Highland hospitality group Turas Hotels has confirmed the acquisition of the Cairngorm Hotel, which had been under the same family ownership for three decades. Turas Hotels have concluded the private purchase of the popular Cairngorm Hotel for an undisclosed sum, cementing the group’s footprint within the Cairngorms National Park.
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 the team who work there.
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.
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.
Turas Hotels, recently rebranded from J and R Group, already boasts a strong track record within the National Park as owners and operators of the successful Boat Country Inn in nearby Boat of Garten.
Adding the Cairngorm Hotel to a portfolio which also comprises the Glen Mhor Hotel and Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery in Inverness, the Seaforth Restaurant in Ullapool and McKays Hotel in Pitlochry has been described by the group as a ‘perfect fit’.
The elegant building, complete with round tower, sits in a tourist destination which attracts 1 million visitors annually, lured by mountain vistas, snowsports and outdoor activities.
“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,” said Turas Hotels Co-Director, Richard Drummond.
“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.
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.
“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 in Perthshire and the Highlands.
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.
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