The Queens Hotel, on Brighton seafront, has been put up for sale with an asking price of £18.5 million by its owner, the Lowy Group.
The company has owned the hotel, which dates from the middle of the 19th century, for 20 years and has instructed Christie and Co and Savills to market the premises including the freehold.
Christie and Co said: “The Queens Hotel is a striking building directly fronting on to the beach and comprises 94 well-appointed en suite guest bedrooms as well as a retail unit and a vacant restaurant unit.
“The hotel is home to a popular leisure facility with fully equipped gymnasium, spa and swimming pool, plus a restaurant and bar serving 80 covers which is open to the public as well as hotel guests.
“There is also a large conference suite which can accommodate functions of up to 170 people and regularly hosts events, weddings and gatherings.”
In 2022, planning permission was granted to add a floor and create eight more bedrooms and a public “sky bar” with terrace on the rooftop.
The plans, approved by Brighton and Hove City Council, also included ground floor alterations to form a new drop-off bay.
The agents also said that plans had been approved to turn the vacant restaurant area into 11 more bedrooms – or a new owner could run the restaurant or appoint an operator.
The hotel is on an island site in King’s Road, bounded by Grand Junction Road, East Street and Little East Street. The business expanded until it had taken take over all the neighbouring premises.
A small part of the building, on the East Street side, is grade II-listed. The central section of the hotel is the oldest part. It was built in 1846 on the site of the Dolphin Inn.
The western part went up in 1870 and was the Markwell Hotel, built on the site of Mahomed’s Baths which opened in 1786 as Britain’s first Turkish baths. The Queens Hotel took it over in 1908.
Last year, the business rates bill for the hotel was £144,710.
The agents said: “Brighton continues to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK, known for its diverse culture, historical landmarks and iconic beach.
“The hotel has been under the current ownership for 20 years and is being offered for sale unencumbered of management and brand ties.”
The head of hotel brokerage at Christie and Co, Jeremy Jones, said: “We are delighted to be working with Savills on one of the most exciting hospitality opportunities on the south east coast.
“With one of the best trading locations in Brighton, the scale of the Queens presents one of the largest hospitality sites, building upon this famous hotel with huge upside to extend the range of hospitality attractions across accommodation, food, beverage and late-night bar and restaurant, subject to necessary approvals. We anticipate strong domestic and international interest.”
Savills director Alex Sturgess said: “This is a unique opportunity for a hotel owner to acquire a signature property on Brighton seafront.
“The freehold hotel offers both scale and approved planning consent to extend. This high-profile location will undoubtedly become the most prominent hotel development in the city.”
Look out for it to be turned into student flats. With a vape store and cheap takeaway on the bottom floor.
No parking for long stayers, they said front of hotel doesn’t belong to them, so we had to park elsewhere, then see cars parked there on our return with parking permits supplied by HOTEL? rooms not worth money, it could do so much better, lifts absolutely stink of damp and old socks and body odour
Won’t recommend or return ,view would be great if windows weren’t covered in seagull mess, my stay there was a birthday gift, place is dog friendly which was ideal for us,