Turas Hotels, a growing Highland hospitality group, have concluded the private purchase of the Cairngorm Hotel for an undisclosed sum. The 32-bedroom Victorian-style hotel, situated across from the train station, is a centrepiece of Aviemore’s main promenade and a favourite spot for food, drink and entertainment.
The hotel, which has been in the Steinle family since the mid-1990’s, was sold due to the families desire to retire, but they wanted to pass the business to like-minded hospitality experts.
Turas Hotels, which recently rebranded from J and R Group, already has a presence within the National Park as owners and operators of the successful Boat Country Inn in nearby Boat of Garten. Their other businesses include Glen Mhor Hotel and Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery in Inverness, the Seaforth Restaurant in Ullapool and McKays Hotel in Pitlochry.
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.
Turas Hotels Co-Director, Richard Drummond said, “The Cairngorm Hotel is an iconic building and Aviemore is now an all-year round destination within the A9 corridor. 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 with locals and visitors. Current operations will run as they are, with the group looking to grow the business over time and to invest for the future.
“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.”
Consolidating their hospitality presence within the new structure, owners say, will help to protect jobs.
“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,” added Mr Erasmus.
Tony Spence, Associate Director at Christie & Co, who managed the sale, 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.”
Turas owners also say they have not ruled out further acquisitions, long term, should the right opportunity arise to expand their footprint in the Scottish highlands.
