Restored country house hotel for £1.25m-plus

A period country house hotel on 16 acres in County Wexford has come on the market, guiding over £1.25 million by private treaty sale. Viewing of the superbly-restored Newbay Country House Hotel is by arrangement with joint agents Ganly Walters and John Younge, who expect keen interest because of its impeccable condition.

The location two miles from Wexford town and overlooking the Blackstairs mountains is top class. Owners Joan Coyle and Des Mullen undertook a complete restoration job when they bought the 11,000 sq ft, 15-bedroom hotel in the 1996, using original materials and heritage paint colours. Decorative cornicing, shuttered Georgian windows, original marble fireplaces and polished wood floors have been teamed with antique furniture to create a very exclusive country house interior.

Newbay House is being sold as a going concern. There is substantial repeat business from the U S and the hotel has become a popular wedding venue. Guests book months in advance each year for Wexford Opera Festival week. The owners are prepared to part with most of the furniture, which is of a very high quality. An inventory of the contents is being drawn up and prices decided.

The gravelled driveway of the hotel winds through a deciduous wood to a wide forecourt and the front entrance. Inside, the hallway and diningroom are a rich claret colour with original polished wood floors. There is a large comfortable sittingroom with room for several sofas, an original wood floor and a fine white marble fireplace. The fully-fitted kitchen and a guest breakfastroom are at garden level.

All 15 double bedrooms are en suite. Nine are situated on the first floor and an additional four are at garden level. There are two guest suites on the top floor, one a very glamorous bridal suite in light French blue with a four-poster bed.

The mature, well-planted gardens are a huge attraction. Unusual trees such as Myrtle and Ginko flourish and the borders have colour for most of the year. There is a four-acre wood, a stream and a lake. Behind the house a secluded flower garden is used for summer receptions.