B.O.S. – the initials that define destiny and life

But now, let us relate the story of our ‘hero’ in a sort of chronological way. First of all, it is necessary to note that BOS’ life is so closely interconnected with the hospitality and catering business in general and the activities of his beloved Marco Polo Presnja Hotel in particular that his personal celebrations have long become the hotel’s affairs and vice-versa. Indeed, this upcoming 55th birthday is just one of such events that link Stasyuk not only with the hotel, but also with the whole of the Russian hospitality services market. This fact is only further confirmed by the scale of the upcoming celebrations, evident in the number and caliber of the distinguished guests, being expected both from Russia and other countries, who have already declared their intents to grace the occasion and personally congregate BOS.

The beginning of the ascend to the Olympus

Just as a theater is unimaginable without a director, so also it is impossible to think of any hotel without a competent and forward-looking general manager, capable of preempting market trends and using them for the good of his operations. This was how the contemporary history of today’s Marco Polo Presnja started with arrival of the new ‘art director’ in 1997. An ingenious, charismatic person and a real expert in his field, BOS has over 10 years been turning the hotel into a pleasant and comfortable home filled with an atmosphere of creativity and art.

"Real creative life begins from consciously choosing one’s dominant life philosophy.”

Actually, BOS initially started his career as an actor. After overcoming the cutthroat entrance competition, he was admitted to the Theater and Movie Actor Department in a theater institute. He was expected to have a very successful theater career, with the roles of Fyodor Karamazov, Othello, Pavka Korchagin and the Seville Barber waiting for him. But one day he told his professor: “I’ve made a decision to leave the theater. You can continue to create on the stage, while I’m going to be producing culinary performances for you. I’m going to be feeding you.” 

Thereafter, BOS started the realization of his creative potential and leadership qualities in the hospitality services industry, where he quickly rose to the Olympus. “I’ve taken part in several projects, where I often played the role of either a performer or director. Whenever one project was finished, the next began, and so on, with no end in sight. This is my life,” he added.

In all of BOS’ undertakings, one can invariably see the touch of a man capable of turning anything into works of art. It is worth mentioning here that his striving for perfectionism and beauty was developed in his early childhood. And, in this respect, one can hardly overestimate the role of his mother, who has done everything to acquaint her son with the art of living, teaching him fine manners, how to dress and behave in a society. “My mother has always been a divine icon in my life, which has turned out to be such a big success, thanks to great mutual love and child’s responsibility ingrained in me by her.”

Having been raised in such a lovely atmosphere and background, our hero could only grow up into an outstanding and gifted personality, not only in his professional field, where his achievements have long become too numerous to count, but also in personal life. His extraordinary taste and ability to combine seemingly incompatible things has grown into a unique feature that is only associated with him. This is further buttressed by the title, ‘The Most Stylish Manager in Moscow,’ which was awarded to him, which only serves as recognition of BOS and his hotel as ‘the true personification of elegance and style.’

Who knows what the Russian, and indeed, the global fashion industry, have missed in BOS not becoming a fashion designer. Had he become a fashion designer, it would have been safe to assume that the most famous global fashion houses would have fought for the exclusive rights to have him on their staffs, whilst the initials – BOS – on their products’ labels would have been the symbol of quality and style. 

The move to Marco Polo Presnja

BOS’ arrival at Marco Polo Presnja marked a happy turning point both for him and the hotel, which was at last able to hire an experienced, competent and rationally ambitious director. On the other hand, BOS found himself a worthy hotel, where he could implement all his plans, apply all his knowledge, experiment and try out new things as he follows the main market trends in hospitality management and related fields not only to keep his hotel in tune with time, but also to be a pacesetter, by anticipating changes both in clients’ demands and industry trends. This continuous work that started in 1997, when he became director and all the positive changes in the hotel since then, have been the products of his ingenious designer’s mind.

Stasyuk’s imaginations are boundless, as he is always changing, inventing or creating something. The taste for beauty, which he has cultivated since childhood, always helps him make the best decisions for the hotel, which people call a model of elegance and harmony. For example, the ‘last gem’ in the hotel is the Presidential Suite that was built in January 2009, which elicits indescribable adoration from all guests. The suite is a two-room apartment with extraordinary art decor design. The combination of consistent patterns, ethnic motifs, luxury, style, expensive modern materials always takes one’s breath away for their uniqueness, originality and harmony. 

Antique features and furniture add French charm to the suite with its two terraces overlooking old Moscow streets. It, therefore, goes without saying that the suite is the most elegant room in the hotel. Besides, BOS has also turned Marco Polo Presnja into an ‘art hotel,’ the first of its type in Moscow. Working in collaboration with Les Oreades, a Russian-French gallery, the hotel acquaints its guests with today’s most interesting art works. The hotel activities in the sphere of exhibition and promotion of modern Russian artists have long been duly recognized and appreciated by the local art community.

Under BOS’ management, the hotel has changed beyond recognition. Thanks to its first class services, staff’s professionalism and skills and creative approach to business, Marco Polo Presnja has become a symbol of hospitality and friendliness in Moscow, and indeed, throughout Russia. He has managed to bring together not only people fully devoted to hospitality business, but has  also been able to transform them into a great united team. The wonderful relationships among the staff are invariably transferred to the guests, which make them feel “really at home in the hotel, where they are expected and loved.” 

“My mother has always been a divine icon in my life, which has turned out to be such a big success, thanks to great mutual love.”

Everybody likes sincere care and attention, and this is why Marco Polo Presnja has many constant guests, whose tastes and habits are well-known to each and every staff member, from the room maids up to the general manager. “It is not enough to see beauty only in art works and designers’ novelties. Beauty and kindness need to be present everywhere, first and foremost, in human relationships,” he noted.

BOS is always ready to share his knowledge and invaluable experience, thus making teaching and preparation of hospitality employees and young specialists a special part of his life. Indeed, Marco Polo Presnja, in this aspect, was the nation’s first ‘hotel university,’ which the Moscow Tourism and Hotel Department often calls ‘a real educational institution’ for training highly qualified hotel and catering specialists. He also teaches hotel management at the Moscow State University of Service, and since the autumn of 2009, also at the Russian State University of Trade and Economics.

Public recognition

Happily enough, all BOS’ numerous accomplishments and countless chievements of Marco Polo Presnja under his management have been recognized both by the Russian Government, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Royal family as well as by the leading experts in the Russian hospitality services industry, guests and visitors of the hotel. The latter usually respond with positive feedbacks and kind words for the director and the entire staff of the hotel. All these are further testimonies to the public recognition of BOS as ‘a true maestro’ in hotel business and management.

What could be better for a hotel than such avalanche of positive feedbacks from guests and colleagues? This could only be an entry in the hotel’s VIP Guest Book, made by Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, the Head of the Imperial House Of Russia the: “Dear staff of Marco Polo Presnja! I am very happy to visit your hotel again. I want to wish you all successes, happiness, prosperity and God’s help in all your work and undertakings. God bless you all!” To get a full picture of the Grand Duchess’s special relationship with Marco Polo Presnja, it needs to be noted here that all members of the Royal family have been staying exclusively in the hotel since 2003, and have invariably always highly appreciated all the staff’s services and work.

The hotel regularly organizes special entertainment programs such as evening parties, cocktail parties, etc., for its corporate clients and guests. The most popular and favorite among the guests is the Clients’ Thanksgiving Day, when hotel staff talks about their affection for guests. Usually, this event is attended by Marco Polo, the famous Italian traveler, who plays the role of the owner of the hotel and generously lavishes the guests with funny awards and gifts in various nominations. Naturally, the role of Marco Polo is played by BOS himself.

Thanks to his natural gift to charm people with ideas and talent to surround every one with warmth and care, BOS has lots of friends, who also have long become friends of Marco Polo Presnja. The photos of these people decorate the reception hall of the hotel. These include famous Russian opera singers Elena Obraztsova, Nani Bregvadze and Elena Velikanova; musicians Vladimir Krainev, Sergei Mazayev, Alexei Glyzin and Igor Sarukhanov; ballet dancer Nina Ananiashvili; actresses Ellina Bystritskaya, Galina Volchek, Olga Aroseva, Natalia Seleznyova, Vera Glagoleva, Lyudmila Gurchenko and Tatyana Lazareva; actors Mikhail Shats and Alexander Lazarev Jr. and journalists Vladimir Pozner and Sergei Sholokhov; distinguished Russian trainer Tatiana Tarasova and famous tennis star Marat Safin and several others.

BOS sees his years at Marco Polo Presnja as a period of happiness and creative growth in his career. He has invested his soul, heart and name into the hotel so to make this house on the Patriarshiye Prudy a ‘true planet of beauty and hospitality’ in Moscow. “As for my work, I have never felt that I’m on the homestretch. Quite the contrary, I’m always on the starting line,” he told TRCW on the eve of his 55th birthday. “I like what I’m doing now, as I have always liked what I’ve done in all my life,” he added. “Summing up the results of one’s life is an unrewarding task. One should sum up them only when he sees the ‘Stop’ sign. It is too early for me to do this,” he noted, citing his life credo. 

Valeria Piskareva took part in the preparation of this article.