giants.

The American corporation manages more than 4 thousand hotels around the globe. It controls a total number of rooms only slightly inferior to IHG, but also significantly exceeding 670 thousand. The stable and confident growth demonstrated by the corporation, as well as activity in the mergers and acquisitions market, do not exclude the possibility that the company will top the list of leaders.

Marriott International

Another American network, named after John Marriott, who created it in 1927, has also been operating extremely successfully in recent years, consistently increasing the volume of services provided. The corporation controls about 3,800 hotels with a total number of rooms exceeding 660 thousand rooms.

One of the world leaders in the hotel business currently manages 16 different brands, the most famous of which are Renaissance and Ritz-Carlton. In terms of popularity among clients and the promotion of the brand in the world, Marriott is not inferior to anyone, with the possible exception of Hilton.

Wyndham Hotel Group

The American corporation, which manages a huge network of resorts and hotels located in almost 70 countries, has focused on activities in the USA and Canada. This is where most of its more than seven and a half thousand hotels are located. In terms of their number, the company is the undisputed leader among all hotel chains in the world.

At the same time, the number of rooms managed by the group is inferior to the three previous corporations and currently amounts to approximately 650 thousand rooms. The corporation has opened three hotels in Russia - one each in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg.

Accor

The largest French hotel company, AccorGroup operates several brands with hotels located around the world. There are also 11 hotels of this corporation in Russia under two well-known brands: Novotel and Ibis.

AccorGroup controls more than 3.5 thousand hotels with a total room capacity of approximately 450 thousand rooms. The most popular brands of the group are the well-known Sofital, GrandMercure and the already mentioned Novotel and Ibis. The company has the highest annual growth rate of hotels under its control and the size of the room stock - about 3%.

Choice Hotels International

Another American corporation on the list of leaders in the hotel business was created in 1940. Currently, it manages more than 6 thousand hotels with a total capacity of approximately 450 thousand rooms. The chain's most well-known brands are EconoLodge, QualityInn, ComfortInn and RodewayInn.

The corporation became famous in the middle of the last century, actively inventing and introducing literally a chain of innovations into the hotel business, including:

• work of the service for receiving clients and their subsequent accommodation around the clock;
• installation of the first telephone numbers in the rooms;
• working with global reservation systems and many others.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts

Among those already mentioned in the list of leading American companies, the Starwood Hotels and Resorts corporation is the youngest, as it was created in 1969. It is represented by five hotels in Russia, and worldwide it operates a network of 1,170 establishments with a total room capacity of approximately 330 thousand rooms.

The corporation is rightfully considered one of the fastest growing, confidently increasing the number of hotels under its control every year.

The most popular and well-known brands managed by Starwood are the one that gave the corporation its name, as well as Sheraton, Aloft, TheLuxuryCollection and several other lesser known ones.

Best Western

The second largest (after InterContinentalGroup, the leader in this list) British hotel chain, with hotels located in 82 countries. The main location region is Europe (primarily France) and the northwestern part of the USA. Best Western manages a room stock of 310 thousand rooms in more than 4 thousand hotels.

One of the features of the hotels of this corporation is considered to be an extremely friendly and lenient attitude towards animals, with which their clients come on vacation. BestWestern employees have developed original special routes for guests with pets, a special menu for animals and many other pleasant little things.

Home Inns

The only representative of Asian companies in the list of leading corporations involved in the hotel business. It was created in China and united several relatively small chains, the main ones of which were HomeInns and Motel 168. Currently, the corporation occupies a leading position in the Chinese hotel services market and one of the leading ones in the world.

HomeInns manages more than 2.2 thousand hotels with a total capacity of more than a quarter of a million rooms. The company is developing at a rapid pace, inaccessible to anyone else - almost 20% annually.

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

The corporation was formed as a result of the merger of five large companies involved in the hotel business on a serious scale. As a result, the CarlsonRezidor group currently controls more than 1.1 thousand hotels in almost eight dozen countries. The total number of rooms of the corporation is approximately 165 thousand rooms.

The most popular and well-known brands managed by the group are ParkInnhotels, ParkPlaza, RegentInternational and several others. In recent years, the corporation has practically not increased its volumes, showing a slight increase.

The largest networks, Intourist and Sputnik, which existed in Soviet times, fully experienced the destruction occurring in the tourism industry and the hotel sector of the country. And it was they who became the basis for the formation of modern chains, when trends towards revival emerged. In the late 90s and early 2000s, many unions, associations and management companies emerged that announced the creation of hotel chains.

Having gained experience in centralized property management and created a unified corporate identity, companies working in the field of providing consulting and management services began to expand their portfolio with external projects, starting, as a rule, with the opening of one or two of their own hotels. However, not everyone was able to achieve compliance with such basic network criteria as a common brand, identical service standards, and a unified management strategy, including marketing and sales.

For example, in 1997, an attempt was made in Moscow to create a Russian hotel chain: 12 hotels located in the VDNKh area were linked into the Nord Hotel chain (the founder was GAO Moscow). However, the owner was unable to introduce new forms of management, and after a while the association disintegrated (last year, the Hotel Company entered the market, collecting the same hotels under the VashOtel brand - 51% of the shares belong to the Russian Real Estate Fund L.P., 49% - metropolitan authorities).

According to experts, the national hotel business is still at the formation stage, so Russian chains are not yet major players in the market. “The number of companies positioning themselves as hotel chains is changing all the time: new companies appear, those who were already considered almost veterans leave. Those who have a brand recognizable in the regions and their own sales system, have formed a portfolio of several thousand rooms under management, and therefore can be recognized as a “chain”, can be counted on one hand: “Azimut Hotels”, “Amax”, “Heliopark”, - says Marina Usenko, executive vice president of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.

The Heliopark Hotels & Resorts company, founded in 2000, today unites 17 hotels in operation and under construction in Moscow, Moscow region, Tver region, Pskov, Sochi, Yalta, Anapa, Feodosia and Ukraine. A milestone was the acquisition of ownership of one of the oldest hotels in Baden-Baden and entry into the international market in 2006. In 2007, Heliopark Hotels&Resorts acquired another hotel in the very center of the famous resort.

Among the leaders is Azimut Hotel Company, established in 2004 and forming its initial hotel fund of more than three thousand rooms (hotels in St. Petersburg, Kostroma, Samara, Ufa, Astrakhan, Murmansk and Vladivostok). Azimut Hotel Company then acquired the European hotel chain formerly owned by the Austrian Hotel Company, consisting of 21 operating three- and four-star hotels under the Eurohotel, Belmondo and Highway Hotels brands. Almost all are located in Germany (three in Austria, one in the Czech Republic).

At the end of the past year, AZIMUT Hotels Company received 5 hotels under management: in Stavropol, Moscow region, Novosibirsk, Sochi and Voronezh, increasing the fund by 1000 rooms. The company recently made its debut on the capital's hotel market by converting a former office building of industrial architecture from the late 19th century into a business hotel. In 2004–2005, the AMAKS group announced itself, also following the path of buying up Soviet hotels. AMAKS carried out a phased reconstruction of “Tourists” and “Sputniks”, gradually achieving a certain unification of the product. Thanks to a change in management, the owners managed to distance themselves from Soviet hotels in the main thing - the level of service.

Today, the company owns and manages 17 mid-segment properties (3–4 stars), tourist and health-improving complexes in Russia and the Republic of Belarus. UMACO, which has been operating on the market since 1997, has also stood the test of time. The creation of a chain of hotels began with the opening of the Katerina City hotel complex in Moscow. Then the portfolio was decorated with the Katerina Alpik apartment complex in the Krasnaya Polyana resort and the Moscow Katerina Park hotel. In addition, UMACO launched the projects “Katerina Iris Congress Hotel”, “Katerina City Yelabuga” and, within the framework of the “Urban planning investment concept for the placement, design, construction and operation of hotel infrastructure facilities in Greater Sochi”, developed the projects “Katerina City Krasnodar”, “Katerina Residence."

Since 2004, Maxima Hotels has been operating in the capital's market. Its first object was the Maxima Zarya Hotel, then it was joined by the Maxima Irbis Hotel, the new Maxima Slavia Hotel and the Maxima Panorama Hotel. The multidisciplinary company “Stable Line” is implementing a project for a network of small economy class hotels “Assembly” in the city center. A distinctive feature of the chain should be an original concept - all hotels are planned to open in historical buildings - architectural monuments. True, the company plans to expand its geography by building a hotel complex in Dombay and boarding houses on the Crimean coast.

All Russian hotel companies have in common “multifunctionality”: they strive to cover the full spectrum from consulting to construction and management. This is the same strategy of RosinvestHotel Management Company, which is developing the VOYAGE Hotels & Resorts chain in the areas of city, country and club hotels. Currently, the company manages three hotels: business hotel “VOYAGE Hotels&Resorts Home Comfort” (Ukraine, Krivoy Rog), “VOYAGE Club Zagorye” and “VOYAGE Club Volgino” (Moscow region). Six hotel properties are at various stages of completion. It is planned to develop projects both in Russia - in Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Yaroslavl, Sochi and Moscow, and in Ukraine - in Kyiv, Dnepropetrovsk and Odessa. The listed companies in the name of each of their chain hotels reflect their involvement in the brand.

Without clan, without tribe

Most Russian hotel companies have assets in their portfolios that are not connected by a single chain. A special position among them is occupied by Intourist, part of the AFK Sistema corporation. The main tour operator of the Soviet Union in 2003 positioned itself as an emerging hotel chain, and since 2006 - as a management company. Currently, Intourist owns and manages Intourist Hotel Group four hotels: the Moscow Cosmos and Beijing, the Altai Village in the Altai Territory, the Savoy Westend Hotel in Karlovy Vary and the Principe Hotel in Italy. The company also manages external projects: hotels “Moscow Tract” (Rostov Veliky), “Moscow” (Uglich), “Elets” (Lipetsk region), “Oktyabrskaya” (Nizhny Novgorod), “Bashkortostan” (Ufa) and “ Northern" (Petrozavodsk).

More than 20 hotel projects in the CIS countries and Europe are owned by the Russian Hotels company (founded in 2004, part of the Russian-Asian Investment Company controlled by Oleg Deripaska’s Basic Element holding), which initially planned to attract South African Protea for management. However, then its own management company, GOST Hotel Management, emerged in the structure. The boutique hotels RODINA Grand Hotel&SPA in Sochi and Pushkin in Moscow were transferred to her. Today the company manages five different properties, including the Gladenkaya (Khakassia), Volna (Nizhny Novgorod), and Sretenskaya (Moscow) hotels.

According to the general director, there are projects in Africa and plans to create a new spa brand. “We have revived the name “Russian Hotels” with our own standards. Already two 3-4 star hotels have been transferred under this brand - Sretenskaya in Moscow and Volna in Nizhny Novgorod. For 5 stars, we are creating a new trademark,” said Sergei Kolesnikov, General Director of GOST Hotel Management. “Industry” management companies appeared earlier: in 1998, the Alrosa diamond corporation created a “daughter” “Hotel Alrosa” to manage the hotel of the same name in Moscow, hotels in St. Petersburg, Mirny, Gorno-Altaisk, Arkhangelsk, Yakutsk, bases holidays in Anapa and Solnechnogorsk.

The Russian Gold group also diversified its business, announcing the construction of many hotels. True, so far the matter has been limited to the opening of the Mitino Hotel in 2008. Russian Railways also announced plans to build a network of station hotels in 2008, transferring the functions of the management company to its subsidiary Zheldoripoteka. It was assumed that about $225 million would be invested in the project, and the first hotels would appear in Sochi, Samara, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, Surgut, Astrakhan and Yaroslavl. However, to date there are still no hotels on the company's list of projects.

The concept of hotels for rest on the road is embodied by another company - Motel-Service. The first hotel of the Douglas Hotel chain was opened at 85 km of Kievskoye Highway. Three more are under construction. In total, about 15 hotels should open on the largest federal highways. The City Hotel company, positioning itself as a national hotel chain, has relied on the international hotel brand Best Western. Owners expect that the presence of hotels in global booking systems and the wide popularity of the chain among foreign tourists will ensure optimal occupancy of hotels and high business efficiency.

So far there are only two operating hotels: the four-star Albion residence (Kazakhstan) and the three-star Murom hotel (Murom). Another 7 hotels are at various stages of implementation. “Russian management companies that are currently developing in the market are fully professional. They have a full range of tools for high-quality and professional provision of services for the creation of a hotel facility and further management,” says Kirill Irtyuga, General Director of RosinvestHotel, about his colleagues.

In addition to companies seeking to cover several regions and obtain the status of a national chain, there are also local management companies and local hotel chains. The Holiday brand is well known in the Moscow region: the Istra Holiday company owns two country hotels, Istra Holiday and Lada Holiday, as well as the Novoye Vremya cottage community.

The Grand Baikal company (a subsidiary of Irkutskenergo) operates in Irkutsk and the region. She manages hotels, sanatoriums, boarding houses and holiday homes. Another Irkutsk operator, Greenexpress, operates three accommodation facilities. In Veliky Novgorod in 1995, the management company Novturinvest appeared, created to manage the Beresta Palace hotel (now operating under the Park Inn brand of the Rezidor company). Subsequently, the company acquires the Volkhov Hotel and the Holmgard restaurant complex. "Permtourist" (successor of the "Perm Regional Council for Tourism and Excursions") manages five hotels: "Ural" and "Almaz Ural" (Perm), "Stalagmit" (Kungur), "Volna" (Tchaikovsky) and "Northern Ural" in (Cherdyn).

The regional Ural chain "Yusta Hotel" unites 7 hotel assets in the Yekaterinburg region. “By developing its own hotel network, the operator consolidates all opportunities for the promotion and development of hotels into a single system. This is a long process. I think that all stages are proceeding correctly, and the development of national networks will continue, both in Russia and in the CIS countries,” believes Kirill Irtyuga. In general, the Russian market mainly consists of non-chain hotels.

“The predominance of single projects is, first of all, due to the lack of interest among chains in all projects and, secondly, to the fact that the owners do not understand the prospect of cooperation and perceive this business as a toy,” explains Sergei Kolesnikov. The goal of the network type of organization is to systematize the work of enterprises and improve their performance indicators, however, experts note that in domestic business conditions, each hotel enterprise prefers to develop on its own, so the ideas of association are not yet very popular. At the same time, expanding their own hotel networks remains a priority for hotel management companies.

Marina Usenko, executive vice president of JonesLangLaSalle Hotels

The main feature of Russian chains is the lack of uniform, recognizable brand standards. This is due to the fact that asset portfolios contain very heterogeneous objects. Basically, these are old reconstructed Soviet hotels that have undergone a facelift and position themselves in the niche of “city business hotels” (3-4 stars). The heterogeneity of the product and the lack of clear standards make it difficult to recognize Russian brands, reducing their level of competitiveness compared to Western hotel brands and hampering the pace of business growth for national chain operators. Of course, over time, this imbalance of power will correct itself, and Russian national hotel brands will be able to compete equally with their foreign operators in both the quality of accommodation and the level of service.

Arild Hovland, First Vice President of Business Development at Rezidor

In any national market there are very strong local players. I don’t only mean such large players as Azimut and Heliopark. There are also small chains in Russia that can offer good services to guests. In the future they will develop and grow along with the market. And we see them as competitors now and in the future.

Kirill Irtyuga, General Director of RosinvestHotel

Today we can say that Russian management companies are not inferior to Western ones, and in some segments even surpass them. Russian management companies are professional, technologically advanced, and they know how to work in a highly competitive environment. Experience in the regions and knowledge of the peculiarities of doing business locally are a big plus for investors and owners. In addition, Russian management companies are ready to consider various options for entering hotel projects, showing flexibility and understanding of the peculiarities of its creation.