By Vanessa Cavasinni, editor Australian Hotelier
The Arlberg Hotel, located atop Mount Buller in Victoria’s Alpine region, is up for sale for the first time in almost three decades, and presents hoteliers with a unique investment opportunity.
A sprawling expanse comprising food and beverage offerings, 36 accommodation rooms, seven residential rental apartments, ski hire and retail outlets on a 3087 sqm site, the Arlberg Hotel has been put up for sale by owners John and Carol Perks for the first time in 28 years.
Colliers International agents Jeremy Gruzewski and Guy Wells will be handling the sale. As the most visited mountain in Victoria, Gruzewski believes that this multi-faceted business was perfectly positioned for the right investor.
“Conveniently located three hours from Melbourne, Mt Buller is an easy escape for Melbourne residents and those visiting Victoria. It is the most accessible ski resort in Australia and also the closest ski resort to any Australian international airport.
“The sale of The Arlberg Hotel is never to be repeated in the Australian market place. The opportunity to acquire this unique asset and be part of the evolution of Mount Buller as it evolves to become a year-round tourist destination is not to be missed,” Gruzewski stated.
He added: “The blend of accommodation and food and beverage with a 24 hour liquor licence provides ultimate flexibility to an incoming purchaser.”
John and Carol Perks have decided to put the Arlberg Hotel up for sale after almost 40 years of being involved in its operations so that they can travel and focus on family.
“We have both loved having input to the Chamber of Commerce and the marketing committees on the mountain and have enjoyed the last 37 years involvement very much and will be very sad to move on,” the couple said. “We hope to be able to pass our history and knowledge on to new people with the drive and enthusiasm that this business deserves going forward.”
While incredibly popular during the snow season, interest in the region in the off-season is growing.
“Mt Buller is best known for the snow, and for being a playfield for Melbourne’s skiing and boarding enthusiasts, but it is fast becoming equally renowned for its summer activities, in particular mountain and road biking. The resort commission has also invested significant infrastructure costs on and around the mountain for these activities,” Gruzewski explained.
“Mt Buller is not only a well-regarded and popular ski resort, but is a year-round tourism destination, benefitting from its accessibility to Melbourne not only by car but also bus and air travel. The ever-increasing summer calendar of events means that the mountain maintains visitation year round.”
Summer visitation has been reported to increase by roughly 5 per cent year-on-year, with the region receiving 120,000 visitors in the latest off-season.
The EOI campaign for the Arlberg Hotel will end 21 July 2016.