Alfa grouping buys Melrose hotel

The Alfa Leisureplex Group, which includes Chorley-based Alfa Travel, has acquired the Waverley Castle Hotel in Melrose, bringing its hotel grouping, Leisureplex, to 23 hotels.

The company, 75% employee-owned since 2020, takes over the Waverley Castle in 2024 from Coast & Country Collection, which acquired it from defunct Shearings. It has 77 rooms and is set in five acres of gardens, right alongside the River Tweed, and within easy striking distance of Edinburgh. Like other hotels in the group, it will be used for Alfa’s extensive tour programme.

“This purchase follows the acquisition of the Norfolk Royale Hotel in Bournemouth earlier in the year as we look to provide our customers with a wider range of destinations and attractive excursions,” said Emma Russell, Managing Director of Alfa Leisureplex Group.

“With a multimillion pound refurbishment programme across our existing hotel estate and the expansion of Mercedes touring fleet, which will see the arrival of eight new 2024 coaches in March, we are demonstrating our ongoing commitment to providing our guests with outstanding quality value for money holidays.”