THE landmark Dean Court Hotel near York Minster has been bought by The Inn Collection Group for an undisclosed sum after a 'discreet' marketing campaign.

The Grade 2 listed building will begin trading immediately under The Inn Collection Group’s flagship ‘Eat, Drink, Sleep and Explore’ trading brand, but will undergo a 'sympathetic refurbishment' in 2022.

The deal for the 40-bedroom hotel takes The Inn Collection Group’s total site count to 25 and is its fifth Yorkshire venue, as the group looks to expand its market base further across the county with further acquisitions in the pipeline.

A spokeswoman said the hotel was located in one of the city’s most sought after addresses, with uninterrupted views over the Minster, and nearby attractions included Jorvik Viking Centre, the historic Shambles and the National Railway Museum.

Managing director of The Inn Collection Group Sean Donkin said: “The Dean Court Hotel is an extraordinary site. We are absolutely delighted to be adding this spectacular venue and its team into our collection.

“It matches our pubs with rooms blueprint in every way, offering our expanding customer base an unrivalled location with a phenomenal USP in its proximity to York Minster.

“We have had York in our sights for a considerable time and are looking forward to operating here and welcoming the Dean Court staff team and customers into The Inn Collection Group family.”

The deal was negotiated by Colliers and Julian Troup, head of Hotels Agency at Colliers, said it had been marketed in a 'highly discreet manner at the request of the vendor, and despite the challenges that this can create a sale has been successfully concluded.'

He said: “This is a unique and renowned hotel which benefits from attracting both international and national guests all year round because of its superb location in the heart of the historic city of York.

"Despite the targeted approach to marketing we were still able to generate significant interest in this outstanding opportunity.”

The Dean Court acquisition is the Alchemy-backed group’s sixth, heavyweight purchase of the year as it rolls out a new wave of acquisition and organic growth strategy, supported with banking from OakNorth.

In June the group made their Wearside debut with the opening of The Seaburn Inn on Sunderland seafront. Elsewhere The Inn Collection Group’s portfolio includes sites in Northumberland, the Lake District, County Durham and Lancashire.