Hotel Family
property details
for a Hub House co-operative coliving project

Environment ✧ rolling agricultural between base of mountains and plains; varied good trails nearby

Services ✧ all; bigger towns 15/25mins train (last 10pm)

Access ✧ station at door: 5h Paris direct; airport 15mins

Dedicated units for full-time residence.

Notes/Area ✧ VISIT 19/9 cancelled 2h prior as withdrawn from market, usually means a non-sale e.g. the owner saw the market changing and decidd to wait, or received a JV offer; may return as banks aren't being generous giving mortgages at present
✦ the town is a well established pilgrimage site (3rd amongst catholics worldwide, 3 million visitors pre-pandemic, most foreign), thus lots of hotels (135+) with the town's population just 10k, and eateries, albeit catering to less particular older visitors
✦ is thus well connected with a direct trains from Paris (TGV and sleeper); the Toulouse–Barcelona route (3h) should also reopen with a moderate 2h connection putting it at the same duration as Paris (with a change)
✦ the airport is served year-round to Malta (nomads), Stansted, Dublin, Milan; with seasonal to Palermo (nomads), and Krakow, amongst others, with Lisbon (loadsa nomads!) likely to be added; Toulouse airport is 3h by transit
✦ nice town of Tarbes is 15mins train (last 9:15pm), great small city of Pau is 25mins (last 10:30pm!)

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not immediately obviously a good workation property due to being in town, however it has the benefits of convenient facilities whilst also being very nicely positioned for more towns and nature alike, though from the door nature a bit limited (par for most properties even often in villages), yet with a short drive, or bus there's nice variety, however the better outings mainly require driving

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having been solely focussed on pilgrimage, with the forcast now that as pilgrims age (and die) there will be significantly less visitors, thus the town must change and adapt; it has introduced a mid term plan (€100m; 38m from the state) to regenerate itself and diversify thus presents a good time to invest here (thoughly probably hotel prices will continue to fall); the plans include improving its squares and some riverbank (underway), expanding pedestrian zones, better supporting outdoor sports and wider culture, plus for some novelty something to do with supporting the wool industry

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decent public garden and also a bit of grassy riverbank
✦ indoor market; a good number of cafes and restaurants (including several foreign)
✦ hikes 20mins (10mins bike) along a lane (for a 1h30 circuit climbing the adjacant hilltop, or a quicker 30mins stroll along pilgrim steps)
✦ funicular 20mins walk/bus with hikes from summit (500m ascent) and small bikepark (host to the world cup 3 times)
✦ the next train stop adds variety for return from one-way bikes (or gentle 3h wooded hike)
✦ many trails around on edge of large natural park, both easy along valleys and up into the mountains; marked biking trails with multiple loops varying from easy woods to open hills and mountainous (430km from town, 1100km total)
✦ tennis courts and hamman/sauna/indoor pool close
✦ lake very close (15mins bike/bus) with SUP; also kayaking close
✦ several climbing spots within walking distance; exceptional giant indoor climbing centre in Tarbes; 30mins to a via ferrata
✦ 20km paved greenway to mountains, good for rollerblading, 1h easy bike
✦ bus 45mins to lovely town of Bagneres-de-Bigorre; driving into mountains 40mins-1h for the Pic du Midi (skiing) and cirque de Gavarnie
✦ 30mins to cross-country ski and station with skilifts (and another bikepark), 40mins to major station (and another bikepark)
✦ thus reasonable selection of activities possible by public transport, and more interesting ones requring driving

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a bit nippy in the winter but still some good warm sunny days, actual clear sunny days are low but as there's many only partly overcast days it is still appealing, with more survivable greenery than other drier regions

Notes/Property ✧ empty and unsold for at least 15 years (likely due previously unrealistic price, and refitting overheads)
✦ might accept a lower price, as would not be dependant upon a mortgage, e.g. 185k
✦ 275m2 garden (once garage removed) which used to nice with a tree that has been cut down, really needs a taller wall to become a courtyard with orangerie against north wall to catch sun thus becoming nice again; much more greenery could be added and the outdoor space significantly improved
✦ 40m2 back/east rooms and patio catch morning sun (garden doesn't) so a common space would go here, likely a breakfast-lounge
✦ 45 bedrooms with showers, but (apparently) no toilets (entirely unclear where they are!) thus new plumbing likely required but fairly minor
✦ all windows (single glazed) seal and wouldn't even need replacing initially, they're also unusually large set low to the ground and rising almost to the cieling which is unusual and awesome, although not worth the cost when replacing thus would become smaller, all have either working but old roller blinds or folding shutters, these would not be required once replaced, except on the south
✦ solid with roof in good condition and would be partly usable easily; some minor ingress around a pair of skylights; technically the roof these are in could be removed and turned into a 55m2 roof terrace/solarium getting morning and afternoon sun, plus having good views across the church spires up the valley to the peaks (no other outlook would)
✦ old and tatty needing full refit though could be done gradually; interior is exceedingly boring and room walls are probably inferior but could simply be doubled
✦ plausibly there might be asbestos-vinyl under the cheap carpet roll but seems unlikely and easy to cover if so
✦ 3 floors
✦ 2nd floor south side has a small balcony, great for a library/lounge but limited views though does include the fort, the sanctuary spires and convent with surrounding hills
✦ rather ugly so definately needs exterior repainting or better—nice murals
✦ 763m2 on 2 parcels
✦ only 15mins walk to station and 30mins to lake / 10mins bike, bus every 2-hours from door also serves lake making taking a hike easier, and hourly to station but pointless as so close
✦ some noise from passing trains as only 60m away, albeit slightly recessed and behind church, plus the outlook of the building would mainly be onto the garden which is the opposite direction, except for the top-floor balcony and possibly roof terrace

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7 studios = 11
✦ 5 plus = 6
✦ 1 standard = 7
✦ 10 basic = 11
✦ =22 + pods + coworking

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ground:
  ✧ 115m2 24+ seat coworking
  ✧ 65m2 kitchen
  ✧ 15m2 kitchen/bar (between dining and storage for coworkers)
  ✧ 25m2 storage and toilets
  ✧ 65m2 36+ seat dining; reconfigurable for talks (requires 2 new windows)
  ✧ 35m2 18++ seat lounge/cinema (some morning and evening sun) could be moved to 1st floor!
✦ 1st main:
  ✧ 50m2 library / 8–12 seat focus workspace (west windows, north balconette)
  ✧ 13m2 basic ×3
  ✧ 16m2 standard
  ✧ 35m2 studio (double west window)
✦ 1st east:
  ✧ 20m2 microstudios ×2 (double north window)
  ✧ 25m2 studio (double north window plus east)
✦ 1st south:
  ✧ 30m2 studio ×2 (double south windows); 1 possibly having 15m2 private terrace
✦ 2nd main:
  ✧ 25m2 12+ seat lounge (2 west windows with balcony)
  ✧ 19m2 plus ×2
  ✧ 15m2 / 21m2 plus mezzanines ×3
  ✧ 25m2 studio (2 west windows, with balcony) -- could be pods
✦ 2nd east:
  ✧ 10m2 basic singles ×4
  ✧ 15m2 basic double
✦ 2nd south:
  ✧ 12m2 basic (ensuite) ×2
✦ attics:
  ✧ main ??
  ✧ east 30m2 roof terrace
  ✧ east 30m2 ???