Britannia buys Windsor Castle!
August 2014
The Royal Yacht Britannia has announced that it has acquired the iconic heritage vessel MV Windsor Castle.
In a near £1 million investment, this classically designed ship is to be converted into a 25 bedroom luxury 'boatique' hotel. She will be berthed permanently, adjacent to Britannia in Edinburgh’s historic port of Leith.
Launched in August 1963, she was the last ship built by the Blythswood Shipbuilding Company, Glasgow, and was previously the Northern Lighthouse Board’s (NLB) tender Fingal. She was Leith registered but spent most of her NLB service working out of Oban for 30 years, followed by her last 6 years, based in Stromness, Orkney.
At 239 feet long, she is nearly two-thirds of the size of Britannia. The vessel was sold by the NLB in 2000 to Tamahine Shipping and has been maintained to the highest standards ever since, at her berth on the River Fal in Cornwall.
The ship is scheduled to arrive in Leith during the week of 25th August, 2014, and undergo an 18 month conversion, scheduled to open in Spring 2016. Developing a floating hotel represents natural organic growth for Britannia, having the requisite management skills in-house, and servicing demand from both day visitors and evening event guests for quality accommodation, adjacent to the Royal Yacht. Officially Scotland’s best visitor attraction, for each of the last nine years, and the UK’s No.1 attraction (TripAdvisor 2014), Britannia is already renowned for delivering the highest quality of customer experience; and this hotel will fit neatly within the overall brand.
Britannia’s Chief Executive Bob Downie said: "After many years of searching for the right ship, we are delighted that we have been able to acquire this iconic vessel and look forward to opening Scotland’s first boatique hotel. As a youngster growing up in Oban I have very fond memories of seeing the Fingal and I am delighted that the long-term future of another much loved classic vessel has been secured."
« back
|
|
|
Diary dates
from leisurediary.com
08-08 May 2024
Hospitality Design Conference
Hotel Melià ,
Milano ,
Italy
Read more »
10-12 May 2024
Asia Pool & Spa Expo
China Import & Export Fair Complex,
Guangzhou,
China
Read more »
18-22 May 2024
Eco Resort Network
The Ravenala Attitude Hotel,
Mauritius
Read more »
23-24 May 2024
European Health Prevention Day
Large Hall of the Chamber of Commerce (Erbprinzenpalais),
Wiesbaden,
Germany
Read more »
06-07 Jun 2024
World Sauna Forum 2024
Sataman Viilu ,
Jyväskylä,
Finland
Read more »
03-05 Sep 2024
ASEAN Patio Pool Spa Expo
IMPACT Exhibition Center,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Read more »
01-04 Oct 2024
Synergy - The Retreat Show
REVĪVŌ Wellness Resort Nusa Dua Bali,
Kabupaten Badung,
Indonesia
Read more »
01-03 Nov 2024
HEALING SUMMIT 2024 - The Heart Retreat
Broughton Sanctuary,
Skipton, Yorkshire ,
Portugal
Read more »
04-07 Nov 2024
Global Wellness Summit (GWS)
In person,
St Andrews,
United Kingdom
Read more »
More diary dates »
|
|