The hotel will be opening shortly for the summer season, joining the Fleur du Jardin, Les Douvres and the Peninsula Hotel under the Little Big Hotel Group umbrella.
‘It’s a really nice addition to our portfolio, it’s higher end at four-stars, so it’s not acting as a direct competition to any of our other properties,’ said managing director Charlie Walker.
‘We feel like we’ve taken all the corners of the island quite nicely now and it adds an extra layer to what we can offer hospitality and tourism locally and strengthen our product offering.’
She said that the purchase cemented the group’s confidence in local tourism, and praised the hotel’s ‘incredible’ location and potential.
Little Big Hotel Group intends to learn and understand about the hotel this summer before any tweaks or developments may follow in the autumn.
Its current team will stay in place.
The hotel was bought by the Red Carnation Group, which also owns the Old Government House Hotel, in 2011. The purchase price for the hotel has not been revealed.
Red Carnation has pledged to reinvest the proceeds from the sale into the OGH.
‘You hear people saying that tourism is dead – it’s not dead, it’s evolved and changed post-Covid,’ said Ms Walker.
‘We need to be bold, brave and maybe a little bit stupid, but it’s exciting and I think Guernsey’s at this turning point of something really special, you just need to look at the investment in La Grande Mare and the Bella Luce – we can put Guernsey back on the map.
‘We’ve got fantastic ferry links now with Brittany Ferries, so let’s build upon that and look to the French market in this new climate of tourism.’
As well as catering to the evolving tourism market, Ms Walker said that it was also important to cater to locals who keep tourism going throughout the winter.
‘Locals want something that feels familiar and good value for money and provides a good experience,’ she said.
‘We could have carried on with our three hotels and other businesses, but we felt this was a good addition and it was worthwhile making the investment and facilitating where we transition with the business over the next five to 10 years.
‘This investment cements our commitment to tourism locally and hopefully provides some additional confidence to others in the industry.’
Duke of Richmond history
1815 – Grover’s Hotel, which is accepted to be the island’s oldest hotel, could be found overlooking Cambridge Park.
1902 – By the turn of the century, Grover’s Hotel was replaced by the Richmond Boarding House, ‘the principal boarding house in the Channel Islands’.
1930s – Richmond Hotel is a fully licensed hotel premises.
1960 – The site becomes a hotel again after the Occupation, and plans were made for enlargement.
1970 – The hotel reopens as the Duke of Richmond, after being rebuilt in 1969. It was named after the third Duke of Richmond who commissioned a map of the island in 1769.
1977 – The building of a new sea-view facing block for rear rooms, four with balconies. Upgrades and developments continue throughout the next three decades.
2011 – Red Carnation Hotels, also owners of the OGH, acquires the property and restores it.
2025 – Little Big Hotel Group buys the hotel.
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