Scottish castle hotel sells for around £3m

The four-star Auchen Castle hotel in the Scottish Borders has been sold off a guide price of £3m.

The property, which occupies acres of woodland and formal gardens near Moffat in Dumfriesshire, has served as a hotel for 55 years.

The original castle was built in 1220 but is now a ruin next to the home farm that formed the basis for the next castle, which was constructed in 1849.

The castle hotel is well placed for visiting Gretna Green, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hadrian's Wall and the Lake District. Renowned for hosting celebrity weddings, the property can also count the King of Norway, the Beatles and Barbara Cartland as former guests.

Facilities include 25 en-suite bedrooms, a 100-seat restaurant, and a cocktail bar. There are also extensive conference and meeting room options across four rooms, including the 100-capacity Ballroom, that offer a combined capacity for 178 guests dining or 220 at a standing buffet.

Outside, the hotel has a helicopter landing pad, parking for 60 cars and a falconry centre where the birds of prey have been trained to delivery wedding rings in a velvet bag at ceremonies in the garden.

The property also has staff rooms within the hotel and one-bedroom manager's accommodation in a separate coach house.

New owner PAG Hotels operates another hotel in Peebles.

The Glasgow office of Christie + Co sold the freehold on behalf of Ann Skinner-Ter Smitte.

By Angela Frewin