A well known Chester hotel has been sold in a confidential deal.

Award-winning Rowton Hall hotel and spa off the A41 on the city’s outskirts had an asking price of £6.25m. It has been sold through specialist business property adviser Christie & Co for an undisclosed sum.

It has been revealed the sale of the hotel, dating back to 1779 and set in eight acres of gardens ‘was conducted entirely off-market through a bespoke and confidential marketing campaign’.

The property is said to comprise 40 en-suite letting bedrooms, function and conference facilities which accommodate a large number of weddings year-on-year, a luxury spa and an award-winning restaurant.

Apart from the ‘well-kept landscaped gardens’ there is ‘substantial’ customer car parking for up to 200 vehicles.

The 4-star AA hotel had been operated by previous owners the Wigginton family for a number of years before they took the decision to sell to pursue retirement.

New owners Anderbury Ltd, who also own the St George Hotel in Llandudno and Hatherley Manor Hotel & Spa in Gloucestershire, plan to grow their existing portfolio with the acquisition of the hotel.

They believe it fitted their style and location requirements while there is an opportunity for the new owners to add further bedrooms, subject to planning permission, according to Christie’s and drive ‘what is already an established business’ forward.

Ryan Lynn, director at Christie & Co’s Manchester office, who handled the sale, said: “We are so pleased to have worked with our client Gordon Wigginton and his family on this project and even more pleased to have been able to achieve such a strong result for them in a sale of the hotel on a very confidential basis.

“We wish them a very happy retirement from the hotel business after years of being in the industry and wish the buyers Anderbury Ltd every success with the hotel moving forward. We look forward to working with them again soon.”