Description
Braeriach Hotel is a well-presented, late Victorian, traditional Highland hostelry enjoying solid year-round trade with tourist and local support. The business drives solid levels of trade even during shoulder months from this thriving Highland community, plus benefits from climbers and skiers during the winter months. From its central location in the popular village of Newtonmore, the business benefits from the broader catchment area with a high number of B&Bs, self-catering units, plus caravan and campers providing a strong influx of tourists during the holiday season, especially between Easter and October. The hotel has been developed in recent years and is a focal point of the community offering a venue with a traditional ambience.
Braeriach Hotel offers up to 11 comfortable guest rooms available year-round plus a spacious bar and games room. There is also a dining room which is currently only used for breakfasts. The commercial aspects of this business are well presented with excellent ancillary areas. The property has seen a number of upgrades over recent years to include, electrics, fire system and boiler to name a few key points. In addition to the trading aspects, the owners utilise a 2-bedroom apartment for their own needs. This is an attractive hotel which would ideally suit new to market operators or a first-time venture for experienced operators wishing to become self-employed.
Trade
The Braeriach Hotel has an esteemed trading history extending over 130 years. This is a sustainable business exhibiting a positive level of income and sound profitability from a restricted operation in terms of opening times and service provision. The hotel generates its turnover from the sale of 10 letting bedrooms (6 en-suite or private facilities) which is supported by good levels of bar sales. The owners have suspended the catering operation due to personal circumstances and to make the hotel an easy-to-operate business. New owners could accept the current trading level or resurrect the catering aspects without the need for significant capital expenditure. The business trades year-round and is popular with tourists and the local population alike. The bulk of tourists are seen during the main tourist season which runs from Easter to October, but there is some activity throughout the shoulder months from business stays and winters sports enthusiasts. The business has a strong reputation which is reflected on review websites such as TripAdvisor. The Braeriach also has a strong level of repeat custom from a wide variety of clients. There is a number of bed and breakfast and self-catering businesses locally which draw in business to the hotel. The trading aspects are well presented on a number of portal websites such as booking.com and the hotel has its own comprehensive website presence. The business operates under the auspices of the OYO Group which draws in a good level of room occupancy via a range of portal websites. New owners can either elect to retain the OYO branding or become an independent operator.
Staff
The business is operated on a restricted level at this time with the support of a small team of local professional staff.
The property
Braeriach Hotel is a substantial late-Victorian property of traditional stone construction under a pitched slate roof. The building has accommodation arranged over 3 floors, and is presented in good decorative order. The property is easily located on Newtonmore high street and is clearly branded.
Public areas
The main hotel door opens directly into the spacious entrance hallway with the attractive bar set to the left and the dining room to the right. The ‘L’ shaped bar is beautifully appointed and presented, reflecting modern standards. The bar is furnished with a mix of sofas plus free-standing dining tables and chairs on hardwood flooring, also benefiting from a feature fire place and wood-burning stove. Beyond the bar is a further customer area containing the pool table and dartboard, plus booth seating area. Off this space are ladies and gents’ washrooms. Additional entertainment in both bar areas is offered via widescreen TVs. A door from the rear games room leads to a covered smoking area and thereafter into the grounds which are set to picnic tables forming a beer garden. The dining room located off the hallway provides some further business development where new owners wish to reintroduce a lunch and evening meals service. The main stairwell leads upstairs to all letting bedrooms on the first and second floors.
Letting bedrooms
The hotel has 11 comfortable letting bedrooms all located on the first and second floors. These are comfortable and attractively furnished rooms and all benefit from central heating, TV’s, hair dryer and tea / coffee making facilities. They are presently configured to:
First Floor
Room 1 – Twin bedroom with en-suite shower room
Room 2 – Family bedroom (double and single) with en-suite
Room 3 – Standard single bedroom with private shower room
Room 4 – Standard twin bedroom with private bathroom
Room 5 – Family bedroom (double and single) with en-suite
Room 6 – Double bedroom with en-suite shower room
Second Floor
Room 7 – Standard double bedroom with shared bathroom
Room 8 – Standard double bedroom with shared bathroom
Room 9 – Standard single bedroom with shared bathroom
Room 10 – Standard double bedroom with shared bathroom
Room 11 – Standard double bedroom with shared bathroom (Currently being used as a store room)
Service areas
The hotel has a good-sized and well-equipped commercial kitchen with an adjoining utility area plus ample fridge and freezer capacity and storage space for dry goods etc. There is a beer cellar adjacent to the bar which minimises wastage during cleaning etc. There is ample linen storage throughout the property. A boiler room is located off the rear garden.
Grounds
Braeriach Hotel is a substantial property enjoying a prime site centrally situated in the village of Newtonmore, benefiting from excellent signage. To the rear of the business there are various outbuildings and storage units. There is an enclosed beer garden set to picnic tables and a covered smoking area. There is ample on-road and public parking in the village.
Services
The property benefits from mains electricity, water and drainage. The main hotel heating is oil-fired with supplementary electric units. LPG gas is used for cooking. Wi-Fi is available in all areas. The property is double glazed. The business is fully fire compliant and meets environmental health standards.
