THE strength of the Scottish tourism industry has been underlined after another Highland hotel was snapped up in what is proving to be a busy year for deals in the leisure market.
The Ben Wyvis hotel, based in the Victorian spa town of Strathpeffer, has changed hands after the freehold of the property and business was put on the market by Crerar Hotels with a guide price of £2.5 million.
It is the latest property to be acquired by the family-owned Strathmore Hotels, which has seven other hotels across Scotland and the north of England.
READ MORE: International hotelier takes over Three Chimneys restaurant on Skye
And it is the latest in a string of hotel deals which have taken place in Scotland this year. These include the sale of the five-star Glencoe House Hotel to Scottish-based Perle Group, and the acquisition of both The Pierhouse Hotel in Port Appin, Argyll, and The Three Chimneys restaurant with rooms on the Isle of Skye by veteran hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray.
The 92-bedroom Ben Wyvis hotel, which comes with a bar, restaurant and cinema room, is set in woodland and offers guests impressive views of Highlands countryside. Its sale was brokered by property firm Colliers International.
Julian Troup, head of UK hotels agency at Colliers International, said: “We have found that the whole of Scotland has increased in popularity in the last three or four years; the main drivers have come from both overseas buyers and the national growing confidence in resident buyer’s belief in the security of the hospitality industry.
READ MORE: Highland hotel Glencoe House sold to Scottish group Perle
“Crerar Hotels have continued to retain Colliers International to assist in disposing of further potential hotels within their portfolio.”
The Ben Wyvis joins a collection at Strathmore Hotels which includes The Salutation Hotel in Perth, The Royal Hotel in Oban and Nethybridge Hotel, also in Inverness-shire.
Chris Rickard of Strathmore said: “I have been a long-time admirer of Crerar Hotels and I am delighted that we are able to add the Ben Wyvis to our portfolio.”
Paddy Crerar, chief executive of Crerar Hotels, noted: “The sale of the Ben Wyvis is another key milestone in our right-sizing strategy - the capital released by the sale will be fully reinvested in our core properties taking us even closer to achieving our aim of being Scotland’s highest quality family of hotels and inns.”
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