During a crisis in tourism, the Kajak.mk team follows a new motto: "When the pandemic gives you lemons, make lemonade." This is the mindset of two young men from Skopje who opened their own hotel in the city center three months before the pandemic began.
The apartments are available in the Kajak.mk database with just one click HERE.
The story of "Vanilla Boutique Hotel" is written by Viktor and Stevan, young owners and experienced professionals in the tourism industry. We love talking to new people eager to bring change to tourism, whose benchmark for operation is the global trends they are applying for the first time in Macedonia.
“Vanilla Boutique Hotel” opened its doors to the first guests three months before the pandemic. Fortunately, it features a modern type of hybrid hotel apartments, which provided a solid foundation to adapt to the pandemic conditions.
Before opening, they underwent a fairly long preparation process for the apartments, involving several architects from both Macedonia and abroad, incorporating the most interesting ideas.
After a period of exchanging ideas, the young owners finalized the initial design of the apartments, which continue to undergo monthly updates and improvements! They say they constantly listen to guest feedback, which helps them adapt further during the pandemic.
Besides hearing suggestions from guests, they also spend a night in the apartments whenever possible, aiming to experience the guest’s perspective firsthand and identify what can be improved next. Their guiding principle is that no matter how good something is, there’s always room for progress.
They have no intention of being just ordinary and boring apartments. The comfort and amenities remain the same, but the details in each apartment are unique.
While maintaining functionality, they add a touch of authenticity to every apartment by playing with different colors on the beds, walls, floors, paintings, wardrobes, bathrooms, decorations, plants, and more. This way, they attract guests to return and “experience” a different apartment next time or simply choose the one they liked best.
The location is at Elisije Popovski Marko Street, No. 31, in the center of Skopje, right across from the State Hospital. They chose this spot carefully, looking for a place that’s a bit quieter than the bustling city center, yet still close to major tourist attractions like Vodno, Macedonia Square, City Park, Debar Maalo restaurants, nightclubs, shopping centers, and more.
What makes the hotel stand out is the space adaptation implemented right from the start of the pandemic. The hotel features a system for entry into the building and rooms using codes and cards. Stevan and Viktor take pride in being the first accommodation facility fully equipped with an “Online Self Check-in” system, allowing guests to check in independently without any contact with staff.
The process works like this: guests make a reservation and receive a one-time use code for the entrance door and another one-time use code for their reserved room. When they enter the room—which is already preheated to their desired temperature via a smart device—they find a key card that allows them to freely enter and exit both the building and the apartment.
With this adaptation, they bring a fresh innovation to the market—already common worldwide in tourism—eliminating direct contact between guests and staff and minimizing the risk of pandemic spread.
Vanilla Boutique Hotel is designed literally for all types of travelers. We truly believe we offer a perfect "value for money" option, providing a class above the basic apartments in Skopje at the same or similar price. We believe we have met all the conditions, whether for casual overnight visitors or guests who want to stay for weeks or even longer, says Viktor.
We believe we are well-suited for all guests because of the mix and quality of services we offer. Starting with the mentioned “contactless” guest reception system, which is much more than just a safety measure during the pandemic. Through this system, we can provide fast and efficient 24/7 check-in, and if needed, late check-out — which is especially valuable for frequent travelers, adds Stevan.
They strive for full connectivity of devices through “smart” technology to enhance the guest experience based on the data presented. For example, the air conditioner and water heater in the reserved apartment automatically turn on one hour before the scheduled self-check-in time via the mobile app system.
Guests are offered food and drinks from the best restaurants in Skopje during their stay. They provide the best possible internet because they believe that nowadays, internet is a basic necessity, not a luxury. This makes the hotel especially attractive as a “home office” option for working remotely.
Additional comforts include hypoallergenic aloe vera mattresses, anatomical pillows, a large TV with a home cinema system and countless channels, as well as PS4 consoles for extra entertainment.
Both are young owners with many years of experience in the tourism sector. Viktor has extensive experience in Macedonian tourism, having built a successful chain of apartments under the brand “VanillaApartments,” serving a large number of domestic and international tourists. Stevan, on the other hand, has hotelier experience working in the USA and the UK, along with modest Airbnb experience in Macedonia. Among other projects, he manages “PentLux,” a chain of ultra-luxury apartments set to launch in the coming months.
Communication with the hotel is quite simple. On the hotel’s front door, the phone numbers of both owners are displayed (+389 71 238 440 – Viktor, +389 75 811 411 – Stevan), and guests can reach them anytime by call, WhatsApp, or Viber.
Besides the phone numbers, you can also contact them via:
https://www.instagram.com/vanilla_boutique_hotel
https://www.facebook.com/VanillaBoutiqueHotel/
As well as through their official website: http://vanillaskopje.com/
They are open to any kind of cooperation with individuals or agencies who believe they can find common ground to build successful tourism stories in Macedonia.
