Refurbished hotel on idyllic Scottish island where George Orwell wrote '1984' is sold for over £1.2 million
The Jura Hotel, which enjoys open sea views over the Small Isles Bay and sits adjacent to the island’s distillery, famed worldwide for its whisky, has been owned and operated by Cath and Andy McCallum, and family, for the past 11 years, but they decided to sell to pursue new ventures.
The new owners are the locally-based Ardfin Estate, where a 5-star style hotel and golf course has recently been developed, and Willie MacDonald, from the estate, said: “Ardfin Estate are delighted to be the new owners of Jura Hotel and intend to continue the operation in the same vein as the previous owners and hopefully, if possible, build on the success that Andy and Cath McCallum have had in their 11 years of owning the hotel.”
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Hide AdThe hotel has been completely refurbished and modernised over the past 10 years and boasts 17 bedrooms, two bars, restaurant, and lounge, as well as a modern five-bedroom house and ample staff accommodation, while to the front is a delightful alfresco terrace and bar/café servery which overlooks the hotel’s camping/event field. It also has its own biomass system and solar panel energy.
Alistair Letham, hotel and leisure consultant at property firm Graham + Sibbald, who handled the sale, said: “The availability of the Jura Hotel for sale, almost unique in this idyllic island location, attracted interest from a wide range of potential buyers and hoteliers. The purchase by the local Ardfin Estate not only secures the future of the Jura Hotel – an essential element of this island’s community – but also offers excellent business growth opportunities when “marrying” it with hotel and leisure/sporting facilities at Ardfin.”
Although the purchase price for the Jura Hotel is undisclosed, Graham + Sibbald were inviting “offers over £1,200,000” when it went on the market in late September this year.
Jura, an island in the Inner Hebrides, is both a unique and unusual island. One of the least densely populated islands of Scotland though the population is growing, it is mountainous with its famous Paps of Jura, has extensive deer forests, is well known for its distinctive and world-renowned whisky, and of course, was where novelist George Orwell lived when he wrote his famed novel ‘1984’.
While the hotel enjoys an excellent mix of trade from visitors/tourists, locals and commercial custom, for the visitor looking for that feeling of escapism Jura is a delightful and unique natural retreat with a plethora of outdoor activities and pursuits to enjoy.
