A HOTEL located close to a North-East airport is to be taken over by a lifestyle blogger.

Durham Tees Hotel, formerly known as the Spa Hotel Darlington and located a short distance from Durham Tees Valley Airport, has been purchased by Michelle Lyndon-Dykes, of the blog Barefaced Chic.

The hotel has been on the market since its previous owner took retirement, and Mrs Lyndon-Dykes and her husband, Andrew, decided to purchase the building, with the help of business broker Hilton Smythe.

Mrs Lyndon-Dykes, the new director of the Durham Tees Darlington, said: “My husband and I have spent most of our lives on the other side of the hospitality industry, as customers, and between us, we have had more than 5,500 hotel visits, so we know what works and what doesn’t.

“We spoke to some of the employees at the local airfield, and it really sold us on the hotel.

"The Tees Valley is an up and coming area, and we know it is going to be a major player in the UK as a whole in the coming months, so we were keen to set up a business here.

"We can also see how our business experience will contribute to the ongoing development of the area."

The couple, who are both qualified business consultants, decided to purchase a number of businesses following an accident, which left Andrew out of work.

They have invested in a range of industries across the UK, from biotech and inventions to hospitality. Durham Tees Hotel Darlington is their first business investment in the region.

“We have nothing but praise for Hilton Smythe for its help with buying the hotel - they were absolutely wonderful throughout the whole process, keeping us regularly informed about what was happening."

Gareth Smyth, group managing director at Hilton Smythe, said: “Durham Tees was a fantastic business for us to sell because it is in a great location and had all the fixtures and fittings to start trading straight away.

“It is incredibly close to the Durham Tees Valley Airport, so it is perfect for travellers preparing for an early flight, as well as for people visiting us to see the airfield.”

Earlier this month, bosses at Durham Tees Valley Airport revealed there would be flights to seven new European destinations next summer

DTVA bosses also agreed with Northern Rail last week to operate the station’s current once-a-week service in only one direction, which was the second most unpopular halt in Britain according to latest research.

The closure of the footbridge and eastbound platform will spare DTVA costs of up to £6m until 2022.