When many entrepreneurs were affected by the pandemic crisis, Dumitru Ciuprină decided that he had to act, opening a family business in tourism – the “La Iepurași” guesthouse. The pictorial place in the village of Lunga, with a swimming pool, dormitory, sauna and even a hall for events, is visited not only by guests from Floresti district, but also from all over the country. Pandemic has been a driving force behind the business and a source of motivation in that it’s possible to develop rural tourism at home if you have a clear idea and good partners.
Read the success story of the Ciuprină family, the founders of the business “La Iepurași”.
Dumitru, how did you take your first steps in entrepreneurship?
If someone had told me 3 years ago that we would have 5 lodges in 2023 and that there would be more requests than places in the season, I definitely would not have believed it. I can’t say it was difficult to develop, perhaps we were lucky that we opened at the right time, when the tourist destination in Moldova began to grow. In 2018, we bought an already active business with gazebos and a swimming pool. We started making investments in the first lodges, sauna with jacuzzi, vat and event space, all with small but confident steps. We are located in a pictorial place, with fresh air and a beautiful view, and the fact that we are not close to Chisinau is an advantage rather than a disadvantage. People from the city come to us to take a break from the city’s hustle and bustle.
What can be found in “La Iepurași” and what have you managed to stand out?
In the summer period we have a swimming pool, which is mainly visited by the people from the Floresti region. There are also gazebos for outdoor events. And even a medium-sized banquet hall. In winter we open a sauna with jacuzzi. The most in demand are the lodges with accommodation, at the moment there are 5 houses for large and small families. They are equipped with everything you need both in summer and winter. In addition, they are distinguished by their A-shaped design and location in the heart of nature. In summer, the lavender field is very popular – an ideal place for photo shoots and relaxing with the smell of flowers. And for those who like fishing, there is a lake with good fish nearby. In short, there are activities for everyone, almost all year round.
Tell us about the A-shaped houses – environmentally friendly and very unusual buildings. How difficult was to build them?
The A-shaped houses are a trademark of “La Iepurași”. We built the first house in 2020. We build them on the spot, depending on demand. The entire structure is made of natural wood using a special technology, both aesthetically and functionally. We were lucky to learn about Microinvest at the right time. After building our first house, we needed investment to build the next ones, so we started working with the Microinvest team. Everything was very quick and easy. An expert came on site, clarified all the details and gave us a loan in no time. After the first loan we stopped being afraid and started investing more and more in development.
Of course, we can’t avoid asking you about the cuisine of the vacation base “La Iepurași”. What kind of dishes do you offer to your guests?
With the opening of the event hall, we also opened our own kitchen. We cook different dishes with an emphasis on traditional ones. The rabbit roast is the favorite dish on the menu. We raise rabbits here at the base. At the moment we have over 200 rabbits. The base name somehow came by itself from them, and we decided to keep it. We use natural products, we buy a lot from local farmers, some we grow ourselves. We are very happy when customers come back with good reviews about our food and location. In the HORECA business, this is a priority.
What are your plans for the next five years?
First of all, we want to build a larger capacity event hall, we already have the space and a construction plan, we just have to get started. Of course, we are planning to build several new lodges, more and more people want to come to us and this is very motivating. Few entrepreneurs run a business with their own funds. It’s possible, but it’s difficult and time-consuming. All my acquaintances, who opened something of their own, resorted to credits at some stage. Local tourism in Moldova is growing each year more and more, we have such beautiful nature and places that deserve to be shown to the world. We are grateful to everyone who believed in us, helped and supported us. It is very important to have good partners like Microinvest around.
*Microinvest is the only non-bank credit institution in Moldova which adheres to international customer protection principles. They involve a responsible and transparent lending process, based on a fair, respectful and equitable approach to customer service.