Property adviser seals £875,000 hotel sale

REAL estate adviser Colliers International in Manchester has completed the sale of the Royal Goat Hotel at Beddgelert near Porthmadog in Snowdonia National Park to Parkfield Snowdonia from an asking price of £875,000.

Acting on behalf of previous owners Ben and Vicky Doodson, who have sold the business to concentrate on a recently launched restaurant venture in Abersoch, Colliers secured the sale.

David and Michelle Cattrall, directors of Parkfield Snowdonia, operate the recently refurbished Saracens Head pub restaurant with accommodation in Beddgelert, and plan to invest in the hotel.
 
The Royal Goat is a traditional hotel within the heart of Snowdonia National Park, located within the picturesque mountain village of Beddgelert, eight miles from Porthmadog and 13 miles from Caernarfon.

The hotel comprises 33 en suite bedrooms, two residents’ lounges, a public bar and two restaurants.
 
The Royal Goat Hotel was originally built as the Beddgelert Hotel in 1802 by Thomas Jones, whose wife had inherited the Beddgelert estate.

It was conceived specifically to cater for the increasing numbers of tourists visiting Snowdon.

The first tenant manager, David Pritchard promoted the story of Gelert, the loyal hound mistakenly slain by his master and created a monument known as Gelert’s Grave in a nearby field in an attempt to further boost tourism.
 
The hotel became the Royal Goat in the 1870s to commemorate a visit by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught. Other famous guests who have stayed at the hotel include Casablanca star Ingrid Bergman (while filming The Inn of the Sixth Happiness).

Neil Thomson, associate director, hotels agency at the Manchester office of Colliers International secured the sale on behalf of Parkfield Snowdonia and believes it demonstrates a materially improved hotel landscape throughout North Wales during the past 12 months.
 
Thomson said: “We’re very pleased to announce this sale. This improved hotel landscape throughout the region has been, and continues to be, driven by a strengthening economy and the subsequent rise in hotel trading performances within popular destination locations such as the Snowdonia National Park.
 
“There is no indication there will be any slowdown in demand, and Colliers remains prominently and proactively involved in hotel transactions and advisory work throughout the area.”