Dandenong Ranges hotel on hunt for new innkeeper

Fancy a career change? 

A boutique hotel in the Dandenong Ranges is looking for a new innkeeper.

The renowned The Loft in the Mill in Olinda is a handcrafted bluestone building reminiscent of a 19th century English flour mill.

The luxury accommodation at 1602 Mt Dandenong Rd has been running since 1989, when the building was built, and is now looking to change hands for the third time.

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The property and business are included in the asking price of $2.1-$2.3 million plus GST.

The hotel at 1602 Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd, Olinda, has a $2.1-$2.3 million price guide.

Fletchers Yarra Ranges director Glenn Gardiner says the hotel is the cornerstone of the Dandenong Ranges’ tourist accommodation sector and has a consistent turnover and high occupancy rates.

“It’s a well-run business, all the systems are in place,” Gardiner says.

“The buyer definitely doesn’t have to be someone with years of experience, everything runs pretty much like clockwork.

The bluestone building was built to resemble a 19th century English flour mill.

“There’s really good staff that have been there for a long time and will look at staying on.”

Gardiner says the area has become a destination for holiday-makers, romantic weekend getaways and weddings.

“The Loft in the Mill was the first of the real boutique accommodation in the Dandenongs,” he says.

“The first owners were visionaries.”

The property and the business are to be sold as one.

Founders Janice and Ross Gasking purchased the vacant land in 1985 and built the landmark property four years later.

The building was designed to have timeless charm and architecture that complemented the landscape and history of Olinda.

The business changed hands in 2007 and now the corporate world has called the current owner back to the city, Gardiner says.

The luxury accommodation has been operating since 1989.

The accommodation includes six luxury suites with open fireplaces, spas, elegant decor and private courtyards.

Rooms start at $130 a night for midweek stays and $200 on weekends.

“It’s the style that keeps the customers coming back, the romance of something ancient drags the customers in,” he says.

This article from Leader Newspapers originally appeared as “Olinda boutique accommodation The Loft in the Mill hits the market”.