Hotel Development
Bespoke Services for Hotel Owners, Investors and Developers
The ultimate one-stop shop for hotels.
Offering all-encompassing development expertise for hotel owners, investors and developers, Buell Hospitality’s flexible services provide clients with the ultimate one-stop shop. From strategy development and hotel identification, to refurbishment management, new-facilities projects and total hotel builds, our services can be provided on a turnkey basis.
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Project Brief | We will develop a clear project brief including responsibilities and timelines. Fees: Subject to complexity, fees will be agreed in advance of any project following the normal RIBA stages. |
| Strategy Review & Development | We work with owners and investors to develop clear growth strategies for new or existing enterprises. |
| Hotel Search & Identification Supported by Graham & Sibbald and Drysdale & Co |
With the support of our Business Partner organisations, we will undertake in-depth searches of the market to identify appropriate target properties that suit a client’s commercial strategy and objectives. |
| Acquisition & Funding Supported by AAB Group, Vialex |
Supported by industry specialists Graham & Sibbald, Drysdale & Company, AAB Group and Vialex, Buell Hospitality can manage an acquisition process and/or fundraising exercise on your behalf. |
| Architecture & Interior Design Supported by GLM Architects and Graham & Sibbald |
From individual elements to complete turnkey solutions, our specialist architecture and interior design partners will develop appropriate schemes to suit your requirements. We can also manage the entire regulatory permissions process on your behalf. |
| Project Management GLM Architects and Graham & Sibbald |
Following agreement on a comprehensive brief, Buell Hospitality can manage the project as a whole, from tendering for and appointing contractors, to overseeing the entire development process up to completion. Thereafter, under our management services division, we can also operate the business on the client’s behalf. |
Glencoe House: A Case Study
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Project Brief | The project brief was to create a world class, all suite, 5-star hotel in an iconic location providing a unique guest experience unseen in Scotland. In business terms, it was essential that the project delivered a sustainable and outstanding financial performance for the owners who intended to exit within a 6 to 8-year period. |
| Strategy Review & Development | Once the building had been identified and purchased (see below for details), the project brief for Glencoe House Hotel was finalized and agreed with the owners in June 2011. The strategy had two phases, firstly to develop and test the suite concept within the mansion house. The brief was to create a unique guest experience and was fulfilled by developing fully serviced suites, the size of which, gives guests the sense of living in their own wing of a mansion house. The second phase was to extend the suite concept by developing the stable block thereby increasing profitability and create exceptional financial EBITDA. In order to bring the strategy to fruition, a detailed marketing strategy was developed together with operational plan and the formation of a strong management team. |
| Hotel Search, Identification & Exit Strategy | With the support of Buell’s partner organisations an in-depth search
of the market was carried out to identify appropriate target
properties that suited the owner’s commercial strategy and
objective.
The location of the project was pivotal to the success of the business: 1. Situated in an iconic location that is recognised internationally. 2. A location accessible for tourists and corporate clients alike to combat seasonality and stand out from the existing competition. 3. An area with wide attraction e.g. ancestral and adventure tourism. 4. A building of sufficient gravitas, status and history to realise the project brief. The former Glencoe Hospital, which had been closed and was boarded up since 2009 was identified. It was successfully purchased by the owners in June 2011 from NHS Highland. With the support of a Buell partner organisation the owners completed the exit in September 2019 in a confidential off-market transaction protecting all employees and delivering an exceptional financial profit. |
| Acquisition & Funding | The project was primarily funded by the owners. Acquisition and Phase 1 was solely funded by the owners. Phase 2 was funded partly by the owners, the financial performance of phase 1 and a successful application to win a substantial government grant. |
| Architecture & Interior Design | The project required careful design, and the lead architect worked closely with the planning department particularly given the regulations and constraints of working within a historic and listed building. In short, the building development team successfully managed all regulatory permissions from acquisition in June 2011 to exit in September 2019. The interior designer worked with the owners to create suites in keeping with the age and style of the building whilst providing 21 st century modern facilities. |
| Project Management | Working closely with the owners, a detailed 5-year growth strategy was developed for the transformation of the acquired redundant former NHS Glencoe Hospital into Scotland’s only full service, all suite, 5-star hotel. Naturally, the whole building required fundamental internal transformation to realise the suite concept, taking into account the confinements of working within a historic and listed building. Initially, the building development team appointed contractors and detailed responsibilities were assigned, overseeing the entire development process up to completion by Easter 2012. Working concurrently, the hotel management team shaped the pre- opening sales, marketing, PR, financial management activities to ensure strong business performance from day one of operations. Phase 1, the development of 8 suites in the mansion house, was successfully completed by Easter 2012 within budget. As per the strategic plan, time was taken to hone the service offering and to build a strong brand and gain market recognition. Guest responses to completed phase 1 were overwhelmingly positive resulting in Glencoe House being awarded “Tripadvisor’s Traveller’s choice Best of the Best” award standard sustaining a continuous 5-star guest rating. Phase 2 of the strategy focussed on extending the hotel by developing 6 suites in the former nearby Stables, which opened for business in April 2017. A strong sales and marketing strategy was vital for the success of the business. Activities included joining luxury marketing groups such as Luxury Scotland in 2014 and Romantik Hotels in 2016. |
Glencoe House Hotel and its team are a fantastic addition to our growing hotel group. We appreciate what a very special place Glencoe House is, but also the very high standards at which it operates now and we intend to build further on these in the future.
Fasih Rehman, CEO of Perle Hotels (on completion of purchase in September 2019)
