Royal Hotel (Former), 4-6, Albert Place, Rothesay

Classically-detailed, rectangular-plan, 4-storey former hotel on corner site; 5-bay to Albert Place (N); 4-bay to East Princes Street (E); 6-bay to West Princes Street (S); bowed corners. Rendered and painted; horizontal channelling at ground. Raised base course; architraved string and cill courses; dentil detailing beneath eaves. Architraved, corniced and consoled windows to N and E elevations at 1st floor; architraved and corniced windows to N and E elevations at 2nd floor comprising corbelled cills, flanking scrolled details at base; stone pilaster mullions to all; round-arched windows set in square-headed recess with pilastered reveals to 3rd floor.Predominantly 2- and 4-pane timber sash and case windows (10-pane at rear); later box-dormers. Grey slate roof; tall corniced wallhead stacks to N, S and E; decorative fluting, dentil detailing, various circular cans.

An externally well-detailed Classical hotel with shops and licensed premises at ground, occupying a highly prominent corner position on Rothesay sea-front, directly opposite the ferry terminal. It groups well with the other buildings on the terrace and makes a strong contribution to the streetscape. (Historic Scotland)

1996: Historic Scotland reports that the hotel is vacant and for sale. September 1999: Permissions are granted for a partial change of use of the first floor into a function suite. June 2000: External inspection reveals the hotel to remain in a reasonable condition. Though the ground and first floors remain in use, the upper floors are unoccupied. Render is peeling away in places, exposing the stonework beneath. June 2006: local authority report that repair work is well underway. Given that some floors occupied and repair works underway decide to remove to SAVED.

February 2009: Owner and local authority contact SCT to draw attention to the condition of the upper floors of the building. These are vacant and in need of repairs. The building would be within the scope of the Rothesay THI if it is to proceed. Set back to AT RISK.

December 2009: External inspection finds this imposing building appears to be reasonably sound. The upper floors appear vacant and in need of a signficant scheme of repairs.

March 2011: The Buteman reports on repair work being carried out on the property by Argyll and Bute Council following an incident when a pane of glass fell from a window frame onto the street below, injuring a passerby and damaging a parked car. The council is to pursue the owner of the building for costs once the work is completed.

30 August 2012: External inspection finds windows have been boared up and structural ties are evident. The ground floor continues to be in use, but the upper floors are now fully vacated. Works evident are understood to have been carried out by Argyll and Bute Council following the serving of a Dangerous Building Notice May 2011 ref: 11/00038/DSLB.

29 October 2014: The property is being marketed for sale as a development opportunity through auctioneers Future Property Auctions, with a guide price of £80,000 set.

13 January 2015: Local planners advise that the property is understood to have been sold to a local developer who is keen to seek the restoration and re-use of the property.