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Description

Excellently situated adjacent to the city centre of Inverness, capital of the Highlands, within the sought after Crown area.Good quality Highland Guest House with character and charm in an excellent trading location and within an area renowned for this type of business.Includes comfortable owner’s accommodation, 6 good quality letting bedrooms and excellent customer service areas.

Description
Crown Hotel Guest House is a highly attractive and substantial mid-terrace late-Victorian villa, with a great many attractive original features, located in the much sought after Crown area, benefiting from a prominent position close to Inverness city centre. Exuding an atmosphere of quality and comfort, the business offers a friendly welcome to its clientele. Over recent years the owners have commenced upgrading the standard and décor of the property bringing it onto the market in generally good condition. In offering its services there is a clear attention to detail in presentation and quality of provision. Trading is purely on a bed and breakfast basis reflecting the proprietor’s preference to run the business on a “lifestyle basis” due to her personal family circumstances. By choice the business runs predominantly on a seasonal basis but new owners could increase the existing trade with more proactive marketing and the introduction of an evening meal service; both options would give a genuine opportunity to drive trade further whilst keeping below the VAT threshold. During the main season; March – October, income is achieved from a wide clientele basis which includes golfers, anglers, ornithologists and those active in genealogical research, not to mention business clientele and of course tourism - the prime business driver. During the quieter winter months there remains a fairly active level of trade from those visiting Inverness from the Isles and tradesmen working in the city. The letting accommodation is well presented, providing a good level of guest facilities, in combination with the spacious dining room, guest lounge and well presented owner’s accommodation, Crown Hotel Guest House presents a highly desirable “home and income” lifestyle opportunity.
Crown Hotel Guest House is conveniently situated centrally to Inverness, where guests can easily access nearby shops, restaurants and other city centre amenities. Inverness boasts an extensive range of facilities for visitors including two golf courses, an excellent indoor swimming complex, cinema, bowling alley and ample opportunity to enjoy evening entertainment at a range of venues which include Eden Court Theatre. Nearby Cawdor Castle offers a taste of Scotland’s medieval past while Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre are key attractions. Moreover, the property is an ideal base from which to plan a range of day trips, such as distillery visits along the Whisky Trail, a boat trip on Loch Ness or a visit to one of the many accessible Scottish castles (including Inverness Castle). The property is within easy walking distance of the railway and bus stations.
The present owner purchased Crown Hotel Guest House in 2005. A change in family circumstances has meant that the property has been prematurely brought to the market.
The Property
Of traditional construction Crown Hotel Guest House is an attractive detached villa built about 1890, of stone construction under a slate roof. There is a sympathetic extension to the rear of the property under a flat roof. Accommodation is laid out over three floors and the property benefits from gas central heating and a modern fire alarm system.
Public Areas
Entrance to the building is via a small well maintained garden that is laid to grass and gravel. Through a solid wood door a tiled vestibule leads to an etched glass door which in turn presents a spacious reception hallway. The breakfast room is immediately to the left and provides with its large bay window a bright and airy dining experience, being set to 12 covers. This area could easily cope with many more guests should future owners chose to provide an evening meal service. The breakfast room has many of the original Victorian features still visible and in excellent order. The cast iron fireplace is most attractive, as is the recessed shelving units, decorative cornicing and ornate ceiling rose plus high skirting boards. Such features are readily observed throughout the property and add an air of charm of a bygone era. The reception hallway leads to the stairway with a stunning cast-iron rail and takes guests on to the guest lounge and all letting bedrooms on the first and second floors. The commodious guest lounge provides a mix of soft furnishing and practical tables and chairs. Equipped with book and games, this is a well-used facility and is much appreciated by guests. Within the second floor landing is a coloured glass skylight which provides an abundance of natural light and presents a warming feature. The owner currently utilises a second en-suite bedroom on the ground floor which could be brought back into use as a letting bedroom and would be ideal for less able guests.
Letting Bedrooms
Crown Hotel Guest House has 6 spacious and well appointed letting bedrooms to potentially sleep 14 guests (Rooms 2, 4 and 6 – Double; Room 3 - Twin; Room 5 – Single and Room 7 - Family. All rooms except room 3 have modern en-suite facilities with tiled floors and wet wall / tiled showers. Room 3 has spacious private facilities with a shower over bath configuration. All rooms are attractively furnished and provide digital (Freeview) colour television, radio/alarms and hospitality trays. All rooms have ample storage, very good fixtures and fittings plus furniture of good quality. Bed linen is also of a high quality.
Service Areas/ Private Accommodation
Self-contained comfortable owners’ accommodation is located on the ground floor with private access from the rear of the property. There is a comfortable lounge and storage cupboard, the former leads into the compact yet fully functional kitchen with a gas cooking range and ample storage. A large double bedroom with modern en-suite facilities is found to the rear of the property. With excellent contemporary lighting and wood floors this is a most comfortable room. A further en-suite room on the ground floor is utilised by the owner for personal use but could be brought back into use as a letting room should new owners so desire. The private accommodation is an attractive aspect of this sale. Adjacent to kitchen is a boiler room and on the first floor is a spacious laundry room plus additional storage.
Grounds
The frontage of the building has direct access via a garden to the pedestrian pavement on Ardconnel Street. The front garden is maintained with plants and shrubs and entry is via an iron gate. A rear garden area is mainly laid to paving and gravel providing a pleasant private sitting and play area. Two sheds facilitate ample additional storage and are suitable for storage of guest bikes etc. Roadside parking on the main road is available through the issue of permits obtained from the local council. Public parking is available just across from the Guest House and is free throughout the evening.
Development Potential
Energetic and motivated new owners could build upon the established trading pattern and possibly develop the business further by exploiting untapped occupancy and catering potential. The present owner has, through choice, not undertaken any significant marketing of the business.
Services
The property benefits from all mains services; electricity, gas, water and drainage. The building has gas fired central heating.
Trade
Current trade is maintained below the VAT threshold, operating on a bed and breakfast basis only. Full accounting information will be made available to interested parties subsequent to viewing.
Price
Offers over £430,000 are invited for the heritable property complete with goodwill and trade contents (according to inventory), excluding personal items.