Shelleys hotel in the heart of the South Downs market town of Lewes has been sold for the second time this year.

The East Sussex property – once a manor house owned by the family of the poet Shelley – was first sold in April off a guide price of £2.5m.

The second, off-market sale to Rudy and Carlo Fernando came about when the previous new owners became caught up in another major project after starting a significant refurbishment programme at Shelleys.

Parts of the three-star hotel date back to the 16th century but the building is primarily Georgian in character.
 
It provides 19 luxury bedrooms to sleep 37 guests (including four-poster and executive rooms), along with a 30-seat dining room, 20-seat hotel bar, small meeting/dining room and 40-seat conference room.

Two adjoining terraced cottages provide four-bedroom and three-bedroom accommodation for staff, while a two-bedroom, self-contained manager’s flat is provided on the first floor.

Unusually for a town centre hotel, Shelleys has a large English garden to the rear with bench seating for 60 guests and parking spaces for 25 cars.
 
The property also has planning and listed building consent for five extra bedrooms and for a large conservatory/function room.

Both sales were handled by the Reading office of Colliers Robert Barry.

By Angela Frewin