How to open a hotel overseas

It’s not all sunshine and cocktails, you know: opening a hotel overseas is hard work. Sue and Andrew Page followed their dreams to Zanzibar, where they opened their own hotel – here they share their hard-won advice…

Ultimately this is a business decision not just a lifestyle choice.

Think about all costs including land, design and build as well as saving for any unexpected costs. When it comes to selecting a building contractor, choose one you can trust. We had a hilarious battle with a builder who actually put a staircase in back to front so that it led to thin air! Something he insisted wouldn’t cause a problem…

Also, ideally learn the language – this will help you pick up on any nuances. Try to build up a good working relationship with local officials and treat them with respect.

These will be key to your future success. Make sure travel agents are aware of your Unique Selling Point. Although running a hotel is a business, it is so incredibly important to remember people are spending their hard earned cash to come and stay with you and often it is the holiday of a lifetime so they deserve the very best. Investing time and effort in staff is also a necessity – they will become an invaluable part of your team.

Moving to a new country is a big enough leap but when this is teamed with the pressures of starting a business it is not going to be an easy call. You may have a beautiful beach and pool but you won’t spend much time admiring it. The hotel business is really hard work: if people came to this with no prior experience, it would be hard to hit the ground running. That isn’t to say there aren’t huge benefits: the weather, breathtaking views, and the thrill of the challenge.

Tips from Sue and Andrew Page, who built, own and run the boutique Echo Beach Hotel in Zanzibar