The Old Church of Urquhart turned B&B in Scotland up for sale for £595k

Near Elgin, Moray, the Old Church of Urquhart hides a luxurious BB
After winning many awards, the unique property is now up for sale
Many original features, such as the bell tower, have been maintained

Katie Amey for MailOnline

Published:
11:42 GMT, 6 January 2016

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Updated:
13:47 GMT, 6 January 2016

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The Old Church of Urquhart near Elgin, Moray, hides a four-star bed and breakfast inside after the owner converted it from a holy place of worship to the perfect stay-over destination.

The religious building, built in the perpendicular style of renowned architect James Gillespie Graham, can trace its history back to 1843 – but became the Parrandier BB in 1998.

But now owner Andreas Peter, 54, originally from Frankfurt, Germany, has opted to sell, and the luxurious B-listed building is on the market for a fixed price of £595,000.

The Old Church of Urquhart, near Elgin, Moray, in Scotland, hides a four-star bed and breakfast inside

The award-winning hotel has scooped a plethora of honours during Andreas’ 18 years at the helm and was given the Award of Excellence by TripAdvisor in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

But he has opted to sell up in a bid to free up his time to continue jetting between his homes in Scotland and Spain.

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Property magnate Andreas said: ‘I have found myself living and working in two worlds in both Scotland and Spain and I’m getting to the time in my life where I am at approaching semi-retirement age.

‘The property was a great first step in Scotland and it’s my main residence in Europe.

‘It has been and still is a very successful business and all my properties have come from that.’

The BB first opened in 1998 and has won a plethora of awards since – but is now on the market

The owner has opted to sell the one-of-a-kind property for a very reasonable price – just £595,000

While retaining its original features, such as a bell tower, the spruced-up property also includes two floors of accommodation

Andreas stressed that the unique nature of turning a church into a classy guest house immediately attracted him to the project.

And he was instantly rewarded when the guest house became an instant smash hit.

Andreas said: ‘It was most definitely the unusual property that attracted people to stay there and this was before the time of the internet and if you don’t catch from the start then it is very difficult to keep going.

‘That is always the difficult bit of any business but it has always done well.

‘But once you have lived in an old church, it is impossible to go back to a new build.

‘It will be very special for whoever buys it and I’m sure it will be something very unusual for them.’

There is a custom-made fully-equipped main kitchen upstairs that has maintained its old barn design

The spacious and elegant master bedroom features stunning views of the beautiful rural surroundings

While retaining its original features, such as a bell tower, the spruced-up property also includes two floors of accommodation for future owners as well as a wedding and alcohol licence.

The working bell is still in use manually, as well as automatically, chiming to mark the time.

As well as the host rooms, there are six bedrooms in the guests quarters, as well as a number of authentic ornate reception rooms and two fully-stocked kitchens.

The spacious and elegant master bedroom features stunning views of the beautiful rural surroundings as well as fitted wardrobes and furniture and a convenient en-suite above the former space of the altar.

Guests can be entertained in either of the two lounges, both adorned with original features like the pillars of the former balcony and authentic wooden flooring.

There is also the option of hosting guests in the high ceiling of the church, complete with signature gothic windows, as well as a fitted bar.

As well as the host rooms, there are six bedrooms in the guests quarters, as well as a number of authentic ornate reception rooms

Guests can be entertained in either of the two lounges, both adorned with original features like authentic wooden flooring

There is also the option of hosting guests in the high ceiling of the church, complete with signature gothic windows

The gothic hotel is also situated in two-acre grounds with no direct neighbours but the nearby Fort Augustus Abbey

The custom-made fully-equipped main kitchen upstairs has maintained its old barn design with a gothic-style area that serves as both as a private kitchen as well as a catering facility for guests.

A sizeable former altar room comes complete with leaded glass windows as well as a small vestry.

The gothic hotel is also situated in two-acre grounds with no direct neighbours but the nearby Fort Augustus Abbey, which used to also house a monastery in the late 19th century. Sadly, it’s not included in the deal.

The property also has space for a barbecue and bonfire, as well as a pond running to a stream that culminates in a small waterfall.

A secluded, private area of the grounds, dubbed ‘The Garden of Eden’, and a path known as ‘Church Walk’ are highlights of the lower area of the green space along with a number of oak, beech and pine trees.