Commercial property: Landmark Campbeltown hotel for sale

The hostelry holds a special place in Campbeltown history and has a prominent spot in the Argyll and Bute town.

Built in 1907 by local hotelier Archibald Johnston, The Royal was designed by renowned architect James Monro of Glasgow, who would later design The Grand Hotel in St Andrews.

The latter, now rebranded the Hamilton Grand and home to some of the most expensive apartments in Scotland, has similarities with its Campbeltown counterpart, and they both share a distinctive dome-topped turret.

In 2008, The Royal was lying empty after experiencing some difficult years when developers David Southworth and Joe Deitch purchased the property, along with The Ugadale Hotel five miles away and the neighbouring golf course.

The developers, working as Southworth Europe, then began working on The Village at Machrihanish Dunes golf resort, which encompassed both hotels and The Ugadale Golf Cottages.

Southworth Europe has no plans to sell the other holdings that comprise the resort, which include The Ugadale and its cottages the Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club,  The Old Clubhouse Pub and The Kintyre Club.

The Royal Hotel makes the most of its prime waterfront location overlooking Campbeltown Harbour. Guests at the four-star hotel can enjoy superb views of the port area, as well as all the contemporary conveniences of a modern luxury accommodation but steeped in Old-World elegance.

With 23 guest rooms, The Royal also accommodates The Black Sheep Pub and The Harbourview Grille, recognised as one of the finest luxury dining establishments on the Kintyre Peninsula.

David Southworth says: “We love The Royal Hotel and what it has become, but we have made the decision to list the property for sale because it will afford us some operating efficiencies and is not vital to our operations in Machrihanish.

Southworth also offers some reassurances, saying: “We will be very careful as to whom we sell the hotel, as its future remains important to us.

“There will be no loss of jobs within the community and we truly hope that whoever the next owner is will have even more resources to attract added visitors to the area.”

A hotel of this size is a significant sale for the area. The property is being marketed at £2.75 million.

Stuart Drysdale, director at Christie and Co, adds: “The Royal Hotel is now well established in the town and enjoys excellent reviews of the bedroom accommodation and newly refurbished public space. It is trading well.

“We expect high levels of demand from home-based and international hotel operators.”

He adds: “We are covering all bases but interest at this level of the market is coming mainly from overseas at the moment and location is the deciding factor for how well properties will sell.”