The Grand Hotel Europe has become the first Russian hotel to be certified by SGS, a major international certification body, for correspondence to ISO 9001:2000 international quality standards. Adherence to this sta The Grand Hotel Europe welcomes both locals and guests of St Petersburg to enjoy a fascinating boat excursion along the rivers and canals of the Northern capital and the Gulf of Finland on board its new ultra-fast speedboat, the Katarina.
The boat was purchased in Venice at the specific request of the hotel’s management. The total cost of the deal was 180,000 euros. The interiors of the Katarina are paneled with precious kinds of wood, while the upholstery is made from fabric of the finest quality.
An excursion on board the Katarina is a powerful experience combined with safety and comfort, adhering to all requirements and standards. The cabin of the boat is ideal for excursions in any weather. The city’s multitude of palaces, majestic cathedrals, mansions, sparkling fountains and beautiful bridges leave an unforgettable impression on the viewer when seen from the water during a boat excursion.
A boat trip is a wonderful way for anyone to get to know more about the history of the city, its sights and traditions, and to lose themselves in the enthralling atmosphere of the era of Peter the Great with its plethora of architectural ensembles. The majestic granite embankments which line most of the waterways give St Petersburg a special charm, earning the city the name of “the Venice of the North.”
During an excursion on the Katarina, guests will be offered refined hors d’oeuvres along with both classic and exclusive drinks prepared by the Grand Hotel Europe’s Executive Chef, Anatoly Ivanov.
We will always be happy to welcome you on board the luxury boat Katarina.ndard will enable the current system of monitoring quality control to become the most progressive and efficient among the world’s leading hotels.
The Grand Hotel Europe is the oldest luxury hotel in St Petersburg; the Grand Dame of Russian hospitality. For the more than 130 years of its existence, the quality of the hotel’s services has been outstanding, guaranteeing that even the most discerning clients become regulars.
In April 2008, the hotel’s Managing Director, Thomas Noll, took the decision to implement a quality management system. Nils Kalle, Quality Director was appointed project supervisor.
“For me it is the third ISO implementation project,” said Kalle. “At the Grand Hotel Europe, we implemented the quality management system in 10 months, which is a record-breaking period, taking into consideration that we are a big organization with 600 employees. My previous experience enabled me to implement this system.
“Moreover, even before this idea was born three years ago, I had already started to implement ISO elements in the hotel. It is a very convenient system: it allows you to systematize the document flow and create a system that is independent of employees. The human factor is the most unstable one, and it frequently happens that after a key employee leaves, the company’s business starts to decrease, while ISO enables us to build an information framework of the company and to generate a knowledge database,” explained Kalle.
“The ISO certification is only the beginning of the process, like getting a driving license,” said Thomas Noll. “The next step is continuous work to improve the achieved results,” he said.
Seven especially trained employees from different departments have been appointed as internal auditors in order to improve and develop the implemented system. These employees will carry out an inspection in all departments twice a year and help them to prepare for the annual independent review, conducted by experts of the biggest international certification body — SGS itself.
“As a result of the certification audit implemented by specialists of our company, we are pleased to recognise the high client-oriented attitude of the Grand Hotel Europe team and its impeccable security system, which is a strong guarantee of hotel guests’ comfort,” said Konstantin Timoshechkin, head of the certification system and services for the SGS Vostok Limited department.
The ISO international standardization organization unites 157 countries, each of which is represented by a designated person. ISO draws up international standards, which are then applied to the economies of different countries. This enables companies in these countries to co-operate with each other efficiently.
ISO is a range of international quality standards, covering requirements regarding an organization’s quality control systems, basic guidelines, terms and conditions, goods description standards and the organization of internal processes as well as requirements for auditing quality control systems and for protecting the environment.
The upgrade in the quality control system at the Grand Hotel Europe and receiving the relevant certification will bring the hotel a range of strategic and economic benefits, such as optimization of the organization’s management system, increase in efficiency of quality control systems, gain of advantage over competitors and ultimate increase in the quality of provided services. All these factors will make our guests’ stay in the hotel even more comfortable and enjoyable.
International experience has shown that introduction of the principles of the ISO 9001:2000 is currently one of the most reliable tools for creating an efficient management system, increasing a hotel’s competitive edge and bringing significant benefits to the hotel and its clients, partners and contractors.
