Mercure Banbury Whately Hall hotel sold to Serani Hotels

The three-AA-starred, 69-bedroom, Mercure Banbury Whately Hall Hotel in Oxfordshire has been acquired by Serani Hotels.

It was sold off an asking price of £4.25m.

Rajiv Nathwani and Ravi Ruparelia, directors of Serani Hotels will operate Whatley Hall under the Mercure Brand.

The 17th-century property, which retains original features such as stone passages, priests' holes and wooden staircases, sits on a 1.9 acre plot.

Rajiv Nathwani, director at Serani Hotels said: "Whately Hall presents a fantastic opportunity for Serani Hotels to bring this popular and well-known hotel back up to the four-star standard. The iconic building in a wonderful location is an ideal addition to our growing portfolio."

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co, represented Whatley Hall as the sole selling agent.

Alex Campbell, director at Christie & Co said: "The hotel attracted an acute level of interest and we received a number of offers from a variety of international investors. The new owners will invest in the property and drive it forward capitalising on the busy Banbury market."

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