2024-07-07 01:33:52
Bought a new business four years ago
Many years ago, when I had to accommodate my friends at the Dzūkija Hotel after a seminar, to be honest, the rooms resembled the poor rooms of a poor dormitory.
Since then, I haven’t been able to visit this hotel again. Having heard a lot of praise for “Dzūkija” from acquaintances who have settled here, I was curious to see for myself.
You can’t do it without an owner or manager. It turns out that G. Stanionis from Aly bought this hotel from the previous owners four years ago.
“I have an international transportation business, I thought, I should try another one.” If you fail with one, maybe the other will save you. You know, I had never even encountered the hotel business. But I took it and took a risk”, remembers Gintaras.
He doesn’t even want to talk about the condition in which he bought the hotel. According to Gintars, it would be better not to remember it and not to talk about it: “Big investments were needed and now they are still needed. But the repairs are almost finished. We had to change the doors, windows, plumbing, and electrical installation. Of course, to repair the rooms themselves. When we once had to accommodate a large group of athletes, and there was no hot water in the entire city, we realized that we also had to install our own water heating system.”
Of the 40 rooms in “Dzūkija”, only a very small part has remained unrenovated. There are single, double, triple rooms and apartments with separate kitchens.
As G. Stanionis claims, you won’t be surprised by the amenities and household appliances in the rooms, the most important thing is the prices: “I think that here in Alytus, the price-quality ratio is the most acceptable for customers.”
“I don’t want to brag, but there aren’t always places for ships”
Gintaras bought Dzūkija while the COVID-19 pandemic was raging. During the most difficult year for hotels. Not just for them, but practically for the entire business.
“There was definitely more than one moment when I regretted doing it. But I used that difficult year for repairs and renewal. And two years after the acquisition of the hotel, its occupancy was 50 percent, last year it was already 80 percent. I don’t want to brag, but we don’t always have free places,” says G. Stanionis, director of the Dzūkijos hotel company.
Who is the main customer of this hotel?
Gintaras admits: when he tells his friends about the occupancy of the hotel, many are surprised who can stay in hotels in Alytus, some people think that nothing happens in Alytus, no one even needs such services.
Those who think like that should calm down a little. A very large part of the people living in “Dzūkija” are employees of various companies, especially those building several new factories in Alytus.
Groups of athletes, pilgrims, and various ensembles settle here. Recently, Czech, Slovak, Estonian, and Polish motorcyclists have been very frequent guests.
“Maybe you won’t believe it, but people from Aly who have returned from abroad to visit their relatives live with us. Children don’t want to live with their parents or other relatives, they want to feel free,” says the owner of “Dzūkija” and the director of the company that manages it.
There is a cafe for hotel residents
Having made sure that the hotel services in Alytus will be in demand, “Dzūkijos hotel” rented the premises of the stadium hotel, where there are 10 double rooms, from the city municipality at the beginning of this year. And, according to G. Stanionis, they are often busy.
Since the residents of “Dzūkija” themselves began to miss a cafe in the premises of this hotel, it was soon installed. Breakfast is served here, and lunch and dinner for accommodated groups.
“Hotel residents are changing, their accommodation tactics are changing. But the main customer requirements remain. It’s a good bed, good order and good service. Seemingly simple things, but they require effort. And we are trying,” says Gintaras.
2024-07-07 01:33:52