AN ICONIC hotel that was put up for sale for £5.5m has been taken off the market.

The Riviera Hotel, in Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth was put on the market at the end of last year with a £5.5m price tag.

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However, estate agency Rolfe East has confirmed the historic Grade II-listed hotel, which has an art deco exterior, has not sold and has been taken off the market due to difficulty around selling properties amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Dorset Echo: The Riviera Hotel, in Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth was put on the market at the end of last year with a £5.5m price tagThe Riviera Hotel, in Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth was put on the market at the end of last year with a £5.5m price tag

Max Rolfe, of Rolfe East estates, said: "Unfortunately, this is now off the market."

Speaking in February the estate agency were 'optimistic' about the sale of the iconic building.

The hotel continues to trade as normal.

Weymouth mayor Colin Huckle said: "It's an iconic setting.

"It's disappointing to see it left in limbo because we're at a stage where the hospitality sector is fully reopening after struggling through the pandemic."

Dorset Echo: The hotel pictured in the 1940sThe hotel pictured in the 1940s

During the first, second and third national lockdowns, the hotel, which sits by the cliff edge of Bowleaze Cove, hosted a number of rough sleepers and homeless people and assisted charity Bus Shelter Dorset.

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The site features a restaurant, function space for corporate events, special events, weddings and entertainment as well as gym, fitness centre and car park.

Mr Rolfe said: "It's just unfortunate timing with trying to sell this year - but it could be put back on the market.

"It's an iconic building. Buying it would mean buying into the Weymouth area, which has a rich hotel history."

Dorset Echo: The Riviera Hotel, in Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth The Riviera Hotel, in Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth (Image: Supplied)

The hotel also a private swimming pool with a sauna and a large outdoor pool.

The property became a listed building in January 1997 as Historic England described it as 'epitomising the austere approach of the modernists in the immediate pre-war era, and suggests the designer's acquaintance with contemporary work in Rome and elsewhere'.

The accommodation is based in an ideal location overlooking the coast and is situated three miles from Weymouth town centre and eight miles from Portland.

It was constructed in 1937 by L. Stewart Smith using reinforced concrete. The 98-bedroom hotel has had several owners over the years, including holiday camp owner Fred Pontin and Saudi Arabian investors.

It has also undergone a number of renovations - the most recent being in 2018.

A spokeswoman from the Riviera Hotel said: "We're still open, taking bookings and running like clockwork."

Dorset Echo: The Riviera Hotel, in Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth The Riviera Hotel, in Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth