Inn Collection Group acquires Lake District country house hotel

The Waterhead Hotel

Waterhead Hotel, the historic country house hotel overlooking Coniston Water in the heart of the Lake District, has been acquired by The Inn Collection Group in a deal brokered by real estate advisors Colliers International.

Acting on behalf of POFR (Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance), Colliers sold the Victorian former manor house to The Inn Collection Group for an undisclosed price.

Having operated as an hotel for more than 100 years, Waterhead offers 24 en-suite bedrooms, public areas, a restaurant and conference and meeting rooms, all set in four acres of landscaped grounds and fronting on to Coniston Water with access jetty.

Waterhead Hotel is the first acquisition by The Inn Collection Group outside its heartland of the North East of England, where it operates seven sites across County Durham, Northumberland and North Yorkshire.

The business also has an eighth site under construction in Amble, due to open this year.

Julian Troup, head of UK hotels agency at Colliers International, said: “As a landmark country house hotel in a prime location, Waterhead Hotel attracted a significant level of interest, resulting in formal offers in excess of the guide price from a diverse range of overseas and domestic buyers.

“Its sale is indicative of an unprecedented level of interest from buyers wanting to acquire UK provincial hotels, with the Lake District continuing to be Colliers’ most productive area in the UK.

“This heightened demand for property in the Lakes is partly because of it being designated a UNESCO world heritage site,” he added.

Julian said Waterhead was the 15th hotel or hospitality-related business sold by Colliers International in 2018 – representing a record number at this time of year.

Sean Donkin, managing director of The Inn Collection Group, said: “We are delighted with our first venture into the Lake District.

“Our plans are to enhance the product over the coming months with a view to presenting a high-quality hospitality business offering a mix of accommodation, food and beverage in an outstanding lake side setting.”

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