Britannia Hotels has expanded its Scottish footprint to five sites, including three in the north and north-east, after buying one of the Highlands’ best-known hotels.
The 175-bedroom Coylumbridge Hotel, near Aviemore, is now part of the Britannia stable, after changing hands for the second time in under a year.
Britannia has more than 60 hotels around the UK, with Coylumbridge joining hotels in Aberdeen, Peterhead, Edinburgh and Prestwick in the firm’s Scottish portfolio.
The Cheshire-based company’s latest acquisition – for an undisclosed sum – comes within a year of private investment firm Starwood Capital Group buying it from fellow US company Park Hotels and Resorts, along with six other hotels, in a £135 million deal.
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Coylumbridge Hotel – then operating under the Hilton brand – was on the market for £8.75m when Starwood swooped to buy it.
Built for £700,000, the hotel opened in 1965 as the winter sports industry was developing at the nearby Cairngorm ski area. At the time, it was one of Scotland’s largest hotels.
Set in a substantial estate, it has conference, leisure and function areas, as well as two indoor swimming pools, a soft play area and 18-hole crazy golf course. The hotel hosts a range of events throughout the year, from weddings to conferences and corporate gatherings.
Announcing the sale to Britannia, which claims to be the largest private hotel operator in the UK, specialist business property adviser Christie & Co said Scotland was “becoming a major profit contributor” for the expanding hotel group.