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MariaNagovitsyna
YanaIvanova
Teacher:Nadezhda Bykova
GTTPJARussia,Moscow
November, 2012
Boutique Hotel
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Acknowledgements
We owe huge gratitude to many people and organizations who helped and supported us
in the process of realization of this project.
We are incredibly grateful to Junior Achievement Russia and Global Travel & Tourism
Partnership for the opportunity to have a great experience.
We extend our huge thanks to Global Partners whose support makes possible Case
Writing Competition and Global Travel and Tourism International Research Conference,
and our attendance at this remarkable event.

Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................. 4
What exactly is a Boutique Hotel?......................................................................... 5
A Glimpse of some Boutique hotels ....................................................................... 8
The Morgans Hotel (the USA) ............................................................................... 8
The Crazy Bear Hotel (Great Britain).................................................................... 9
Our Research ......................................................................................................... 11
The House with the Caryatids.......................................................................... 13
Government Policy................................................................................................ 16
Our Boutique Hotel ............................................................................................... 18
Special Activities.................................................................................................... 30
SWOT..................................................................................................................... 38
Opportunities for Entrepreneurship Activities .................................................. 39
Potential Employees .............................................................................................. 40
Conclusion.............................................................................................................. 42
Bibliography........................................................................................................... 43


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Introduction
There are words that are pronounced in the same
way in different languages. One of them is
boutique. How do you say it in Russian?
Chinese? Hungarian? Portuguese? What comes to
your mind when you hear the word boutique?
That was the question that 20 students were asked
and their most popular answer was a small
fashionable shop associated with elite, special
products. The question about what a Boutique
Hotel can be associated with puzzled most people
because it is quite a new notion in Russia. There are
a lot of different types of hotels in the word which
can be called innovative: Classic, Classy,
Extraordinary, Avant-Garde, Artistic, Funky Hotels
and whats not.
So, why has the innovation of the Boutique Hotel
become the main topic of this research? Why can it
be significant for Russia? Can Boutique Hotels
make a difference in our country? What do they
have to offer? Why are Boutique Hotels unique?
And what exactly is a Boutique Hotel?



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What exactly is a Boutique Hotel?

The ironic fact is that no one exactly knows what is the real meaning of the term
'boutique' or why this term is used in connection with hotels and what the benefits of
staying in this type of hotels are. However, the majority of boutique hotel operators,
creators, and owners can all agree on the following primary features of boutique hotels.
1. Size
The first quality is none other than the size of the hotel. It is often questioned as to how
many rooms there should be in a boutique hotel. Some consider that a hotel with not
more than 100 rooms can be called a boutique hotel. Still others think that their number
should not exceed 150 rooms.
It is believed that what distinguishes Boutique Hotels from standardized hotels is the
connection that hotel guests experience with the hotel staff. Boutique Hotels emphasize
personalized service, and keep the guest-to-staff ratio low. Some require the staff to
address each guest by name, an experience that is clearly difficult to achieve in a large-
scale hotel.
2. Atmosphere
The second quality or characteristic is the atmosphere of that hotel, which is a very
significant factor for any boutique hotel. When used in context of boutique hotels, the
term atmosphere means decor, environment, personalized service, and most
importantly a know-how of how these all can combine and create a sense of closeness
among the guests which will further add to the popularity of the hotel. Professional
caring, professional warmness and professional personalized services are a must.
Boutique Hotels also place the emphasis on entertaining their guests by creating a
theatrical atmosphere that attracts all senses: through architecture, design, colors,
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lighting, art, and music. In some hotels guests have an opportunity to try on the role of
heroes of historical or adventure novels.
3. Service
Another factor which every boutique hotel must have is a great service. The staff of a
boutique hotel should predict or should know in advance, the needs and requirements of
their guests rather than just respond when asked to do so. Knowing what your guests
want, when they want it, how they want it and presenting it in that way just in time is
what makes a big gap between a good service and a great service. That is why it is said
that that a boutique must have a great service.
4. Design
Style, distinction, warmth, and intimacy are key words in the architecture and design of
boutique hotels. They are not boxed into standards; the definition and expression of a
theme is a crucial path to success. Many Boutique Hotels introduce different themes in
each guestroom many with high-quality in room features, each room often has its own
special touch making every single stay unique, even for their repeat guests. The most
important defining features of Boutique Hotels are cultural, historical and authentic.
5. Location
Boutique Hotels are found in business and entertainment capitals that provide enough
traffic to keep them profitable. Boutique hoteliers also target popular resort destinations,
generally built far from beach areas. These properties offer a more intimate experience,
with private pool access, private excursion opportunities and various activities such as
painting classes.
6. Appeal
The target demographic for most Boutique Hotels is young, affluent, adventurous
travelers.Guests are mostly in their twenties to early fifties with a high level of income.
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To sum it up, Boutique Hotels can be described as personalized, customized, unique and
individual hotels with non-standard or thematic interior associated with quality, personal
attention from staff, and generally higher prices which are considered reasonable because
of the perceived quality of the products on offer.









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A Glimpse of Some Boutique

Hotels
Boutique Hotels started to spring up in the early 1980s in London, New York and San
Francisco, and now can be found in most major cities, as well as popular resorts all over
the world.
The U.S.A.
The Morgans Hotel
The Morgans Hotel is a boutique hotel in New York
on Madison Avenue and part of the Morgans Hotel
Group. The lobby resembles a slightly updated but
very tasteful mansion living room: leather
armchairs, 1920s nickel lamps, Parisian flea market
cane tables, a custom Putman-designed wool rug of
black, rich camel and taupe in a bold three-
dimensional cubist pattern. Candles in the evening
coupled with black-and-white checkerboard patterned wool throws loosely draped over
the French club chairs further accentuate the "lived-in" feel.
The 114 rooms are comfortably furnished and
immaculately clean, with suede-covered window
seats, club chairs, corduroy ottomans and flat screen,
high-definition TV. The rooms are stylish in a
masculine way, but far from overwhelming. They
offer a peaceful antidote to the adrenaline-infused
pace of New York City.
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The bathrooms, a signature design feature of the hotel, have been updated, yet retain
their strong visual identity. Their striking black and white
checkered pattern combines an evocation of the 1930s and the
digital age, referencing oversize pixels.
The dcor is chic yet warm, with earthy tones keeping things
simultaneously contemporary and inviting. Though it does not
have the ultra-modern flare, the Morgan does offer a level of
sophistication that any staid, trend-averse traveler would
appreciate.

Great Britain
CRAZY BEAR
The Crazy Bear Boutique Hotel is located in a 15th-century building on a 60-acre farm in
a countryside setting just 45 minutes from London. The
500-year-old former coaching inn has been meticulously
restored and dramatically redesigned to create 10
individually designed guest rooms, two fine-dining
restaurants, private dining rooms and bars. A double-
decker bus serves as the hotel's reception. All
bedrooms are individually designed. Fur-lined, gold-
plated, chandelier laden rooms are just the
beginning; others have leather floors, mirror-tiled
ceilings and bathtubs right beside the bed, which is
literally the most stunning place you could ever
imagine. From the high-tech entertainment gadgets, to the amazing infinity bath, the
hotel holds a surprise around every corner.
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It is estimated that some 85 per cent of all surfaces at Crazy Bear are covered in leather.
Leather was used, not unsurprisingly, in banquette and booth seating, as sofa and chair
upholstery, but also features as cladding on walls, ceilings, and doors, as flooring, as
hand rails, desk tops, and on wardrobes, inside and out. It appears in dining areas as
menu holders, placemats, coasters and tablecloths, covering dustbins, and on bed frames
and headboards.
One bedroom is almost exclusively in black
leather: cladding on the sloping attic ceiling, with
a black mirror insert at the apex; leather croc-print
tiles on the floor, and black leather insets to a
heavily ornate silvered headboard and footplate. A
low-level sofa in a patterned leather to match the
flooring is covered with soft velvety, but black,
cushions.
Shining out like a beacon from the black is a magnificent freestanding copper bath. To
the side sits a copper-topped drinks table, and holding bathtime goodies is an oval hat-
box-style side table, again in black leather, this time with silver studs.
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Our research
We have interviewed 75 people of different ages and have asked them several questions
about Boutique Hotels. The answers provided some ideas for the case study.
Here are the questions.

After a brief introduction of the concept the second question was asked.

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The interview shows that the overwhelming majority of Russians havent lived in
Boutique Hotels but show their desire to stay at one.

Our interviewees were mostly young people, which is why they are more interested in
various activities that can be organized in the boutique hotel. What we find significant is
that architecture, design and history are also important to them. That led us to the
conclusion that we need to find a historical building with beautiful architecture and give
suggestions about how to turn it into a boutique hotel. We realized that it should be
something valuable but still neglected. We discovered that dozens of dilapidated
architectural landmarks in Moscow could be rented out to investors for restoration. That
was a challenging job but we found a building that answered our requirements. It is The
House with the Caryatids.
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The House
With the Caryatids

A caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place
of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The house with the
Caryatids which is situated in the centre of Moscow was built in 1812 after the fire
destroyed three quarters of the city during the Patriotic War
with Napoleon. From the very beginning the owner was the
merchants wife N. F. Zolotareva, then it was rebuilt for
colonel Helena Zhdanova.
The current appearance The House with the Caryatids
dates back to 1896, when the famous Moscow plastererPeter
Sysoev bought it for his family. Sysoev was famous for
decorating Philipps bakery and the well-known Moscow
hotel Metropol. The artisans decorated his house with a
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stucco ceiling, cornice, tile stove. By adding sculptures to the exterior, Peter Sysoev
created some kind of the show-window. He also ordered to mold his initials "PS"
surrounded by caryatids under the eaves of the house.
A movie "The Twelve Chairs" was produced in 1971
and the main heroine of this great movie "Ellochka "
lived in this
mansion. But
that was only in
the movie but
actually nobody lived in it till the middle of 2000
but all the interiors had been in its original form.
Then, illegally it was sold to the unknown
investor, who decided to start offices there. What
was called a reconstruction, turned out to be a
barbarous restructuring: the workers destroyed
some inside walls and broke all the windows.
Thanks to the activists, coordinators of
architecture supervision and the police, the illegal
reconstruction was stopped but legal has not
begun yet.
Not long ago the house was included in the list of
monuments of architecture. However, it hasnt
been exploited by the government for a long time.
On 27th of March 2012, The House with the
Caryatides was added to the United National
Register of Cultural Heritage Objects.
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Despite the fact of being a national cultural heritage

object, The House with the Caryatides needs
help. The building is on the top of a hill, the
demolition of inside walls in 2009 damaged the
buildings foundation that is why cracks have
appeared in the mansion. Now, the house next door,
which can be
demolished at any moment, saves The House with
the Caryatides from the ultimate destruction. The
activists put props, boarded up the windows and
doors of the house. Nevertheless, homeless and
other suspicious people get into the house and stay
there illegally; the building can be on fire at any
time. Because of the roofleaking water trickles into the house and, as a consequence
the decorations are getting ruined, and that is the main value of the building.
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GOVERNMENT POLICY
Moscow has implemented a new program to restore its historic landmarks that is easy on
the government's pocket.
It has auctioned the buildings off to investors, who can rent them for a symbolic annual
sum of one ruble (about three cents) per square meter, as long as they completely restore
the buildings to look as they did in the 18th and 19th century.
The first auctions were held in May 2012. Renters will get a 49-year lease on the
buildings and pay market rate rent ($470,000 to $682,000) until they are restored. They
have five years to do so. After that, rent will be slashed to one ruble per square meter for
the remainder of the lease.
The privatization concept takes its inspiration from Italys 1 Euro program for the
restoration of historic town centers. Similar programs were instituted in France and
Norway.
On average, the restoration of a Russian historic building costs $2,500 to $3,500 per
square meter. This means that it takes at least five years to pay back the costs, so this
scheme of restoration is profitable for private investors, but it certainly takes time to
bring the money back.
This auction came after the citys
government confirmed its
commitment to a revolutionary
scheme to restore the citys
architectural heritage this winter.
Moscows Heritage Commission
indicates that there are 260 historical buildings in a precarious state that it would like to
have renovated.

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In 2012, the City Hall will allocate 1.8 billion rubles ($60 million) to the restoration of
landmark buildings, twice as much as in 2011, but budget pressures are curtailing its
ability to continue such levels of spending. By its own account, the new program will
allow preservation of the citys architectural heritage by diversifying sources of funding.
Among the landmarks on the list of restoration is The House with the Caryatids in
Pechatnikov Pereulok, which is under frequent threat of fire despite being a registered
state-protected property.
The architecture organization Arkhnadzor has described the initiative as revolutionary,
but pointed out that it might be difficult to open an office or a hotel in such buildings due
to restrictions on changes an investor may make to the interior structure. However, if a
building is important for the look of the city, the interior may be changed so long as the
faade is preserved.
One of the coordinators of Arkhnadzor similarly emphasized the various difficulties
associated with preserving existing interiors while developing a hotel in a historic
property. He said that it will be worth
doing only if the building is
exceptional and located in the very
center, which does make sense for
luxury five-star hotels. In our case
The House with the Caryatids could
make a perfect boutique hotel.
Recently, the Urban development land committee under Moscow Mayor Sergey
Sobyanin has approved Moscow hotel scheme until 2025. This document says that the
hotel fund will increase from 47,8 to 137,5 thousands of suites. Thus, it is planned to
build 363 hotels which means 89,7 thousand rooms for 167,9 thousand people.

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Our Boutique Hotel

The thematic approach is the essence of The House with the Caryatids Boutique Hotel.
As our Boutique Hotel will be situated in an ancient Russian mansion, we would like to
point out the time link from the Stone Age to the beginning of the 3
rd
millennium. Our
customers will have a great opportunity to feel different time periods of mankind, and
also to actually live in one of these places. Each of the rooms will be furnished according
to a certain poque. These are four models of the rooms, which we specially designed for
this project. They are: the cave bedroom, the Middle Ages bedroom, the XIX century
bedroom and the 3
rd
millennium room.
The Stone Age Cave bedroom
Stone Age is a term used to refer to prehistoric times, beginning when humans started
to make tools and weapons that were made of stone. Animal skins and furs were the only
source for clothing. Living conditions were hard and the nature was cruel to human
beings. The life was totally wild. People lived in the caves which were very dark and
sometimes dangerous.

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The experience of staying in our Stone Age Cave bedroom will be quite the opposite.
This is a room for both adventurous and romantic people. False animal skin used as
carpets will remind our guests that hunting was a huge part of peoples life in the Stone
Age. The small table is made of the tree stump and has three levels. The dinner table does
not have legs, it is supported by what looks like a tree trunk and roots. The plasma
television is on the floor and one can watch it sitting comfortably on the sofa or lying on
the carpet. The bed is in a kind of niche protecting the cave bedroom from uninvited
visitors (animals).
For the guests staying in this bedroom we can offer a special menu of meat roasted in the
open fire and raw vegetables. To entertain the guests we have a list of various
competitions for a thematic party.
1. Who will be the first to make a hammer? (small stones, sticks and string are
supplied beforehand)
2. Who can guess the animal looking at its footprints?
3. Explain different situation using gestures and pantomime.
As for the excursions we will take the guests to
the Paleontological Museum which contains a lot
of artifacts of the Stone Age. But the most
exciting tour will be to the caves of Moscow
suburbs where the visitors will be offered a
special dinner and later on they will learn the
basics of speleology the science that studies
caves and the cave system. They will also hear a
lot of legends about caves and walk through
narrow grooves and spacious halls, long and dark
tunnels and comfortable underground stopping
places. This will make a deep impression on our
visitors.
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When the time to leave Moscow comes, the guests will receive a present from the hotel
an unprocessed stone on a small chain.








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The Middle Ages bedroom

If you want to feel like a medieval knight, you can choose staying in a Middle Ages
bedroom. Knights lived in castles or manors of their own. Although castles were very
stylish, living in them was not always a pleasant experience. As a guest in the
atmospheric setting of our medieval bedchamber, we do not expect you to accept
medieval living conditions!

Our bedchamber is tastefully furnished in the period style, has central heating and a
shower room. There is a poster bed, wooden furniture, candles on the table, two chests
made of wood and metal. Please note that this bedroom does not have televisions or
radios. The walls are made of a special material that looks like stone. Real connoisseurs
of style will be able to appreciate massive furniture made of natural materials on a special
order. Metal and candlelight make you feel safe and secure. High-quality service will
help every guest to feel like the owner of a castle whose wish is fulfilled at first request.
Our special menu for the guests of this room includes a lot of fish and meat dishes, all
sorts of cheese and wine. Dishes are served on heavy metal trays, wine in huge goblets,
forks have two teeth.
To entertain the guests we can organize the following out of doors activities:
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1. knight tournaments in which activists from historical reconstruction clubs will

take part as professionals;





2. a visit to a blacksmith workshop and master classes;





3. horse riding in Moscow parks.

For the thematic costume party we will suggest the following contests:
1. Who will cut an apple in two parts with an old sword faster?
2. Who will be the first to put the knight armour on the assistant correctly and
quickly?
3. The performance of historical dance clubs with the aim to teach the guests.
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As a compliment from the hotel the guests will receive a horse shoe made by them in the
workshop.
The XIX century bedroom
In the 19
th
century wealthy people lived in luxury and enjoyed life. No wonder that some
guests would like to experience what it felt like to stay in a bedroom like that.

The guests will be pleasantly surprised by the elegance and comfort of the room with two
pillars in it which bring back the classic ways of the Greek and Roman time. The most
important characteristics of that period decor include wooden furniture with extensive
carving and soft furnishings that use rich vibrant fabrics. Gold, brown and white in the
drapes and cushions are used to point out that the room was designed for nobility. There
is a piano for them to play their favourite pieces of music if they can. If they cannot, the
piano has a built-in CD player and the guests can choose anything to their liking from the
list on their bed table. The fireplace will add to the atmosphere of splendor and beauty.
The windows have a special decoration which makes them look like French windows.
Though guests have all modern conveniences at their service at all times, they easily
forget the modern world in the classical elegance of the 19
th
century decor.
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In the special menu the guests will find knot shaped biscuits, caviar, herring, pancakes
and mushrooms.
The following excursions will be organized:
1. a visit to the Tretyakov Gallery (the Tretyakov brothers are famous art sponsors of
the 19
th
century);


2. the Petroff Palace (an architectural monument of the 19
th
century);

3. a visit to Kolomenskoye open air museum where the guests will be welcomed with
bread and salt according to a Russian tradition and they can watch folk dances, ride
in carriages and do many other things.

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4. If the visit of the guests is during Maslenitsa a traditional Russian holiday to say
good bye to winter they are invited to take part in the celebration.

In the hotel a special entertainment typical for the 19
th
century will be organized. People
danced a lot at that time and waltz and mazurka were a must for the nobility. Our women
guests will be given special dance note books to write down the order of those who have
invited them to dance. The guests will have fun playing the forfeit game: each of them
will give a small object of their own to the leader who picks up one and asks the player
with their eyes closed, What will this forfeit do? The player will say for example,
Dance the waltz. So the owner of the object has to do what they are asked.


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We also think of doing a master class for women to teach them how to use a fan. In the
end there may be a best fan contest.
As a complement from the hotel upon leaving the hotel the men will receive buttonholes
and women small boxes made in Russian traditions.
The 3
rd
Millennium Room
This is a modern bedroom in a minimalism style. It is ecological and very practical. On
the walls of the room there are photo wallpapers with a view of provincial Russia. On
one of the walls there is a TV set which can be hidden in the chameleon box which will
match the colour of the wall and camouflage the screen. Instead of the bed the guests will
have a big round ottoman. We think that in future it will be trendy to use round forms and
natural colours, plants, ecological materials and panoramas instead of usual windows. In
the ceiling there is the sky in which the clouds are moving on-line. On the bar counter
you can see another remarkable object which looks like a head. Actually, it is a very
convenient computer-organizer with voice control: it will remind the guest about their
itinerary. There is a robot in the room and he can supply the guests with all necessary
information about their staying in Moscow. He can also be their friendly companion
when they stay in the room. Anyway, it can easily be switched off if his services are not
needed.

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In the menu the guest will find cosmofood (food for astronauts) which is very nutritional
and healthy. We will also provide usual ecological food.

For entertainment there will be a radio-controlled toy car race and various contests with
the use of waste objects (for example to make a vase from a plastic bottle).
There will be out of doors activities too. The following excursions are planned.
1. A visit to the Centre of Modern Arts Winzavod.

The WINZAVOD Centre is a unique space
housing the most famous Russian
contemporary art galleries. It consists
of seven buildings with a total area
of 20,000 square meters. The spacious
territory of the old complex houses three
large exhibition halls and 11 galleries,
including the prominent and respectful
modern art gallery XL, a radical
art forum, a classical Russian avant-garde
gallery, photogalleries as well as design
studios, artists studios, PERSONA Stylist
School, a stylish caf and a book store.
WINZAVODs many guests combine
their attendance of art exhibitions
and workshops with watching art-house
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films, enjoying themselves in a caf and popping into stores.

The art centre is also home to Creative Workshops for children: theater, dancing,
painting, design engineering, music, physics, math, animated cartoons,
and performances, to name just a few.













2. A visit to the Star city and the museum on Space.



3. A visit to the Moscow Planetarium.

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On the whole our guests will have an opportunity to enjoy the civilization of the future
but as a compliment from the hotel each will get a Russian wooden spoon as a reminder
of ordinary life before the space era.
















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Our Special Activities

Since the services in our Boutique Hotel are personalized and we aim at creating a sense
of closeness among the guests, we have decided that we will offer them special activities
which will help them to feel the atmosphere of the city they are staying at. No doubt that
we will have our most exciting sights in Moscow to offer but we will do more than that:
we will make our tours intriguing and unforgettable. Here are some of them.
The City Quests Street Adventure

For all our guests we will offer a unique opportunity to
combine an excursion around the city with an exciting game
The City Quests Street Adventure. It will last for three days
and the guests will get acquainted with the most important
sights of Moscow not looking at them from the bus window
but actually discovering them. Getting text messages and solving different riddles, the
participants will visit Moscows most beautiful sights, take memorable photos and learn
plenty of new facts about the our capital along the way.
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Our Game Tours will combine sightseeing and adventures in the city
and bring the spirit of Moscow featuring the things off the usual
guide books. Our Game Tour will be a mixture of various tasks and
assignments which lead the participants through the route. The
travellers will move from point to point accomplishing the tasks and
will get acquainted with the city step by step. They will also memorize interesting facts,
overcome confusion, develop creativity and
communication skills and even learn the basics of
Russian! We will arrange a romantic game tour for a
couple, a family game tour or a game tour for colleagues
or friends! The tour will include warm-up exercises, little
snack and diplomas of Moscow Discoverers.









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Kolomenskoye Museum Reserve in Moscow

No matter what type of bedrooms our guests
prefer to choose and what poque to associate
with, they will definitely like to visit
Kolomenskoye which has something to offer
each of them.
The Kolomenskoye Estate is an open-air museum
of history and it is a very ancient place. People lived here in the Stone Age and there're
archaeological discoveries dating to V-III thousand years BC.
The old village of Kolomenskoye
situated in the southern part of
Moscow is a unique place where
the relics of Russian history were
created and kept for centuries.
Close to Kolomenskoye there is
the oldest on the territory of Moscow settlement - known as Dyakovo Gorodishche - that
is 2,5 thousand years old. Since the 14th century Kolomenskoye had been the summer
residence of Great Moscow Princes, and then - Russian tsars including Ivan the Terrible
and Peter the Great.
There are a lot of things to see there - churches, historic
buildings, walls and the gate that date back to 16-18 centuries.
The most amazing is the Church of the Ascension (UNESCO's
World Heritage Site). It was built in 1529-1532 by the order of
Tsar Vasily III to commemorate the birth of his son, the future
Russian Tsar Ivan IV. What Vasily didn't know back then is
that "Terrible" will be his son's second name.

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The visitors will admire the Front Gate that was

built somewhere in 1672. It was meant to be the
front entrance to the estate, because all the important
guests of that time (now we call them VIPs) arrived
from the side of the Moskva River using the
embassy road. However, there was a little trick, just
the way Russian Tsars liked. Right after the guest
passed the gate, they would see four wooden lions covered with realistic fur and with
machinery inside that made them roll their eyes and roar. Since the distinguished guests
weren't familiar with the term "animatronics", they were quite impressed. Plus, the lions
softened them up just enough to give the Russian Tsar a winning side in any coming
negotiation.
The museum of Kolomesnkoye was founded in 1923. Several wooden structures were
transferred to the museum from different parts of Russia. In 1971 Kolomenskoye was
announced the state museum-preserve. Nowadays it is the State Historical, Architectural,
Nature and Landscape Museum-Preserve Kolomenskoye. In 1994 Kolomenskoye Estate
was included into the UNESCO's World Heritage List. This place is called the eighth
wonder of the world and our guests who are very interested in architecture will be
amazed!
Besides being an open-air museum, Kolomenskoye is also a
natural-scenery reserve spreading on both banks of the Moskva
river. In the central part of the estate there is a picturesque park
with an alley of old lindens planted in the early 19th century.
But the pride of the reserve is a grove of ancient oaks, the oldest
in Moscow: some of them are between 400 and 600 years old.
Kolomenskoye Museum Reserve has its own secrets and
mysteries. There are many legends about different objects on its territory. Our guests will
be given hints to discover them. Here is one of them.
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There is an old ravine covered

with bushes and one can hardly
believe that they are in the center
of Moscow, not in the thick
forest. Not far from it there are
two huge stones though they are almost completely hidden
under the ground, and only a small part of them appears at the
surface. Each of the stones weighs about 11.000 pounds and
has a very unusual form. They say that the stones have magic healing powers. For
example, it you touch the stone with the sick part of your body, you will recover of your
illness. This is not just a legend. Interestingly, scientists from The Physics Institute have
measured the electro-magnetic vibrations near the stones and in the ravine and found out
that they exceed the norm by 27 times!
The magical stones can also fulfil any types of
wishes, which might have a great appeal to our
guests. The trees near these stones are decorated
with ribbons which were placed there by those
who were cured or whose wishes were fulfilled.
We hope that our guests will be captivated by this
opportunity. Dont we all have secret wishes?
As it has been mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, all our guests can find
something in Kolomenskoye to satisfy their curiosity. Those who are interested in the
Stone Age can visit the museum which contains unique collections of the Late Stone Age
findings, rare print issues and so on.




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Those who are keen on the Middle Ages will be fascinated by the excursion to the living
museum to watch the work of a blacksmith.

They will also enjoy the historical performance of Russian knights on the bank of the
Moskva River.

Those who are interested in the 19
th
century history will visit the palaces where Russian
tsars lived and will appreciate the grandeur and beauty of the interior. If they are lucky
they can be the witnesses of a marriage ceremony that takes place for real in one of the
palaces.

Adventurous people who live the 3
rd
millennium room might find it interesting to know
that in the Golosov ravine magic is possible. There are a lot of stories of people entering
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the ravine in the mist and coming back only 50 years later to the place they no longer
recognize!

So, a visit to Kolomenskoye will be both educational and enjoyable.

The Film Studio Excursion
Everybody likes movies and we will take our
guests to a famous film studio "Mosfilm". On
its territory the tourists can see an amazing
artificial city, called "Moscow in the 19th
century" and built for one of the films. It is an
amazing place. One will feel like in a
completely different world.
All the houses are empty inside and are supported only by framework structures. They
are made from wooden boards and covered by gypsum. The city was created for the film
by Karen Shakhnazarov "The Rider Named
Death". Usually all settings are destroyed after
shooting a movie, but other directors liked the
city so much that they decided to save it.
Many famous Russian films were created there.
The place changed into Berlin, Paris, Tbilisi
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and even Copenhagen. Something was rebuilt, street signs changed, but after shootings
the city always restored its former appearance.
At first, the tourists will find themselves in what might seem a rather dull part of the city,
where they can only see empty houses. But when they go farther they come to a village
with many interesting buildings and a special atmosphere. There is a church, an estate,
many houses and even a model of a destroyed building!
That small city on the territory of Mosfilm keeps lots of
mysteries in its streets and corners.
There are other interesting things to see in Mosfilm. One
of them is a collection of retro cars from the beginning of
the 20
th
century older or antique cars are restored, put
into working condition and, despite their age, look as if they have just come off the
assembly line. Mosfilm has a great collection of costumes,
some of the outfits are well-known because of the actors
who once wore them. It is possible to find anything in
Mosfilm from a school uniform of the 20
th
century, to fur
coat of a Russian Tsar.






38

SWOT
The following table presents the results of the SWOT analysis of our hotel
business.
STRENGTHS
A new, innovative product and
service
Government support
Location
Historical building
Quality processes and procedures
Huge Demand for rooms
The room size
WEAKNESSES
Not known name
Huge investments

OPPORTUNITIES
Attracting new consumers to provide
them with a unique experience
Use of historical traditions
Special activities
THREATS
Lower cost competitors (3-star or 4-
star hotels)
5-star and luxury hotels
Economic slowdown
Instability in currency exchange rate



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Opportunities for
Entrepreneurship Activities
Moscow is becoming more and more popular each year as a place of tourist destination.
The statistics shows that the number of people who visit the city is growing every year.
According to the official data of the Moscow Committee for Tourism and Hotel
Business, the number of foreigners who visited Moscow in 2011 compared to 2010
increased by 12%, which is 4,47 million people!
The House with the Caryatides used as a Boutique
Hotel can offer a lot of opportunities for
entrepreneurship activities.
Firstly, there are investors who are interested in
restoration of a historical building in a highly
exceptional location the centre of Moscow. Secondly, there will be a great need in
experienced decorators who know how to preserve the unique atmosphere of the house.
Thirdly, it is the staff that are going to work in the Boutique Hotel. They should go
through a special training course to be able to function effectively in the hotel of this type
and level. Fourthly, there is a demand in people who are creative and enthusiastic to work
in the Special Activities Department.
Finally, this project can give a lot of opportunities to architects, designers, artists and
craftsmen, in other words it is a huge potential for small business.
On the whole there are a lot of opportunities for entrepreneurs who are interested both in
profits and in promoting the culture of Moscow.


40

Potential Employees
The hotel industry has many jobs and the good thing is that it has jobs for every person
and all that is required is to meet the
qualifications. Many jobs require experience
and formal training like the jobs in
management. Some positions may require a
certificate while the minimum educational
levels, other careers may require a bachelor's
degree.
Fortunately, a lot of vocational schools, colleges and universities in Moscow
offer specialized training in hotel management, food services and housekeeping. Every
year a lot of young people graduate from various
educational institutions in the hotel industry and the
problem is that they cannot find a job because very often
experience is a must. In our Boutique Hotel we aim at
perfection but at the same time we think that young
people who have got spesialized education can be an
asset and it will be a great loss if well-trained young
people who are unable to find a job (because of lack of
experience) lose interest in hotel business and switch to something else. We will offer
special training programs for them where they will have a chance to work and study at
the same time. There is no doubt that senior management should be experienced
professionals and they will be role models for young management with no experience.
Some other jobs include front office jobs, waiters, receptionists, hospitality jobs, back
office jobs, cooks and chefs. To be a waiter does not require much training and
experience. Jobs in food preparation department can also be easily obtained.
Hotel industry is closely linked to the tourism industry. So we will provide jobs in this
area too. We also believe that that all our employees should have a good knowledge of
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foreign languages. This does not seem to be a great problem because now young people
in Russia are very motivated in learning languages and show good results. A lot of them
take and pass international exams in foreign languages. So, on the whole our potential
employees will be hotel management graduates with good command of English.
Whatever education and training the employees have, it is vital that they should be
creative in what they do because our services are exclusive and personalized. Their
imagination should be very active and flexible and they should read a lot about different
poques to be ready to discuss new ideas.
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Conclusion
After having done all the research and coming up with some ideas about how we could
use neglected cultural heritage, we have come to the conclusion that something has to be
done to protect priceless buildings. It is evident that there will be huge investments and
the old buildings will look amazing though it will take time. But the question is: what
will become of them? They are all situated in the city centre, which makes them
automatically a good target for offices. If most of the buildings become offices they will
be closed to public and lose their main function as being not only houses but homes.
Generations of people lived in them, had their happy moments and memories that are still
there. So, we believe that these buildings should be used for more homely things. A lot of
small hotels could cater for the needs and tastes of different people. There will be a tough
competition, which is only healthy for the hotel owners trying to outperform each other
and in this way improving their services and the quality of the hospitality industry. Small
hotels can attract a lot of people because there one can feel at home. Isnt it nice to stay at
a hotel where you know all the staff by their names and they all know your first name?
Small restaurants and cafes in these houses can also add to the beauty and home
atmosphere of the area.
We admit that it is expensive to manage small hotels and to stay at ones, but we believe it
is worth it. What do you think?



43

Bibliography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boutique_hotel
http://www.frontdesk.ru/
http://www.nilsenclub.ru/
http://www.crazybeargroup.co.uk/
http://www.ria-novosti.ru
http://www.archnadzor.ru
http://www.irn.ru/articles/32792.html
http://mgomz.ru/
http://www.mochaloff.ru/kolomenskoe/
http://www.stranatur.ru/ru/Incoming-tours/Excursions/mosfilm/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Age
http://middle-ages.org.uk/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century
http://www.winzavod.ru/eng/
Newspaper RBK Daily (Monday, 16 July 2012) 130(1415)





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Teachers Notes
The case study approach in teaching is not often used in the Russian classroom. This can
be explained by the fact that this requires special knowledge and it is not taught in
universities. We know how to do projects and run a lot of competitions in them. We can
call case study writing a research project but there is more to it. The teaching potential of
writing case studies should not be underestimated. Students can start with not very
extensive case studies which are both interesting and challenging for them. In the process
of working on a case students develop their imagination, research skills and look on the
positive side of things. That is why I believe that this type of writing should be used by
Russian teachers and I think that special workshops can be done in pre-service and in-
service training.
As for this case study it can be used at lessons based on GTTP Passport to the World
course and students project work dedicated to Tourism and Travelling. Working in small
groups students can find the answer to the question about how The House with the
Caryatids can be given a new life. They can also evaluate the activities for the visitors
designed by the students of this very case. The most important thing for students is to
start thinking about their city and their role in preserving its historical architecture. At
this point critical thinking is what they need.
Students of other countries reading this case study can find it educational in terms of
history and can do further research into different poques. They can also try to decide
what opportunities for this type of tourism their town/village can offer. They can suggest
exciting activities and become history experts. For their findings they are supposed to
make oral presentation to practice speaking skills and the ability to engage other people.
This case study may serve as an example of presenting the written results of the research
and can motivate students to travel not only in the present and in the future, but in the
past too, which we all need not to forget about our roots.
Nadezhda Bykova,
GTTP teacher