An Edinburgh hotel which has become a prominent feature of the city skyline has been put on the market just months after opening.
The W Hotel at St James Quarter was developed under a long-term hotel management agreement with Marriott International, opening in November 2023 following a series of delays.
Dubbed the "Ribbon Hotel" by designers, a distinctive shape proved controversial with local residents and saw it compared to a Nestle Walnut Whip.
Owners Nuveen Real Estate have now appointed Savills to bring the ten-storey hotel to market "in line with a wider business plan for the development".
READ MORE: Hotelier pledges 'stand-out destination hotel unlike anything else' in Edinburgh
Also listed for sale is a 25% stake in the £1bn St James Quarter and New Eidyn residential complex, comprising 152 apartments.
Steve Wicks, head of retail, Europe at Nuveen Real Estate, said: “Having spent the last eight years investing to develop the now iconic quarter in the heart of Edinburgh, the time has come for us to sell our interest in line with our wider business plan for the development.
"The site and hotel are a resounding success story, both in terms of trading and the impact they have had on the city more generally, and we are immensely proud of the quarter we have created.
"Providing best in class amenities to the people of Edinburgh and all those who visit, while also creating thousands of jobs in the process, we have no doubt that the quarter will continue to flourish and benefit the local community.
READ MORE: The restaurants and bars in W Edinburgh hotel with 'panoramic views'
The 244-room hotel offers a 360 degree rooftop with unobstructed views over Edinburgh old town, Calton Hill and Holyrood Park.
Following the announcement, Robert Stapleton, head of hotel capital markets, Savills, has said he is "confident" that the hotel will attract significant interest from global investors.
“We’re pleased to be appointed on the sale of the W Edinburgh," he said.
"The quality of the development is absolutely outstanding and, being positioned in the centre of St James Quarter, Edinburgh’s busiest and best retail district, the hotel benefits from both an exceptional location, but also phenomenal footfall which delivers strong demand for both the food & beverage and bedroom offerings at the W Edinburgh.
"Edinburgh is one of Europe’s standout hotel markets, and benefits from both high barriers to entry and an enviable mix of both corporate and leisure demand drivers which have driven Edinburgh’s exceptional hotel performance over the past five years.
"The hotel is best-in-class in Edinburgh and requires no additional capital expenditure."
Mark Garmon-Jones, director, UK Investment, Savills, added: “This is an exceptional opportunity to acquire an interest in one of the most exciting lifestyle quarters in the UK.
"We’re pleased to be working with Nuveen to find an investor looking to own a stake in this high-performing asset with top end quality residential aspects and a best-in-class retail and leisure experience.”
Both the W hotel and shops will continue to operate as normal throughout the process with "no impact to those working in, living in or visiting the space".
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