MYSTERY surrounds the sale of a country house hotel which has been advertised online by a property investment firm as 26 luxury retirement homes.

The Christian Guild owners of Lindors near St Briavels say they have nothing to do with One Touch Investment’s scheme, and are still aiming to sell it as a high-end hotel, through top agents Savills.

When contacted by the Review and asked about their marketing of retirement suites and lodges as a potential investment for prices from £74,950, One Touch refused to discuss the matter and hung up abruptly.

Staff at the 19th-century hotel, set in nine acres of sumptuous grounds above the Wye Valley, boasting streams, waterfalls, ponds and woodland, have seen the website, and say people have turned up at the hotel to “see their investment”, prompting fears that they could lose their jobs.

But Christian Guild’s managing director Kevin Mantle says negotiations are ongoing to sell it as a going concern as a hotel, and they have not approved One Touch’s advertising of the property as an investment opportunity.

One Touch’s website, which says the firm is based in the City of London, describes Lindors as “a retirement home in Gloucestershire, based specifically in the Wye Valley.”

It claims: “Throughout 2018, the developer will transform the 19th century country house into 26 luxury suites and lodges, offering spectacular views of the nine-acre grounds,” adding that “these lodgings will be available for both short-term and long-term stays.”

Savills, however, dismiss the claims, which are also repeated on Right Move’s website. Tom Cunningham, director of the hotels team at Savills, said Lindors was “under offer” and negotiations were “progressing” with an emerging name in the UK hotel industry which would “definitely” intend to run it as a high end hotel.

He labelled the website posting as “probably a red herring.”

Lindors, which was put up for sale for £1.4m in February, has around 26 core staff and many more part-time.

One staff member, who asked not to be named, said: “The panic button was pressed when we saw apartments here being offered online – and when three people turned up in reception saying they had come to view their investment.”

He added: “Pictures posted on the website bear no resemblance to the way the rooms actually look.”

Rumours were rife about the possibility of a change of use and staff were unhappy about the lack of communication on the part of Christian Guild management, he added.

“We’re all worried about our jobs. Obviously it would make a huge difference if the place became a retirement complex. But even someone running it as a high end hotel would need to close it for months for major refurbishments.

“We are still operating as a hotel – still advertising and taking advance bookings. It’s the summer season and we’re quite busy.

“We have lots of regular older guests, including Christian groups, who return year after year.

“It’s very old-fashioned, and very quiet here. It was originally a religious retreat and still operates along those lines.”

One online review describes the hotel as “The Vicar of Dibley meets Fawlty Towers”.

Christian Guild managing director Kevin Mantle said he knew of staff concerns, and added: “I was made aware that an ad appeared on the Right Move website, but it wasn’t approved by us. I’m surprised someone was offering it as an investment opportunity.”

“All I can say is that the sales process is ongoing in the hands of Savills and that things should be clearer by the end of this month.

“As far as we are concerned Lindors has been offered for sale as a going concern as a hotel and we’re looking to sell it as such, although different propositions may be put forward.”

The Forest Council has not received any planning application to convert the hotel into retirement apartments.