New managers of the Airds Hotel and Restaurant in Port Appin have unveiled plans to lead a £400,000 investment in the luxury property.
The Fusion Group of Companies has formed a joint asset management venture with the overseas owner of the hotel, which will remain open as the improvements take place over the next two years.
The country hotel, which was previously an 18th-century ferry inn, was sold last year by Shaun and Jenny McKivragan who retired after 19 years of running the property.
Sterling-based Fusion, which provides a range of support services to hospitality businesses across Scotland, has appointed specialist hotel management company EHM to operate the 11-bedroom hotel on a three-year contract.
Foodie reputation
The four-star, three-rosette hotel and restaurant enjoys a reputation among food lovers having been regularly featured in the Good Food Guide and recently winning a Scottish food award.
Alex McKie, group managing director of Fusion, said he was looking forward to working closely with the hotel’s head chef Calum Innes, a keen forager and advocate of local produce.
“Calum has ambition to add another star to the Airds offering,” McKie said.
“The fine dining restaurant, together with its whisky bar, has an excellent reputation, with a tasting menu amongst one of its many attractions.
“He is a real talent and we’re naturally keen to lend him all the support he needs.
“We’re particularly keen to develop concierge services too with the ‘Airds Experience’, offering guests the very best of the area, from seafood experiences, to sightseeing, private boat hire, helicopter trips, distillery visits, and more.”
Small is beautiful
Mr McKie said bringing Airds into its portfolio represents a “significant piece of business” for the company,
He added: “With an array of awards to its name, it has a proven track record in attracting an upmarket foodie clientele in the beautiful setting of Port Appin, a clientele we will grow and further develop with efficient management, staff development and recruitment, together with our accommodation services division boosting bookings with their expertise in reservations and marketing.
“We will also be carrying out a £400,000 refurbishment over the next two winters, during which time the hotel and restaurant will remain open and trading.”
Hospitality industry ‘not yet out of the woods’
Fusion has created an operating company, Legacy Property Airds Ltd, to run Airds Hotel & Restaurant, trading as Airds Hotel Ltd.
This latest deal with the Airds owner, is based on a business model Fusion has developed through its relationships with the owners of other smaller properties such as No 1 Royal Gardens Apartments in Stirling, which offers luxury self catering apartments, and Loch Ness Guest House in Fort Augustus.
Fusion took these businesses into its managed portfolio in 2019 and 2018 respectively, with its specialist division, accommodation services, handling all reservations.
McKie added: “Normally in our sector, a business management and profit-sharing model is only applied to a larger 60-bedroom-plus property, but we have developed this for smaller operators, knowing that we have the skill and expertise to make it work.
“It can be particularly useful for an absent owner who wishes to concentrate on other business areas, but wants his hospitality business to be well run and maximised in potential throughout.
“For Fusion, it’s once again an example of our ‘disruptive’ nature in this sector which constantly sees us coming up with new services which benefit and assist hospitality owners at what has been the most difficult of times, with many not yet out of the woods.”
