TWO Weymouth seafront hotels have been bought by an expanding holiday chain.

The well-known Hotel Prince Regent and popular Russell Hotel on Weymouth Esplanade have been snapped up by family-owned company Daish’s Holidays.

It falls under their growth plan for 2014 to complete a chain of holiday properties stretching from West Sussex to Cornwall.

Hollybush Hotels Limited, which owned the Hotel Prince Regent and the Russell Hotel in Weymouth, appointed administrators in October.

Both hotels were put up for sale for £6.5million in June following the death of former owner Martyn Harrison, ex-chairman of Weymouth FC.

The sale price included goodwill and trade contents but excluded personal items and trading stock, and the hotels were not available to be bought separately.

The Echo revealed in June that together they boast 163 rooms creating a combined turnover of £3,242,525.

George Brown, Daish’s Holidays’ director, said: ‘This is a very exciting time for our company.

“The acquisition of these two properties is central to our plan to continue the steady growth that enables us to remain competitive and successful.

“Weymouth is a fantastic destination which I know our customers will really enjoy.

He added: “We’ll be adding our detailed approach that we apply to all of our hotels to ensure the quality and customer care, that we are known for, remains at a high standard.”

The Hotel Prince Regent is a leading AA 3 star hotel in the resort and features a superbly restored Georgian ballroom with a capacity for over 200 guests. The Russell Hotel is also popular with short break holidaymakers.

The acquisition of these two properties will bring the Daish’s Holidays portfolio of hotels up to seven. Mr Brown added: “Already owning hotels in Eastbourne, Bournemouth, the Isle of Wight, Torquay and Newquay, the addition of the Weymouth hotels, is a natural extension to what we do.

“These new properties, in addition to The Claremont Hotel, Eastbourne which opened earlier this year, enable us to offer our customers a truly comprehensive choice of destinations across the South and South West’.

In 2014, Daish’s Holidays will be celebrating 35 years of providing short breaks and getaways, running 60,000 holidays each year.

With an 18 strong fleet of 49-seater coaches, the tour operator provides travel to and from its hotels from major regions across the UK, including West Yorkshire, the Midlands, Suffolk and the Isle of Wight.