Willowvale luxury retreat Ruffles going on the market
THE Chinese owners of luxury Willowvale lodge and spa Ruffles are putting it on the market, six months after it stopped trading.
The five-star getaway was operating under the Peppers brand when it was bought for $4.5 million in late 2013.
The sellers were John and Jan Nicholls, who passionately developed the lodge from scratch over eight years.
Roland Evans, principal of Canford Estate Agents, said the owners were selling to concentrate on other Australian assets.
“They are looking to pass on the property to experienced operators who can take it forward,” he said.
Mr Evans said there was scope to further develop the property.
Ruffles is being sold on a where is, as is basis in an expressions-of-interest campaign that closes on April 9 and is being run in tandem with Canford’s Ben Evans.
Ruffles, at 423 Ruffles Rd, includes eight luxury villas, an executive suite and a honeymoon suite, guest rooms and a two-bedroom owner’s residence.
Facilities include a health spa, restaurant, library, conference room, outdoor bar and an infinity pool from which guests can lap up views that stretch from Coomera in the north to Coolangatta in the south.
The Nicholls bought the Ruffles site for $500,000 in 2002, five years after selling Sydney Harbour business Sail Venture Cruises to Amalgamated
Holdings. Whitsundays architect Chris Beckingham was engaged to design the resort, which was constructed in stages.
The Nicholls managed the property and in 2010 signed a marketing services agreement with the Mantra group that enabled Ruffles to operate under the Peppers brand.
The move saw Ruffles’ occupancy rise by 20 per cent.
The property was bought in late 2013 by Australian Useu, owned by Jinmin Qu and Baijang Cheng.