AN ICONIC Weymouth seafront hotel has reopened its doors to holidaymakers, three months after closing suddenly when its owner collapsed into administration.

Customers are now being invited back to The Royal Hotel after the takeover by independent hotel group, Bespoke Hotels.

Bosses said 25 jobs had been created, with some former members of staff returning to work at the landmark site.

Paul Fitzgerald, Regional Director of Bespoke Hotels, said: “This is great news for the town and we are absolutely delighted to be able to breathe new life into such an iconic hotel.

“We are going to be looking at a different market to make it more family orientated, along with couples, small groups and independent travellers visiting the town, rather than coach trips as it was previously.”

He said there were also plans to host functions, weddings and parties at the 71-bedroom venue in future.

“This is a really exciting opportunity and we are looking forward to really entwining the hotel into the fabric of Weymouth,” he added.

“We are delighted to have created 25 jobs, with some former members of staff returning, including the General Manager Denise Watts.

“We are fully reopen now and bookings have already been going really well.

“We have bookings well into October and are looking forward to the half-term, which will be a key time for us.”

The three-star Royal Hotel, which has 71 bedrooms, is one of the town’s most recognisable buildings.

Opened in 1899, it stands on the site of the former Stacie’s Hotel visited by George III. It was used by American forces during the Second World War.

Bespoke Hotels represents more than 70 properties across the world and stands as the UK’s largest independent hotel group.

The hotel, formerly part of Specialist Leisure Group’s Bay Hotels Group, closed its doors in May after the company collapsed into administration.

The failure of the company, which also owned Europe’s largest coach tour operator Shearings Holidays, was blamed on the coronavirus pandemic as the company struggled to issue thousands of refunds while new bookings ground to a halt.