Harbour Hotels’ Kings Arms Hotel comes to market for £4m

The Kings Arms Hotel in Christchurch, Dorset, which was the second hotel to be acquired by Harbour Hotels, has come to market at a guide price of £4m.

Nicolas Roche, who founded Harbour Hotels in 2003, bought the Georgian boutique townhouse property in 2005 and relaunched it in 2009.

It consists of 20 bedrooms and also features the 80-cover King’s Restaurant.

It was one of the only restaurants in Dorset to have held a Bib Gourmand award for three consecutive years, between 2014 and 2016.

The hotel also has a bar area for 60 covers, a functions space for up to 120 guests and an outdoor King’s Pavilion and bowling green that has been restored to host BBQs, weddings and larger events.

The hotel, restaurant and function and wedding space is held freehold, while the bowling green and pavilion is held leasehold.

Mike Warren, managing director of Harbour Hotels, said: "It’s an exciting time for Harbour Hotels with our focus on exploring new opportunities and acquiring further hotel assets in prime UK coastal, country and city locations that complement our existing luxury lifestyle portfolio.

"As part of a strategic review, we have decided to bring our much loved Kings Arms to market. One of the leading boutique hotels in a highly sought-after location, and with a popular restaurant renowned for its local following, this is a unique opportunity to acquire a successful business with potential to grow even further going forward.”

James Greenslade, director in the hotel capital markets team at Savills, who has been instructed to market the property, said: “This is an exceptional boutique hotel with a well established reputation for food and beverage as well as events in one of Dorset’s most desirable areas.”

Ed Bellfield, director hotels at Christie & Co, who are joint agents, added: “The Kings Arms Hotel has an established reputation, appealing to both leisure and corporate guests due to its proximity to the South Coast, Poole and the New Forest National Park.”

Harbour Hotels has 14 properties across the south of England, with properties in Dorset, Sussex, Surrey and Devon.