Setting up/buying a hotel in the Alps
Discussion
I am a shareholder in a business that we intend to dispose of in 2 -3 years. This will (hopefully) result in a significant pay off and I am now wondering what to do next. I am in my early 40's and feel that that is far too young to go into semi retirement. However I don't want to continue in the rat race and certainly don't want to be paying extortionate rates of tax in the UK.
On a ski trip in the Alps earlier this year I was quite taken by the lifestyle of one of the smaller hotel owners. He probably worked a couple of hours a day and left the running of his hotel to a couple of trusted employee's and a number of seasonal workers. He spent most of his time skiing or socialising with his guests, something I would be very happy to undertake.
I have done a little research into buying going concerns in the French Alps and the more I think about it the more I like the idea. My thoughts are to have the hotel open for the ski season from Dec - Apr, close for a couple of months. Open again Jun - Sep for the summer hiking/biking trade then two months off before the new ski season.
This may be a bit of a pipe dream but I would be very interested to hear peoples views.
On a ski trip in the Alps earlier this year I was quite taken by the lifestyle of one of the smaller hotel owners. He probably worked a couple of hours a day and left the running of his hotel to a couple of trusted employee's and a number of seasonal workers. He spent most of his time skiing or socialising with his guests, something I would be very happy to undertake.
I have done a little research into buying going concerns in the French Alps and the more I think about it the more I like the idea. My thoughts are to have the hotel open for the ski season from Dec - Apr, close for a couple of months. Open again Jun - Sep for the summer hiking/biking trade then two months off before the new ski season.
This may be a bit of a pipe dream but I would be very interested to hear peoples views.
Edited by Little Dave on Saturday 6th March 20:43
Working a couple of hours a day does sound slightly hopeful, but if you can manage it, go for it! Do all your sums based on a max 50% occupancy rate during high season, 30% low season. Trusted staff can sometime be difficult to come by - so think about how much you really know about running a hotel before you start. I do a lot of touring in the Alps during the summer, and hotels always, always have space, so don't under estimate the competitiveness of the market - ie don't don some rose tinted glasses when looking around.
Car/bike touring groups can be a good market - but they won't just turn up. You'll have to market yourself really quite hard and positively, and provide secure parking as a minimum, plus if you aren't in easy reach of restaurants you'll hae to provide dining facilities in the evenings.
It could be lovely - just be realistic! The hotel and catering industry is hard work, anyone who enters it thinking otherwise won't survive.
All imho of course - I looked very hard at running a hotel in Spain - then 9/11 happened and I lost my nerve - I saw occupancy rates going through the floor.
Car/bike touring groups can be a good market - but they won't just turn up. You'll have to market yourself really quite hard and positively, and provide secure parking as a minimum, plus if you aren't in easy reach of restaurants you'll hae to provide dining facilities in the evenings.
It could be lovely - just be realistic! The hotel and catering industry is hard work, anyone who enters it thinking otherwise won't survive.
All imho of course - I looked very hard at running a hotel in Spain - then 9/11 happened and I lost my nerve - I saw occupancy rates going through the floor.
I worked for a company last season that is based in the Alps. Admittedly the boss owned a few chalets, not just one hotel, but he said if you want to go skiing a lot then the last thing you want to do is run a ski business!
Plus talking to the owner of a largish (40 room) hotel next door, he said he hadn't skied for 3 years now, despite having lived in the resort all his life.
Just saying it may not lead to as much skiing as you hoped/liked!
Plus talking to the owner of a largish (40 room) hotel next door, he said he hadn't skied for 3 years now, despite having lived in the resort all his life.
Just saying it may not lead to as much skiing as you hoped/liked!
The one or two people 
I know in the "ski industry holiday" know that there's only 5 weeks left of the season.. some of the really sad ones know how many days & hours there are too!
As for skiing all the time.... a lot don't even bother buying a season pass as it's not worth it and you only usually need to ski 15days to make it pay... that's 20 days in 18/19weeks.
Thats said I know some bar owners who are absolute loons and get skiing whenever they want they just s
t the bar for the day......... they have it covered in the cost of their beer (Guiness @ €12 a pint) and you often see them still working at 02:00 in their ski trousers!!
I know in the "ski industry holiday" know that there's only 5 weeks left of the season.. some of the really sad ones know how many days & hours there are too!As for skiing all the time.... a lot don't even bother buying a season pass as it's not worth it and you only usually need to ski 15days to make it pay... that's 20 days in 18/19weeks.
Thats said I know some bar owners who are absolute loons and get skiing whenever they want they just s
t the bar for the day......... they have it covered in the cost of their beer (Guiness @ €12 a pint) and you often see them still working at 02:00 in their ski trousers!!Gassing Station | Business | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff