Key Features
Affordable Hotel in Laide on the NC500 with strong passing trade
9 refurbished ensuite rooms including family suite
Bar and restaurant for 40 covers with wood-burning stove
Owners’ private studio apartment
1.5-acre site with private garden, parking, garage, laundry and a potential development field
Strong profits from seasonal 5-day operation with scope to expand
Thriving Pizza venture adding significant revenue
Excellent reputation with strong online reviews
Highlight
Profitable NC500 hotel in Laide with nine refurbished rooms, 40-cover bar and restaurant, thriving pizza venture, and owners’ studio. Set on 1.5 acres with parking and development potential, enjoying strong trade and excellent reviews.
Description
The Ocean View Hotel presents a rare opportunity in the popular village of Laide, set on the world-renowned North Coast 500 route (NC500). This Budget-Friendly Hotel with Excellent Access features nine ensuite letting bedrooms, including a spacious family suite, together with a welcoming public bar, restaurant, and a comfortable owner’s studio apartment.
With an internal floor area of approximately 664m², the hotel sits within a generous 1.5-acre site, offering extensive parking facilities and excellent scope for future development.
The property has been exceptionally and sympathetically refurbished, with sustainability at the forefront. Creative use of upcycled materials has been made to achieve a stylish, modern aesthetic that seamlessly blends contemporary flair with original character.
Benefiting from a prime roadside position, the hotel enjoys strong visibility and is clearly signposted, drawing in both local custom and passing trade. The site offers significant potential for diversification, with opportunities to expand hospitality services or explore leisure and tourism-based ventures to create additional income streams.
Trade
The Hotel currently operates on a five-day trading week (Monday – Friday) from April to September, with not all letting rooms in use. Even under this manageable seasonal arrangement, the business achieves an enviable profit level.
In addition to bar sales, the owners have recently launched a highly successful pizza venture, selling over 2,500 pizzas within the first six months of operation.
There remains significant scope for growth, including extending trading days and months, bringing the remaining rooms into use, and exploring the addition of further units in the field to fully maximise the site’s potential, subject to statutory approvals.
The business also benefits from an excellent online reputation, with strong review scores across major platforms:
Luxury Hotels Guide: 8.5 – Excellent
Booking.com: 8.5 – Very Good
Tripadvisor: 4.5 – Very Good
The Ocean View Hotel benefits from a very popular Facebook page, providing an effective platform for engaging with guests and promoting the business.
Location
Laide is a picturesque coastal village on the northwest coast of Scotland, set directly on the world-famous NC500 – a spectacular 516-mile touring route that draws visitors from across the globe. The NC500 has become one of Scotland’s leading tourism drivers, ensuring a steady flow of passing trade and year-round visibility for local businesses.
The village enjoys a stunning setting overlooking Gruinard Bay, with its sandy beach and sweeping views towards the Summer Isles and the mountains of Wester Ross. Local amenities include a convenience store with fuel station, post office, and church, while further services, shops, and schools can be found in Ullapool (30 miles south) and Gairloch (12 miles west).
Laide is a gateway to some of Scotland’s most celebrated outdoor experiences – from hillwalking, climbing, and fishing to kayaking, wildlife watching, and exploring dramatic coastal scenery.
The village is easily reached by road, lying approximately 75 miles (around a two-hour drive) from Inverness, the Highland capital, which offers full services and onward travel connections. Inverness Airport (Dalcross), situated to the east of the city, provides regular flights to major UK hubs such as London, Bristol, Manchester, and Birmingham, together with select European destinations. This connectivity ensures Laide is both accessible to visitors and an ideal base for exploring the NC500 and wider Highlands.Accommodation
The Property
The Ocean View Hotel is a modern detached building with a single-storey extension and lean-to, benefitting from significant recent upgrades. The property has been fitted with new UPVC windows and doors, a new roof, and freshly painted, white-rendered walls, presenting a smart and modern exterior.
Externally, there is a garage and a dedicated laundry and drying room, together with a large car park that provides ample space for guests and incorporates some outdoor seating.
Internally, the ground floor houses two ensuite letting rooms, including the spacious family suite, along with the owner’s studio apartment and all main service areas such as the bar, restaurant, and kitchen. The first floor contains the remaining seven ensuite letting bedrooms.
Owners Accommodation
The current owners have recently created a spacious studio apartment to the rear of the hotel, providing comfortable private accommodation. This well-designed space incorporates a double bed and lounge area, with a dividing wall concealing a modern ensuite shower room with toilet and basin. For added convenience, there is direct access through to the commercial kitchen.
Terms
Reason For Sale
After acquiring the property in 2017, the current owners have undertaken extensive refurbishment and upgrades throughout and are now seeking retirement which brings this affordable Hotel to the market.
Rates / Council Tax
The hotel has a rateable value £15,000 at April 2023, reference number 03/03/079120/7 and benefits from 100% discount under the Small Business Bonus Scheme for eligible businesses.
Finance and Legal Services
ASG Commercial Ltd is in touch with a variety of different lenders who can provide specialist finance. We will be delighted to discuss your financing requirements with you and make an appropriate introduction where appropriate. We also have many contacts in the legal profession who can assist in all legal matters arising.
Specification
The property is serviced by mains electricity and water, with drainage to a shared septic tank – the cost liability split of the tank is 90/10, 90% to the hotel and 10% for neighbouring property. Heating and hot water are supplied via electric systems. There are two wood burning stoves in the property one located in the bar/restaurant and the other in the lounge.