The Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen has reported the multimillion-pound deal, according to which the university sold one of its buildings that will be turned into a hotel. The Schoolhill campus building was purchased by the Malmaison Hotel du Vin Group that plans to open a luxury hotel there.
The building, which enjoys location right in the heart of the city near Aberdeen Art Gallery, will be turned into a 200 guestroom hotel. The Robert Gordon University has sold 2 buildings the 85,000 sq. ft. Clarke Building and student union premises with the total square of 16,000 sq. ft. The university will use the funds to finish its new Garthdee campus, while the new hotel in the central part will help to fasten the regeneration of the city. This will be the second hotel in Aberdeen by Malmaison. The company manages 14 hotels in the UK in total, including hotels in London, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Dundee, Oxford, Glasgow, Belfast, Reading, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and Newcastle. The new owner doesn’t disclose any information about the new hotel, so it’s unclear yet whether it will be a Malmaison or Hotel de Vin property.
Currently, there is a definite shortage of hotel rooms in the top end market segment in Aberdeen, so the deal was welcomed by the city council. RGU, in its turn, sold the building as a part of its strategic plan to build the 170 million pounds campus at Garthdee, where the university will provide its students with “state-of-the-art environment for teaching and learning”.