MG Hotels has bought the Red Lion hotel in the Oxfordshire market town of Henley-on-Thames off an asking price of £5.5m.
The wisteria-smothered, 13th-century building – a former coaching inn on the main road to Oxford - is located on the bank of the River Thames at the foot of the bridge leading to the town.
It combines a mix of 15th, 16th and 17th century architectural styles and is furnished throughout with a collection of antiques.
The English country-style Red Lion has 26 individually-styled bedrooms, many with river views, a 27-seat restaurant, a 20-seat character bar, a private dining room that will accommodate 100 guests sitting and 250 standing up, and a conference/banqueting suite for 60 theatre-style.
MG Hotels – which also owns the four-star boutique Manor hotel in Windsor, Berkshire – has already added a new, 30-seat trade patio and added new bedrooms, which it plans to expand to 43 in total. It is also increasing seating across its facilities.
The London office of Christie + Co sold the freehold on behalf of the Miller family.
By Angela Frewin