Burges Salmon advises Brownsword Hotels on the sale of four Cotswolds hotels to Hand Picked Hotels
We have advised Brownsword Hotels, a collection of family-owned hotels, on the sale of four properties from its portfolio to Hand Picked Hotels, a collection of luxury country houses and coastal retreats founded by Julia Hands.
Hand Picked Hotels has acquired Buckland Manor, The Slaughters Country Inn, The Slaughters Manor House, and Old Swan & Minster Mill. Together, these hotels comprise 118 bedrooms across key locations in the Cotswolds and are known for their individual character, established food and beverage offerings, and experienced local teams.
Burges Salmon has advised Brownsword Hotels since its inception in 2003 and acted on the acquisition of each of the hotels sold under this transaction with Buckland Manor, The Slaughters Country Inn and The Slaughters Manor House being acquired from Von Essen in 2011 and Old Swan & Minster Mill being acquired from the de Savary family in 2016.
The Burges Salmon team was led by Rupert Weston and Rick Read, with support from a multi-disciplinary team including Oli Gingell and Shaaf Alam (both Corporate) and Jodie Dehaney (Real Estate). Brownsword Hotels was also advised by James Greenslade and by PwC.
Rupert Weston says “We are delighted to have supported Brownsword Hotels on this significant transaction, especially having been involved in the original acquisition of each of the hotels. Our relationship with Brownsword Hotels is longstanding and deeply valued by us.”
John Badley, chief executive officer of Brownsword Hotels, said: “These hotels have been developed and cared for with great pride over many years. I would like to thank our teams across the hotels for their unwavering commitment, professionalism, and passion for hospitality. Every memorable guest experience and the outstanding reputation these properties enjoy today is a reflection of their dedication and care. We are immensely proud of everything they have achieved, thank them sincerely for their contribution to Brownsword Hotels, and wish them every success as they embark on this next chapter with Hand Picked Hotels. Navigating a luxury hospitality deal of this scale requires a combination of precision, commerciality and industry knowledge, and the team at Burges Salmon were invaluable in guiding us through the complexities.”
Burges Salmon holds deep sector expertise in navigating complex, premium hospitality industry transactions. The team offers market-leading hotel and leisure legal services, combining commercial expertise with deep industry knowledge. The firm delivers high-quality advice on all aspects of acquisitions and disposals, development, financing, operational matters and management and franchise agreements to investors, developers, owners, operators, and lenders.