The Rose & Crown in Tonbridge sold to entrepreneurial couple

A Best Western hotel on Tonbridge High Street in Kent has been sold off a guide price of £2.15m to an entrepreneurial couple. 

The Rose and Crown is a historic hotel that was formerly a Tudor coaching inn in the 1500s. It has since been fully renovated and extended to “offer 16th Century character but with 21st Century comfort”. 

The hotel features 56 bedrooms, two function rooms that cater for up to 100 people, as well as The Oak Room Bar and Grill that incorporates fine dining.

Its previous owner and experienced hotelier, Nick Richards, has owned the business for 11 years but has now made the decision to sell the hotel and retire. 

The hotel has been purchased by Raghav Duggal and Ashita Duggal, entrepreneurs within the travel industry who are looking to expand their portfolio in the regional hotel market. The move marks the couple’s second hotel purchase with Colliers, the first being Mercure Burton on Trent in 2022.

Raghav said: “When the Rose and Crown came on the market, it was a no brainer. The hotel really appealed to me, it offers such a rich history and with its enviable Tonbridge high street location, the business already benefits from such a strong customer portfolio.”

Josh Sullivan, associate director from the Hotels Agency team at Colliers, who handled the sale, added: “It was not surprising to receive a lot of interest in this one, the hotel benefits from excellent transport links to London from Tonbridge Station and with it being situated opposite Tonbridge Castle and within the Garden of England, the area attracts a high volume of year-round tourist trade from locals and nationwide.

“The Rose and Crown is an excellent choice to support Raghav’s growing portfolio, as the hotel offers many value-add, asset management and repositioning opportunities, we wish him all the best with his new venture.”