One Highland hotel has undergone a £1.3 million revamp in readiness for its reopening, while another is up for sale after a torrid year for the tourism industry,
Ballachulish Hotel, which occupies an iconic Highland setting near Glen Coe, will welcome guests again from April 26 after the substantial cash injection from its owners, the Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels (CHFH).
The four-star hotel, which dates back to 1877, will be back in business following the refurbishment of all 53 bedrooms and other facilities, including its restaurants.
Stephen Leckie, chief executive of the Crieff Hydro group, said: “By investing in our Ballachulish Hotel, we have ensured our guests can have the best experience possible.
“We are committed to investing, not only in our portfolio but also in Scottish tourism as it begins to rebuild, and we look forward to opening our doors.”
Eight-strong portfolio
The Crieff Hydro group’s portfolio boasts eight hotels. The others are Crieff Hydro, Peebles Hydro, Murraypark Hotel in Crieff, The Park in Peebles, Taypark House in Dundee, and the Isles of Glencoe, and Kingshouse Hotel, also in Glencoe.
The company has managed its trio of Lochaber hotels for about eight years and owned two of them – Ballachulish Hotel and the Isles of Glencoe Hotel – for more than half of that period. Kingshouse Hotel is privately owned but managed by CHFH.
Investment in Ballachulish Hotel – on the shores of Loch Linnhe – follows large sums of money being spent on the Kingshouse Hotel and bunkhouse, which had a £12m revamp, and a £2.2m refurbishment and biomass boiler installation at the 59-bedroom Isles of Glencoe Hotel.
Mr Leckie’s family has been at the helm of Crieff Hydro in Perthshire for more than 150 years.
Meanwhile, specialist business property adviser Christie & Co is marketing the Star Hotel, in Kingussie, with a guide price of £425,000.
Heart of the Highlands
The three-floor, stone-built hotel boasts stunning scenery and features 35 ensuite letting bedrooms, along with a large lounge and bar area and function space. With its central Highlands location, the hotel is considered an ideal base to explore all the region has to offer.
Nearby attractions within easy reach include the ski slopes at Cairngorm, the historic Ruthven Barracks, a challenging 18-hole hillside golf course, the Highland Wildlife Park and museums.
Christie & Co is also highlighting the hotel as being handy for “a wide variety of outdoor activities such as mountain biking, walking, skiing, kayaking, sailing and natural walking trails to name but a few”.
Tony Spence, business agent for the firm, said: “The sale of the Star Hotel offers the discerning purchaser a unique opportunity to acquire a small hotel situated in a lively town which attracts a range of guests.
“Most of the business is derived through booking.com and hotels.com, and it is ideally placed for an experienced operator looking to develop a solid business further.”
Sales details for the hotel can be found here.
Scotland’s hotels have been starved of revenue for much of the period since the country first went into lockdown in March last year, Many have shut for good, unable to survive the loss of business, with the rest now pinning their hopes on a good summer season.