North and north-east spas are in line for improvements as part of an investment package worth a total of £4.5 million.
Crerar Hotels is making the investment in spa upgrades at Loch Fyne Hotel, in Inverary, and the Golf View Hotel, in Nairn.
Nearly half of the £4.5m will be spent on rebranding the Deeside Inn, at Ballater. It will be relaunched in the spring as The Balmoral Arms.
Job done for two other hotels
Crerar’s latest investment follows major refurbishments for two of the hotel operator’s other sites – the Isle of Mull Hotel & Spa and Glencoe Inn.
Work on Loch Fyne Hotel’s new Shore Spa has already started.
It will deliver additional therapy suites, a Himalayan salt room and eucalyptus steam treatment, as well as a new terrace with loch-side saunas, ice drenches and other improvements.
Crerar aims to have the spa open in time for Valentine’s Day, saying it will “cement the hotel’s reputation as one of the finest in Scotland”.
This work follows the launch of Driftwood Spa at the Isle of Mull Hotel earlier this year.
Work is also starting on the Golf View to transform its existing country club into “the area’s most luxurious spa” – called Coast – by doubling the number of therapy suites and adding new facilities, Crerar said.
Coast will continue to develop next summer, with the addition of a “private spa experience” – Beach Hut – near the beach.
Crerar said it was spending £2.2m in a first stage of revamping the Deeside Inn.
Some guest rooms will be redesigned specifically for guests heading to the area for outdoor adventure, the firm said, adding: “A new dining experience and spa treatment rooms will complete the transformation, creating a retreat fit for royalty.”
Crerar chief executive Chris Wayne-Wills said: “It was always our intention to invest in our portfolio and people coming out of the multiple Covid lockdowns as a way of facing the challenges of the pandemic head-on.
“By continuing to invest in our hotels, we are in a better position to enhance our offering – allowing guests to experience the highest standards as they take in all this stunning country has to offer.”
He added: “The results at Glencoe and Mull speak for themselves and, as international travel truly opens up, we believe this further investment in the areas of Inveraray, Nairn and Ballater will not only benefit the group, but also the wider Scottish tourist industry.
“We want to showcase the best in authentic Scottish hospitality as we open our doors to the world again, and that’s exactly what our continued investment is set to achieve.”
Edinburgh-based Crerar is owned by west Highland businessman Paddy Crerar.
Its portfolio also includes Thainstone House Hotel, near Inverurie, and Oban Bay Hotel.
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