THE YORKSHIRE coast's only four star hotel has been bought by a hospitality chain which runs UK hotels for Far East purchasers.

The Crown Spa Hotel in Scarborough has been sold off by the Frank family - who have owned the hotel for 17 years - for an asking price of £15.5 million.

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has completed the sale and the company's associate director Ryan Lynn said: "Myself and my colleague Jeremy Jones handled the sale for the family where interest came from a variety of UK and overseas buyers. The successful purchaser being Compass Hospitality who now operate 12 hotels in the UK on behalf of a growing number of Far East purchasers."

The hotel, the only to have a four star rating on the Yorkshire coast, sits high on the cliff-top above Scarborough beach.

Built in 1845, it has many of its original architectural and period features and in 2009 a roof-top extension was completed. Plans have already been drawn up to develop a further 77 bedrooms, on top of its existing 115 en suite rooms.