Landmark hotel in Scotland sold to growing Highland hospitality group through Christie & Co

The landmark hotel in Aviemore has been under the same family ownership for three decades and is a centrepiece of the town’s main promenade. The elegant 32-bedroom Victorian-style property is situated across from the train station and is a well-established spot for food, drink and entertainment. The hotel was sold by previous owners WKW Partnership Limited due to imminent retirement.

Turas Hotels have acquired The Cairngorm Hotel for an undisclosed sum, cementing the Highlands-based hospitality group’s footprint within the Cairngorms National Park. The new owners plan to build on the success of ‘The Cairn’, promising a special Highland experience while retaining current strengths and staff.

Turas Hotels, which recently re-branded from J and R Group, already boasts a strong track record within the National Park as owners and operators of the successful Boat Country Inn in nearby Boat of Garten. Adding The Cairngorm Hotel to a portfolio which also includes the Glen Mhor Hotel and Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery in Inverness, the Seaforth Restaurant in Ullapool and McKays Hotel in Pitlochry, has been described by the group as a “perfect fit”.

Turas, which means journey in Gaelic, will inherit a long-established business with a strong profile with both locals and visitors. Current operations will continue as they are, with the group looking to grow the business over time and invest for the future.

“The Cairngorm Hotel is an iconic building and Aviemore is now an all-year round destination within the A9 corridor. It fits exactly with the type of experience and location our group likes to offer,” said Turas Hotels Co-Director, Richard Drummond. “What we are acquiring is a solid business, well managed and well known, with an established team and that family feel which really resonates with our own approach.”

Turas owners also say they have not ruled out further acquisitions, long term, should the right opportunity arise to expand their footprint in the Scottish highlands. “We feel grateful that the Cairngorm Hotel owners came to us as people they could trust to look after the business, which has a really good reputation,” said fellow Director, Jon Erasmus. “It is tailor-made for us. As a group, we were missing that final piece of the jigsaw. We want to provide our guests with the whole Highland journey where they can stay, eat, drink and experience in great locations.”

Tony Spence, Associate Director at Christie & Co who managed the sale process, said: “We were delighted to have been involved in this confidential sale process acting for the vendor, and it demonstrates that demand remains strong for such assets within the market.  Our client can now retire from the trade, however, in the hands of Turas Hotels I am confident that the business will go from strength to strength under their ownership.  We wish them every success going forward.”

For further information on this press release, contact:
Jasmine Davis, Corporate Communications Manager
P: 07561 115179
E: jasmine.davis@christie.com

Contact the agent:
Tony Spence, Associate Director – Hospitality
P: 07546 698 684
E: tony.spence@christie.com

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