Landmark 4-Star Boutique Hotel, South-East of France For Sale

Property Information

Real Estate:

Real Property Included

Living Accommodation:

Self-contained owners' apartment of over 90 sqm (c. 970 sq ft) on the first floor of one of the buildings, comprising a sitting room, living room, bedroom, kitchen and two private terraces, with views over the surrounding wetlands. Can be retained as owner/manager accommodation or converted into a commercial suite or two separate letting bedrooms.

Location:

Prime tourist location in the heart of the Camargue, southern France (Provence region), less than 1 km from the centre of a major Mediterranean seaside resort and its beaches. Set back from the main road in a secluded, green setting bordering a lagoon within a protected regional nature park. Approximately 60 km from an international airport, 38 km from a TGV mainline station and 125 km from Marseille

Premises Details:

Freehold property included in the sale. The establishment comprises four buildings set within a 8,000 sqm (c. 86,100 sq ft) landscaped plot, of which c. 4,000 sqm of gardens. Accommodation totals 23 en-suite bedrooms and suites, all with private terrace or balcony, alongside a two-level restaurant (40–45 covers) with bar and Licence IV, a spa building (sauna, hammam, treatment room, indoor swimming lane), an outdoor heated pool, a gym, a boutique, a meeting room for up to 15 delegates, 25 private parking spaces and a separate visitor car park. Total built floor area of approximately 2,360 sqm (c. 25,400 sq ft). The site has been continuously maintained and upgraded, with no major capital expenditure required in the short term.

Size in square feet:

25,400

Planning Consent:

Property operated as a hotel and restaurant since 1968, with full 4-star classification under the French national hotel rating system and a Licence IV licence for the bar. All existing buildings and extensions were developed under successive planning permissions, most recently in 2011. The site lies within a protected regional nature park, where planning rules strictly limit any new tourism or residential development — a constraint that materially restricts new competing supply.

Business Operation

Management type:

This business is owner operated.

Expansion Potential:

Several levers remain unexploited by the current owners:

Extending the operating season from the current 7.5 months to c. 10.5 months, as operated until 2018
Opening the restaurant and spa to non-resident guests (both currently reserved for hotel guests only)
Converting the owners' apartment into a further suite or two bedrooms, taking capacity to 24–25 keys
Restaurant revenue recovery towards previous levels (from c. £/€190k to over €500k within three years)
Developing the corporate and meetings segment, currently only c. 3% of business, with facilities already in place
Upgrade to 5-star classification, achievable given existing facilities
Additional distribution channels and eco-certification

Competition / Market:

The local market is dominated by mid-market properties: 3-star and below account for approximately 76% of available rooms in the resort. The 4-star-and-above segment therefore represents a limited and sought-after premium offering, which has supported a sustained rise in RevPAR in this category. Only a small number of directly comparable properties combine hotel, restaurant, pool and spa facilities locally. The business is among the highest-rated establishments in its category on the main review platforms and trades well ahead of French 4-star sector averages on occupancy, RevPAR and TrevPAR. Location within a protected nature park prevents new hotel development, creating a significant barrier to entry.

Reasons for selling:

Retirement. The vendors have owned and operated the business since its creation and are seeking an orderly succession, with the objective of preserving the establishment's positioning and enabling an incoming owner to pursue its development.

Trading hours:

Seasonal operation: currently open c. 7.5 months per year (approximately 222 days), from late March to mid-November, covering the shoulder season (late March to late June, late August to mid-November) and the high season (July to August). The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to residents throughout the opening period. The business operated on a 320-day season until 2018, and the season can be extended by an incoming owner.

Employees:

12

Years established:

58

Other Information

Support & training:

The vendors have operated the business since its creation and are prepared to provide a handover and transition period to ensure continuity of operations, guest relations and supplier arrangements. The core team, including long-serving seasonal staff (some with over 10 and 20 years' service), is in place and expected to remain. Established management systems are already in use (central reservation system, property management system and guest satisfaction CRM), together with membership of a national boutique-hotel network providing recruitment, purchasing and marketing support. Precise scope and duration of the handover to be agreed.

Financing available:

The business is being sold debt-free, with a strong balance sheet (no financial debt, substantial cash position and freehold property included), providing a solid basis for acquisition financing. Prospective buyers should arrange their own funding