Country house hotel has new owners with artistic ambitions
ONE of the most opulent hotels in Wales has been sold.
The new owners of Palé Hall in Llandderfel, near Bala, have ambitious plans for a property once owned by the Duke of Westminster.
The identities of the new owners have not been disclosed – but they have said they want to add a “personal dimension” to the luxury hotel so they can display their collection of “exquisite and unusual artworks”.
They said: “At times the more remote the area, the more desirable and valuable the place can be to experience.”
Agents Savills marketed the AA five-star hotel in February with a guide price of £6m. Situated in Gwynedd on the edge of Eryri National Park, it has 22 bedrooms, a grand hall, reception room, library, dining room and bar.
Set within around 50 acres of landscaped gardens, Palé Hall was built in 1871 by Scottish railway engineer and entrepreneur Henry Robertson.
In the early 1950s the hall and its estate, which at the time still ran to 32,000 acres, was bought by the Duke of Westminster, mainly for its shooting rights.
Palé Hall first saw service as a hotel in 1984, boasting original wood panelling, ornate ceilings and antique furnishings.
In need of some serious renovation, it was acquired by Alan and Angela Harper in 2015. They invested heavily to restore the house to its original Victorian grandeur.
It is considered one of the finest country house hotels in Britain and regularly features on lists of the best hotels in the UK. The hotel also includes a fine-dining restaurant, which has three rosettes and a Michelin green star.
The new owners now plan a second restaurant to enable the hotel’s chefs to offer a more adventurous menu. There are also plans for a holistic spa with an organic eatery area using home- and locally grown produce. Another possibility under consideration is to add more rooms to the hotel.
In its sale particulars, Savills noted the opportunities to expand the business. Planning permission is in place already to re-develop two outbuildings into extra hotel rooms or to provide new hotel facilities such as a spa.
Savills also suggested that existing staff accommodation could be redeveloped as guest rooms, with staff relocated to Llandderfel.
Tom Cunningham, hotels director at Savills, said: “The sale of Palé Hall provided the purchaser with the chance to acquire the freehold of an exceptional hotel, as well as a profitable business with value-add opportunities. Given its stunning location and strong fundamentals, it is unsurprising that we were able to find a new owner who will continue its legacy.”
Nestled in the Dee Valley, Palé Hall was billed as having an “enchanted woodland garden” close to the River Dee. The property also has hydroelectric power, originally installed in 1921 and upgraded with a new turbine in 2017.