Hotel (Guest House)
If you are going to another state for business or vacation purposes, the one thing that will be topmost on your mind is a nice hotel to stay in.
A lot of persons go to various places where they don’t have accommodations ready but because of hotels, they know that there is no cause for alarm or worry.
The need for alternative accommodations that are very comfortable and nice has given rise to Hotel business in Nigeria. People are really seeing the profits that can be made from the business and are going into it in their numbers.
You would love to know that the tourism sector of Nigeria is valued at way over four billion dollars. This figure is not stagnant as it keeps increasing. If you have the means to, as well as the managerial skill to take care of one, why not make the investment. In fact you must not be the one with the managerial skill as you can hire professionals for that.
While it is true that the bigger a hotel is, the more guests it is very likely to attract, the good news is that you can start at your level. Yes, you can start from where you are and with consistency, amazing management and good customer service, the business will expand.
Many people focus on just one part of the business which is having a nice structure, and then neglect other important aspects. These aspects which include quality customer care and proper management are very crucial to the success of your hotel business.
Before we go on, you should be aware that there are different types of hotels. These classifications are made depending on the size of the hotels as well as the kind and quality of services that they provide for their guests or customers.
GET YOUR HOTEL Business Plan / Feasibility Study Word . PDF. To place an order, pay N10,000 to
GTBank (Guaranty Trust Bank)
Account Name – Chudi-Oji Chukwuka
Account No – 0044157183
After payment text your name, your e-mail address and payment details to 08060565721.
Hotel Star Rating
This article will not be complete if we do not talk about Hotel star rating. Without a doubt you must have heard some hotels being referred to as a “five star hotel” or a “four star hotel”. There are some people who do not understand the meaning of these terms or why hotels are referred to in this manner. If you are one of such people then you are in luck as we are going to discuss it now.
Simply put, Hotel Star Rating is a system of ranking the quality of a hotel. This is so that intending customers will find it easier to evaluate a hotel’s amenities, ambience, customer services, luxury and general hospitality. The rating is on a five star scale, so hotels with five star rating are at the very top while those with just one star are the lowest.
If you didn’t know anything about hotel star ratings, you will be able to deduce from the explanation above, that five star hotels will clearly be more expensive than others. The good part however is that you get your money’s worth. So if you can afford them, no one is stopping you from treating yourself to a well-deserved luxury.
Another question that might come to your mind is who gives the rating. This is usually done by bodies in the hotel’s country of establishment. There are also hotels that are registered internationally, with branches in different parts of the world. These internationally registered ones, are evaluated and rated by international bodies such as the AAA.
Now that we are done with the explanation of Hotel Star Rating, let us move into the business of the day which is how to start Hotel Business.
Starting Up a Hotel
As you are now aware of the methods by which you can enter into the hotel business, we will now proceed to take a look at the various steps to take to ensure its success. Be aware that these are just guidelines. At the end of the day, you are the one that knows what will work best for your business. We are just giving you tips to make it easier for you to make the right decisions.
A. Study the business properly:
The first thing that you have to do is to properly study the business. This is very important regardless of whether you want to start as a franchise or you want to start out on your own. Ensure that you know all there is to know about the business, else you might make a lot of mistakes, some so grievous that it might cost you the entire establishment. You have to know about how to register and take care of customers, how to keep track of things, how to manage resources and shuffle staff, etc.
B. Have a business plan:
It is imperative that you have a business plan. If you cannot put one together, then get the service of professionals who will create one for you based on the information that you make available to them, predictions, market surveys, projections, etc. A business plan is like the blue print of the business. It will help you stay on track and you can always fall back to it when you need to. Apart from that, you can use a well written business plan to access bank loans as well as funds from investors.
C. Register the name of your business:
The body responsible for registering business names in Nigeria is the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Ensure that when you have selected a name for your hotel, you register it with the CAC. It is advisable that you do this as soon as possible, before someone else gets a hold of the name. Even if you do not want to register it immediately, you can reserve it and register later. The CAC portal is very user friendly and you can easily get the registration done by yourself. But in case you don’t want to do it by yourself you can enlist the services of professionals and CAC accredited agents to get the registration done for you.
Also ensure that you get registered with other relevant bodies, so that your business can run smoothly without any interruptions or embarrassments.
D. Choose a nice location:
The location you choose for your business is a very important factor to the success of your business. You should select a location based on the impression that you want your hotel to have on people. A high class hotel is better situated in a serene environment, while a middle class hotel can be in a very busy area. Bear it in mind that the location you choose, will also go a long way in determining the type and caliber of guests that you will get. Also consider security while selecting a location. Your guests should feel safe and secure when they come into your hotel.
E. Set up your hotel structure:
When you are done choosing a location, is now time to set up your hotel building. It is true that you will have to work with the budget that you have, but bear it in mind that a nice and beautiful structure will attract more customers. You shouldn’t just be concerned with the exteriors, even the rooms that you make available to guests have to be really nice, and tastefully furnished.
F. Hire and train your staff:
It is a very wrong move, to treat the hiring of staff with levity. Take it as something that is of great importance to your business it has the ability to either make or mar your business. The right staff goes beyond certificates and resumes, their character and how they relate to your guests is also really important. This is why it is very advisable to train your staff upon hiring them. You can either do it yourself or you get someone with the right qualifications to properly train your staff so as to get the best out of them. Do not think that there are staffs that need training and then others do not, everyone starting from the people manning the gate, the cleaners, laundry men, waiters, bar attendants, accountants, receptionists, etc. everyone should be trained on the core values of the hotel and how to deliver the best of services to your guests.
G. Advertise your hotel:
Advertising is important to the growth of any business. People spend a lot on advertising but it is so worth it as it makes more people aware of your business and by so doing increases your customer base. There are various means of advertising so you have to use the medium that you are most comfortable with. It can be through billboards, posters, handbills, social media, television and even radio. Just select the one or ones that you believe will get to your target market faster.
It will also be nice, to create a website for your hotel. That way, you can be easily reached online.
H. Have additional streams of income: To improve your earnings, throw in other services that will also benefit your guests apart from the normal lodging and feeding.
Things you will need to start up your hotel
Examples of things that you need for your hotel business are Power Generating sets, Television sets, Bedside refrigerators, Intercom telephones amongst others. Also ensure that you install fire alarms for safety purposes. CCTV cameras in the common areas, such as the reception, hallways, parking area, etc. is also a very good idea.
With all that we have talked about, there is no doubt that you are now armed with the right knowledge on how to go about opening and running your hotel business in Nigeria.
GET YOUR HOTEL Business Plan / Feasibility Study. To place an order, pay N10,000 to
GTBank (Guaranty Trust Bank)
Account Name – Chudi-Oji Chukwuka
Account No – 0044157183
After payment text your name, your e-mail address and payment details to 08060565721.
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