A Lake District hotel has been sold.
The 11- bedroom Grasmere Hotel was run by Kevin and Nicky Winsland and their daughters Charlotte and Rebecca for six years, but the couple decided to retire.
They have sold it to Simon Hustler, a solicitor from Bradford, and Kate Hustler, who has been in hospitality since 2010, owning three successful holiday cottages in Ambleside. This will be the couple’s first venture to the world of hotels.
The hotel was sold by commercial real estate firm Colliers from an asking price of £2.2 million.
The Grasmere Hotel, next to the River Rothay, was built in 1871. It now has a 30-cover restaurant, conservatory, three-bedroom owner’s accommodation and private gardens.
The business is highly recognised in the Lake District scooping up awards including The Good Hotel Guide’s Cesar Award Winner for the Country House Hotel of the Year 2021.
Kate said: “We are thrilled to be taking on The Grasmere Hotel, being a hotel owner has been a dream of ours for quite some time. Our intention is to build upon the existing reputation of the business, trading in the same fashion as the previous owners, as a hotel and restaurant.
“The Grasmere is a well-regarded hotel in the Lakes, and it will benefit from this continuity. I look forward to working with the team and welcoming our new customers.”
Neil Thomson, associate director in the hotel agency team at Colliers, added: “The Grasmere is a marvellous destination venue benefitting from high footfall all year, from local and national visitors. This purchase is an excellent investment for newcomers Simon and Kate, as the business is already established and produces healthy profits.
“I’m pleased to say that despite the current financial uncertainty, the UK hotel industry is standing strong. Buyers from all over the UK are still committed to investing in the leisure sector, we are seeing a high volume of them seeking opportunities in tourist hotspots like the Lake District National Park.”
