The hotel was sold to a Illawarra-based syndicate with a mix of hospitality, and broader business experience, by Nick Butler of Manenti Quinlan.

Long considered a destination for Sydney’s gastro-pub set, and travelling wedding parties, the historic wooden pub was marketed via an expressions of interest campaign, attracting interest from established, Sydney-based operators; locals; and a raft of younger aspirants looking for their first freehold hotel.

The hotel is an industry showpiece providing a quality environment, offering high quality food, beverage, accommodation and entertainment.

The site area of the hotel is 4046 square metres, which provides additional upside for further development to take advantage of an ever-expanding population.

The adjacent vacant corner block was included with the sale and the new owners have exciting plans to convert that into a tourist destination that complements the existing offering.

Put to market by Adrian Guest and family, Mr Guest said it was time to sell to free him up to concentrate on his other hotel in Moss Vale.

Mr Guest said that with wedding bookings lined up well into 2019, and a recently completed second, prep kitchen, the hotel was in great shape and he thoroughly enjoyed his six years at Robertson.

“I am now, however, looking forward to focussing all my energy on the recently renamed and refurbished Argyle Hotel in Moss Vale,” he said.

“The potential development of the large, corner block is an exciting prospect for the new owners.

“As a local, I look forward to watching it all come to fruition.”

Nick Butler of Manenti Quinlan and Associates said with the recent shortage of metropolitan assets being taken to the public market, the Robertson Inn loomed large as a freehold opportunity in the Southern Highlands region.

“There’s no shortage of buyers for established hotels with a broad business mix. A terrific result for both the vendor and the hotel’s excited new owners,” he said.