Royal Yacht Britannia Opens Luxury 'Boatique' Hotel

Avison Young have a long-standing relationship with the Royal Yacht Britannia dating back to 1998 when it made Edinburgh’s historic port of Leith its new home.

We developed the pre-opening business plan and original projection of visitor numbers, while we subsequently undertook a Feasibility Study regarding the acquisition of the Royal racing yacht Bloodhound.

In 2014 the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust acquired the former Northern Lighthouse Board vessel Fingal to develop it into a 23 bedroom ‘boatique’ hotel. The vessel is moored in the former Alexandra Dry Dock within walking distance of Britannia and The Shore (the main bar and dining area of Leith’s waterfront).

We were commissioned to create a Market Opportunity Statement, Initial Scoping Study and Financial Projections for the creation of the hotel. Our assessment was very positive on the opportunity for a deluxe boutique offering, which acted as an extension of the renowned Britannia brand.

Following an extensive renovation process, Fingal opened earlier in 2019. In addition to 23 unique luxury cabin bedrooms and suites, facilities include The Lighthouse Bar, serving breakfast, afternoon tea, dinner and drinks, and a double height Ballroom function suite able to cater to up to 60 guests.

Avison Young were lucky enough to be invited to tour the property and see first-hand the outstanding quality that has been developed. Her Majesty The Queen also recently had dinner on Fingal, much to the surprise and delight of the staff and the other diners in the restaurant.

We met with Bob Downie, Chief Executive of the Royal Britannia Trust, who noted “It’s been great working with Avison Young over the years as they are our first port of call when it comes to seeking professional advice on potential new developments.”

Fingal offers an excellent example of how an already successful visitor attraction can further enhance their visitor experience by developing onsite accommodation, utilising the strength of the brand, existing management skills base, and in the case of Britannia, enhancing the conference and events offering by being able to provide in-house accommodation. Similar opportunities have been developed at the Eden Project in Cornwall and Titanic Belfast, two further projects we have been fortunate to work on.

Given the quality and uniqueness of the product, we have no doubts that Fingal will become one of Edinburgh’s most sought after luxury hotels. We wish Bob and his team the very best of success!

If you would like to discuss opportunities to develop onsite accommodation at your visitor attraction, please contact Richard Gaunt ([email protected]) or Ian Derrick ([email protected]).

For details on Fingal, please visit fingal.co.uk