Burgh Island, a private island off the coast of Birgbury-on-Sea in South Devon, England, is on the market.
The hotel, built in 1929, sits on 21 acres and features 25 en suite guest bedrooms and suites. Famous guests over the years have included the Beatles, Nancy Cunard, Noël Coward, Josephine Baker and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. It’s even rumored that President Eisenhower and Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at the hotel before D-Day in 1945.
Agatha Christie in Devon, 1946.
But the most famous guest was perhaps Agatha Christie, who had a writer’s retreat on Burgh Island where visitors can now stay (it’s called”Agatha’s Beach House”). She set two of her novels on the island, Evil Under the Sun and And Then There Were None. Evil Under the Sun famously begins, “It is peaceful. The sun shines. The sea is blue. But you forget, Miss Brewster, there is evil everywhere under the sun.”
Listed by Knight Frank, the property is described as “virtually unique in the UK” and the hotel “is one of the finest examples of working Art Deco architecture in Europe.” Offers for the commercial property start at £15 million.
Vacationers at Burgh Island Hotel in 1935.
The hotel in 2023.
“It is rare for a hotel of such character and heritage to come to the open market. Burgh Island Hotel is a stunning example of Art Deco architecture, it’s steeped in amazing history and provides guests with a sophisticated and unique experience,” Matthew Smith, an agent at Knight Frank, said in a statement.
Owner Giles Fuchs said in a statement, “It has been a true privilege to restore and enhance Burgh Island Hotel over the past few years, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved with this Art Deco icon. Following the recent renovation and the planning decision for the further extension and development of the building, the time is right to offer this stunning property to a new owner, who can continue its legacy and take it to even greater heights. Burgh Island Hotel has been an important part of Devon’s history and I am excited to see what the future holds for one of Britain’s most-treasured tourist assets.”
A view of the Burgh Island Hotel.
An overhead shot of Burgh Island.
Fuchs subsequently told the BBC he wanted to sell because the hotel is a “demanding mistress and I ended up getting more and more involved at the expense of my life and other businesses.” He added, “The hotel was always about a love story; it was saving something that had been around for years that our family fell in love with. To divert more funds doesn’t make any sense to us.”
More details on the listing here.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the news writer for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.