marina
zABOLOTINA
Hospitality and travel industry expert with over 20 years’ experience
expertise
01
06
Hospitality
Consulting
Drawing on more than two decades of experience in hospitality, I advise hotel owners and investors.
I support hotel projects from the initial idea and concept development through to opening, marketing, and the selection of contractors and suppliers.
Depending on the brief, I bring in specialists with extensive hands-on experience specifically within the hospitality industry.
At the opening or development stage, I build a strong project team. Where required, we also design the organisational structure and recruit the operating team.
My ambition is to open a Hospitality School for front-line hotel staff.
The industry has many strong managers, yet there is still a shortage of skilled and caring room attendants, enthusiastic porters, waiters who are genuinely passionate about food, and front office professionals who know how to connect with every guest.
My Ambition
My
Story
01
09
Career Beginnings
My career in travel began in 2002 as a travel consultant at Arbat Voyage.
It gave me a strong grounding in the travel business, taught me the fundamentals of travel planning and helped me begin building long-term relationships with hotels and local destination partners.
Tour-Marshrut
In 2005, I took over the management of Tour-Marshrut.
We operated as an international tour operator, developing new itineraries, managing seat and hotel room allotments, introducing new resorts to the Russian market and organising familiarisation trips.
Fame Time Travel
In 2010, I founded fame time Travel.
Today, the company specialises in tailor-made travel across Russia and worldwide, with end-to-end trip management and a personal concierge service. The business continues to operate successfully.
Grand Hotel Emerald
In 2020, I took over as General Manager of Grand Hotel Emerald in St Petersburg.
The hotel was going through a challenging period, so one of my main priorities was to rebuild its operating model.
I built a new team, refreshed the marketing and PR strategy, strengthened corporate sales, reviewed the rate strategy and booking channels, and developed new services and ancillary revenue streams while maintaining service quality and the hotel’s financial resilience.
I built a new team, refreshed the marketing and PR strategy, strengthened corporate sales, reviewed the rate strategy and booking channels, and developed new services and ancillary revenue streams while maintaining service quality and the hotel’s financial resilience.
International Hotel Assets
Alongside this, I acted as the owner’s representative for the HBV hotel group in Central Dalmatia, Croatia.
My remit included property audits, restructuring the management team, revisiting restaurant and bar concepts, recruiting staff, refreshing menus, partially refurbishing one hotel and preparing another for sale. The overarching objective was to improve operating efficiency and return the assets to profitability.
La Volga Resort
in January 2024, I joined the five-star La Volga resort project as a consultant.
I later took on the role of Managing Director.
My responsibilities covered the resort concept, financial and operating models, and relationships with owners, investors, government bodies, architects, designers and contractors...
My responsibilities covered the resort concept, financial and operating models, and relationships with owners, investors, government bodies, architects, designers and contractors...
Personal Blog / Channels
In 2024, I launched my own Telegram channel, The Hotelista.
The channel focuses on hospitality and travel. In 2026, I also launched Hotelista | Travel & Hotels on MAX.
I write about hotel management, service, marketing, new projects and destinations, combining a hotelier’s professional perspective with many years of experience working with travellers from Russia and other countries.
I write about hotel management, service, marketing, new projects and destinations, combining a hotelier’s professional perspective with many years of experience working with travellers from Russia and other countries.
Media & Speaking
I speak at industry events, take part in panel discussions and provide commentary on industry trends for the media.
I also work with the Tver Region Ministry of Tourism as an industry expert. I am open to new projects and to providing expert commentary for press, blogs, Telegram channels, podcasts and other media on hospitality, service, the travel industry and travel trends.
Hospitality Consulting
Today, hospitality consulting is a distinct part of my work.
I advise owners, investors and teams at city and country hotels, resorts, health retreats, glamping sites and other accommodation businesses.
I join projects at different stages — from the initial idea, concept and financial model through construction, pre-opening, operations and the development of an established property.
I join projects at different stages — from the initial idea, concept and financial model through construction, pre-opening, operations and the development of an established property.
My responsibilities covered the resort concept, financial and operating models, and relationships with owners, investors, government bodies, architects, designers and contractors. I was also responsible for team building, service concept development, attracting partners and brands, the project’s commercial positioning and marketing materials, and preparing the resort for opening.
A separate workstream focused on the residential development: creating its concept and management model, developing its visual and marketing positioning, preparing investment offerings and establishing the sales channels required to bring them to market.
The project was temporarily put on hold in October 2025.
A separate workstream focused on the residential development: creating its concept and management model, developing its visual and marketing positioning, preparing investment offerings and establishing the sales channels required to bring them to market.
The project was temporarily put on hold in October 2025.
MY CHANNEL
The Hotelista
Hospitality and travel through the eyes of a hotelier and travel agency founder
my
Recommendations
russian Hotels I choose for my own stays and am always happy to recommend to fame time Travel clients, Hotelista readers and friends.
I look at every element that shapes the guest experience: location, architecture, interiors, service, food and drink, and atmosphere.
