Burgh Island Hotel brought to market for £15 million

Burgh Island Hotel, an Art Deco property located on a 21-acre island in south Devon, is being marketed by Knight Frank for offers over £15 million.

Built in 1929, the Burgh Island Hotel comprises 25 bedrooms and suites, three restaurants, a tennis court, snooker room, mermaid pool, and offers spa treatments. The property is accessible by foot or car on low tide, or by a unique sea tractor at high tide.

Two of the suites sit externally from the hotel, one of which was originally built as a writer’s retreat for novelist Agatha Christie.

In December 2022, permission was granted to construct a four-storey extension to create an additional 12 bedrooms and two staff rooms, as well as a single storey green-roofed building for 11 staff bedrooms.

Owner of Burgh Island Hotel, Giles Fuchs, said: “Ownership of the Burgh Island Hotel has provided me with a wonderful journey and given me the true privilege of restoring and enhancing one of the most treasured tourist assets in the UK over the past few years. What we have achieved is an immense source of pride for all of us who have been involved and, in our work, we have always tried to ensure that the hotel’s 1920s spirit remains just as vibrant in the 2020s.

“Having watched the hotel be reborn, survive the pandemic, and continue as a wild and beautiful oasis for visitors from across the world, I believe now is the time for me to step aside and allow a new chapter to emerge for Burgh. The sale includes the 14th-century [tavern] Pilchard Inn as well as the hotel, which remains an important part of Devon’s history and I am excited to see what the future holds for this much-loved property.”

Matthew Smith, partner in the hotel agency team at Knight Frank, added: “It is rare for a hotel of such character and heritage to come to the open market. Burgh Island Hotel is a stunning example of Art Deco architecture, it’s steeped in amazing history and provides guests with a sophisticated and unique experience.

“In recent years the buildings have received considerable investment and operates as a thriving business which generated in excess of £6 million turnover in its most recent financial year. This is a unique opportunity to acquire a truly iconic hotel that benefits from a number of value-add opportunities to further develop the trading performance, and will no doubt appeal to a global investor audience.”

Fairmont Cheshire The Mere Resort to Open 2024

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in partnership with Dubai-based real estate development and investment firm, Select Group, announced the signing and redevelopment of the historic The Mere in Cheshire.

Overlooking The Mere Lake on the outskirts of the affluent town of Knutsford, Cheshire, the 157-acre resort today offers 81 luxurious guest rooms, an 18-hole championship golf course and wellness facilities. On completion of a comprehensive restoration, redesign and expansion, Fairmont Cheshire The Mere will open with 120-bedrooms, including 27 suites. The resort will retain its championship 18-hole golf course and develop some of the finest wellness and culinary offerings in the region.

Fairmont Cheshire The Mere will be a leading luxury golf and spa resort in the North West of England, a complementary addition to Fairmont’s acclaimed golf resort portfolio, particularly Fairmont St Andrews and Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel in County Kildare, Ireland. The new country estate resort, opening in Cheshire in 2024, follows in the footsteps of Fairmont Windsor Park which opened to much acclaim at the start of 2022. The new hotel will be Accor’s 5th Fairmont hotel in the UK & Ireland, a grand collection of hotels which notably includes the worldrenowned The Savoy - A Fairmont Managed Hotel in London.

Commenting on the new signing, Mark Willis, CEO Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, said: “The Fairmont brand is known for its timeless grandeur, magnificent architecture celebrated addresses with heartfelt service and, as such, is a natural partner for The Mere. In partnership with Select Group, our combined vision will create a property which will set a new standard for luxury hospitality in the North West of England, further solidifying Fairmont as an exceptional brand for unforgettable experiences.”

Select Group Founder and CEO Rahail Aslam added: “We are pleased to grow our strategic partnership with Accor and excited to add the Fairmont brand to our extensive international portfolio of hospitality developments. Delivering globally recognized experiences with a local touch, we look forward to rebranding the iconic The Mere Golf Resort & Spa to Fairmont, reinforcing the property’s positioning as the luxury hotel of choice in the North-West of England for both business and leisure travellers.”

The appointed architects are Manchester-based Leach Rhodes Walker Architects. London-based Bergman Design House is the appointed interior designer, transforming the resort in close collaboration with Accor’s luxury Design & Technical Services team.