The completion of a £1million extension at a Lochaber hotel has spurred an upturn in bookings ahead of the 2016 summer season, its owner has said.
The work carried out at the Moorings Hotel in Banavie, Fort William, has raised the premises’ capacity to 32 bedrooms from 27.
A new 140 cover café bistro is also housed within the new section, and a decking area has been built outside it.
The expansion has also created five new job opportunities at the business, whose headcount has been increased to 50 from 45.
A £180,000 grant from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and a £585,000 loan facility from Royal Bank of Scotland has helped pay for the development, while hotel owner and managing director Stewart Leitch also invested funds.
Mr Leitch said the new additions would allow more people to take in the sights at one of Scotland’s most beautiful spots.
The hotel sits by the Neptune’s Staircase locks on the Caledonian Canal, which attract tens of thousands of tourists every year. The bistro and most of the new bedrooms look out over the eight-lock staircase, while Ben Nevis is also in view.
Mr Leitch said: “Through the completion of this extension we are able to maximise the experience of tourists who want to take in one of Scotland’s most iconic sites.
“More than 50,000 people come to Neptune’s Staircase every year and we are delighted that we can now offer an amazing vista point for them, either through the decking area of the new café bistro or from the new bedrooms, three of which have balconies facing the site.
“Now that this extension has been completed we are already seeing a significant uplift in bookings and we look forward to a successful first season with our newly expanded offering.”
