Handsome 18th Century High Quality Guest House in County Town of Dorchester

8 High Quality Bedrooms, Private Lounge; Guest Lounge, Orangery, Dining Room, Kitchen, 6 En Suite Rooms are used for letting and the separate Private Accommodation has 2 en suite bedrooms and Dressing Room.

Pretty Enclosed Garden Garage included nearby option of 2 further rented garages-all with guest parking on their driveways.

Of interest to Owner Occupiers and Airb&b Investors for whole house letting (subject to planning permission) - Ideal for inclusion in a SIPP Portfolio.

Situation and Description: A Spacious, character-filled property with eight bedrooms. The guest house is located in a prominent position in the main street of this celebrated county town close to all amenities, museums, shopping centre etc. Dorchester was the home and inspiration of the author Thomas Hardy, whose novel The Mayor of Casterbridge was based on the town.  Just to the west of the town is Poundbury – an ‘urban village’ designed by His Majesty King Charles 111 which is nearing completion and will house around 6000 people.

The property is Grade II Listed and believed to date back to about 1740 and has run as a high quality guest house for decades and benefits from partial double glazing and gas fired central heating which has been recently (2026) upgraded with new boilers and produces high pressure. The interior is comfortably furnished to a high standard and offers a buyer the opportunity to purchase an established, reputable business with a respected name.

A long established business which provides high quality bed and breakfast in a busy County Town with a mix of tourist and commercial guests. Booking.com and TripAdvisor both rate the business as Very Good and on TripAdvisor from 290 reviews, 254 are Excellent or Good.  The guest house is run by one proprietor with part time staff and is now for sale due to retirement and now offers a flexible lifestyle opportunity: the owners can choose to close when they wish and take holidays as desired.

From choice, the turnover is kept below the £90,000 p.a. vat threshold which is achieved with seasonal opening, closing for November, December and January.

Tariffs range from £120 per room per night plus breakfast for an additional £12.50 per person to £175 per night depending on room and season.

The current owner has improved the accommodation and carried out necessary repairs including the atrium glazed roof in the Orangery and additionally has put her high quality touches to the business which is reflected in reviews and which allowed her to win a series of Channel 4’s ‘Four in a Bed’; However, the agents, who knew the income of this business in the previous owner’s hands in 2017, feel that earnings of £25,000 per room could be achieved in new hands and there is the potential to provide small function and wedding facilities and evening meals if new owners preferred – for a time the previous owners derived a rental income from letting the kitchen and dining room to a chef. In addition, meeting rooms have been provided for business and political meetings and afternoon wakes.

The guest house is the closest to a new McCarthy and Stone older person’s flat development which traditionally attracts B&B guests drawn from visiting family and friends.

N.B. The guest house is eligible for small business rates relief so no business rates are paid (as long as the owner is not claiming the same relief on another property)

Price: £725,000 Freehold

EPC Exempt - Grade II Listed.