Georgian hotel restored with a French twist now selling as going concern

CO. SLIGO: €875,000An eight-bedroom country house hotel in Sligo, which gives French tourists a taste of authentic Ireland, is being offered for sale or to lease

Kingsfort Country House, Ballintogher,bCo Sligo

Eight-bed Georgian country house hotel

Agent:ERA O'Connor Auctioneers

FRENCH BUSINESS partners Bernard Eucher-Lahon and Corine Ledanois are selling a pretty Georgian hotel in Sligo because, as Eucher-Lahon puts it: “I discovered there are only 24 hours in a day,” and he just hasn’t got the time to run both the guest house and his tour business.

He came to Ireland 21 years ago and fell in love with the west and established a tour company that offers French people hiking, fishing and golfing holidays in special places, such as Georgian houses, castles and manor houses (www.alainntours.com).

Finding a dearth of such properties in Sligo, the duo bought Kingsfort Country House and converted it and outbuildings into a hotel that has found its way into a host of guides including the Michelin hotel guide, Alastair Sawdays Special Places to Stay, Best Loved Hotels, Epoque Hotels, Be Our Guest and the Bridgestone Guide which refers to it as a little bit of Provence, which is all down to Ledanois’ comfortable interior design.

The house retains many original features, such as open fireplaces and flagstone floors.

Kingsfort Country House, which is to lease or for sale at €875,000 through ERA O’Connor Auctioneers in Boyle, Roscommon, has eight en suite bedrooms in all: two in the main house and six in a converted barn. There is also a self-contained apartment in the main house, with a bedroom, livingroom and kitchen.

In the main house there is a kitchen, diningroom/sun lounge, lounge and TV room on the ground floor.

The 18th century ex-magistrate’s house is in the village of Ballintogher, which is 15 minutes drive from Sligo town.

“We have have put Kingsfort on the map,” says Eucher-Lahon. So, as he is too busy to run the tour business and hotel would he perhaps be able to provide customers to someone who bought this as a going-concern.

“Absolutely,” he says. “Even if we did sell the place it would still be our baby and I would be delighted to maintain a link. We do have a clientele that is looking for such a place.”