Inverness hotel owner expands group’s Highland reach

A hospitality group which already owns one of Inverness’s top hotels has now bought a landmark Aviemore venue which has been in the same family’s ownership for three decades.

Turas Hotels, recently rebranded from J and R Group, also owns the Glen Mhor Hotel and Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery in Inverness as well as the Seaforth Restaurant in Ullapool, the Boat Country Inn in Boat of Garten and McKays Hotel in Pitlochry.

The private purchase of the popular Cairngorm Hotel has been completed for an undisclosed sum and 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 Aviemore train station, is a centrepiece of the town’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.

“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.”

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