Two historic hotels have gone up for sale after closing down permanently during the pandemic.

The owner of Castle House Hotel and The Canterbury Hotel in Canterbury took the "very difficult" decision not to reopen the two businesses, after they were forced to shut during the lockdown.

The well-known Castle House Hotel, nestled in part of the original city wall overlooking Wincheap roundabout, is on the market with a guide price of £1.75m.

Described as an "architectural gem and local landmark", the Grade II-listed building was acquired by its current owners in 2008 and has since been lovingly refurbished.

In nearby Wincheap, The Canterbury Hotel is believed to be one of the oldest in the city, with original parts dating back to the late 18th century.

Acquired by the owners in 2014, it has benefited from extensive refurbishment, and is now on the market for £1.5m.

It comprises two buildings, a courtyard garden and a car park.

Both hotels have 15 bedrooms, and are being sold by global real estate advisor Colliers International.

They are being offered for sale on a joint or individual basis.

Paul Barrasford, of Colliers International said: “The owners recently took the very difficult decision to close the hotels and focus on their other businesses in the city.

“For new potential owners who are looking to reopen either hotel, there is clear scope to re-establish each as a strong business, in particular as the bulk of turnover was previously derived from accommodation.

“ Canterbury is one of the region’s most visited tourist destinations, with good transport links, including a direct one hour train into central London.

“The city is also an important south-east hub which has a vibrant local economy.

"With domestic tourism proving especially robust, we expect the city’s hotels to bounce back strongly from the disruption of Covid. We are also anticipating interest from interested parties looking to repurpose the hotels.”

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