Ilfracombe’s Dilkhusa Grand Hotel has new owners

The Dilkhusa Grand Hotel in Ilfracombe has been bought by a large global hotel company.

The 99 bedroom seafront hotel was previously at the centre of controversy after being used to house asylum seekers, but has now been purchased by Compass Hospitality in partnership with Seacare Hospitality.

The company, based in South East Asia, has 50 properties abroad but has begun to expand into the UK market, buying 21 hotels across the country, including one recently in Torquay.

Its range of properties under several brands includes hotels, resorts, executive serviced apartments, and spas in various countries, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the UK.

Compass Hospitality said although the Dilkhusa had previously focused on the coach tour market, it was now looking to diversify its business by catering to a more varied mix of guests, including corporate visitors and hosting meetings and events.

Compass president and CEO Harmil Singh said the acquisition of The Dilkhusa ‘reaffirms its dedication to expanding its presence in the UK market and maintaining key partnerships to enhance the performance of its hotel portfolio’.

Last autumn the hotel was used to house some 130 asylum seekers, who were bussed in during the early hours from the overcrowded Manston Immigration Centre in Kent.

It caused anger in the town after the Home Office had categorically told North Devon MP Selaine Saxby and North Devon Council the property would NOT be used for asylum seekers – then went ahead anyway.

The situation divided many in Ilfracombe, with a group gathering outside the hotel to welcome the asylum seekers, while others said they were concerned the influx of more people would badly affect already stretched local health services.

In May this year, Ms Saxby announced the asylum seekers would be moving on and the hotel would return to offering holiday accommodation in July.