Lang Town & Country is proud to have been involved in the sale of one of Cornwall’s oldest hotels.
The 113-year-old Whitsand Bay Hotel has officially sold for an undisclosed seven-figure sum.
Located in the coastal village of Portwrinkle, this wonderful Grade II Listed building is just minutes from the beach and boasts a breath-taking cliff top location with stunning sea views.
The historic hotel boasts 32 bedrooms and has been a family-run business for more than a decade, after owners Chris and Jennifer Phillips fell in love with the property back in 2003.
The building and its substantial grounds have been purchased by the Matthews family as part of a significant development project.
The husband-and-wife team, supported by their three sons, hope to restore the hotel to its former glory, including spa facilities, gym, and swimming pool. There is also potential to add additional dwellings within the two-acre site.
The project is expected to require an investment in excess of £6 million and take around three years to complete.
Split over three phases, the first stage will see the construction of three luxury homes, followed by the development of several other residential properties, before refurbishing the hotel in the third and final phase.
Selling one of Cornwall’s most iconic hotels
Lang Town & Country was instructed in 2019 to sell the iconic hotel, so to see the sale go through after four years of hard work is extremely satisfying for the Land & New Homes team.
James Clarke, Director at Lang Town & Country, said: “Our Land & New Homes team has been working with the family-owned Whitsand Bay Hotel for some time.
“It was a complex site with a variety of development opportunities within the grounds.
“Whitsand Bay Hotel really is a special location next to the local golf club and looking out over Portwrinkle beach in South East Cornwall.
“The sale itself was one of the toughest in my career to get over the line. We were very lucky to have two excellent solicitors in Pippa Tanner-Wood, from Wolferstans, and Tony Dupreez, from GA Solicitors, who communicated brilliantly to make this deal happen.
“The new owners have some truly exciting plans for the site and we look forward to watching this develop in due course.”
What’s next for the Whitsand Bay Hotel?
A real family affair, Louisa and Terry Matthews will be ably supported by their three sons as they transform this current derelict site into a thriving site and business once again. The work will be undertaken under the company name, Portwrinkle Developments and Hospitality Ltd.
Of both local and historical significance, the Whitsand Bay Hotel is one of Cornwall’s oldest hotels, dating back to 1910. It closed in December 2018 and planning permission was secured to transform the main building into 18 apartments.
GA Solicitors’ commercial property department advised the new owners on all aspects of the property purchase and its various assets, including funding and refinancing.
It is hoped the redevelopment of the site will lead to the employment of at least 50 people, with a further 30-40 staff being required to run the hotel when it is up and running.
Tony Dupreez, partner at GA Solicitors and the commercial property solicitor who advised on the purchase, said: “This site is of huge importance to the local area. Not only will it employ a local workforce, but the hotel will once again attract visitors from all over the country.
“With the beach and a high-quality golf course just minutes away, it certainly ticks a number of coveted boxes.
“I was delighted to support and work with Louisa and Terry on this project and will look forward to seeing the project unfold over the next three years.”
Meet the new owners of the Whitsand Bay Hotel
New owner, Louisa Matthews added: “It has taken some time to get to this point and we are very excited to now be able to take this project forward.
“Although the hotel has planning permission to become apartments, we really wanted to maintain its heritage and integrity, instead choosing to refurbish the building and bring it back to its former glory.
“My husband and I, along with our three sons, will oversee all aspects of this development and will strive to deliver a high-quality site which makes the most of its breath-taking location.”
It is planned for work to begin immediately, with the first three properties to be on the market by late 2023 / early 2024.
Find out more about our Land & New Homes department here.
