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Red Carnation Hotels is divesting its freehold and leasehold interests in both Summer Lodge Country House Hotel and The Acorn Inn, together brought to market at a guide price of £5,500,000. Located in Evershot, Dorset, Summer Lodge Country House Hotel is a luxury hotel set within 4.5 acres of landscaped gardens. The hotel features 25 individually designed suites and bedrooms, a restaurant that holds three AA Rosettes, a bar and whisky lounge, and wellness facilities that include a spa, indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, studio gym, and a tennis court.
Alongside Summer Lodge, the sale includes The Acorn Inn, a 16th-Century British Inn with 10 bedrooms and an award-winning restaurant. The inn featured in Thomas Hardy’s ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’.
The sale also includes the village Post Office and a collection of cottages, some of which are used as hotel letting accommodation and staff accommodation.
According to Knight Frank, who is helping to market the property, benefits of the sites include their Evershot location, which attracts over 1.8 million overnight visitors annually. The properties are also surrounded by historic sites, beaches, and natural beauty spots, including the World Heritage Jurassic Coastline.
In total, the sale includes the freehold of the main hotel premises, the Acorn Inn, additional cottages, the village post office, and a purpose-built staff block. There are a further four cottages held leasehold; three of which comprise letting bedrooms and one provides staff accommodation.
Summer Lodge Hotel and The Acorn Inn have a combined turnover of just under £4m.
Chris Field at Knight Frank said: “This is an exceptional opportunity to acquire an award-winning country house hotel business in a popular tourism market in the heart of Dorset.
“The collection of properties that are included in the sale, not only offer a unique blend of historical charm and modern luxury but also hold potential for further value-add and business growth. This is an attractive prospect for an investor looking to either expand their portfolio in the luxury hospitality sector or for a new entrant to obtain their first foothold in the UK country house hotel market.”
Knight Frank, Savills, and Rock Commercial were appointed as joint sole agents to market the properties.
