Highland group buys landmark Aviemore hotel
A Highland hospitality group has bought a landmark Aviemore hotel which has been in the same family’s ownership for three decades.
Turas Hotels has concluded the private purchase of the popular Cairngorm Hotel for an undisclosed sum, confirming a story reported by The Strathy last week..
The new owners say they now want to build on the success of ‘The Cairn’, promising a special Highland experience while retaining current strengths and staff.
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The 32-bedroom Victorian-style hotel, situated across from the train station, is a centrepiece of Aviemore’s main promenade and a favourite spot for food, drink and entertainment.
Previous owners, WKW Partnership Limited, opened discussions with Turas Hotels five months ago due to imminent retirement and a desire to pass the business to like-minded hospitality experts. The sale was brokered by specialist hotel property agent Christie & Co.
Turas Hotels, recently rebranded from J and R Group, already boasts a strong track record within the national park as owners and operators of the Boat Country Inn in Boat of Garten.
Adding the Cairngorm Hotel to a portfolio which also comprises 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”.
“The Cairngorm Hotel is an iconic building and Aviemore is now an all-year round destination within the A9 corridor,” Turas Hotels co-director Richard Drummond said.
“It fits exactly with the type of experience and location our group likes to offer.
“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, which means ‘journey’ in Gaelic, will inherit a long established business with a healthy turnover and favourable profile.
Current operations will run as they are, with the group looking to grow the business over time and to invest for the future.
Turas owners also say they have not ruled out further acquisitions, long term, should the right opportunity arise.
“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.”
Turas Hotels recently announced an air-mile style customer rewards scheme where guests can exchange points for stays across other group hotels.
“Hospitality has faced a lot of challenges from government policies, taxation and higher costs but joining up our group properties, now including the Cairngorm Hotel, gives us greater security through scale which will help us to preserve employment,” Mr Erasmus added.
Tony Spence, associate director at Christie & Co, said: “We were delighted to be involved in this confidential sale process acting for the vendor. It also 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 the business will go from strength to strength.
“We wish them every success.”
