More hotels along Scotland’s answer to America’s Route 66 have been snapped up in a multi-million-pound spending spree. A new company was formed to purchase the establishments along the North Coast 500 (NC500) with the intention of upgrading them to fill a gap in the market for high-quality accommodation. Highland Coast Hotels recently sealed the deal on its first acquisition – the picturesque Kylesku Hotel, run for the last 12 years by Tanja Lister and Sonia Virechauveix. But now it has announced the acquisition of another three hotels on the NC500 tourism route in Sutherland. Highland Coast Hotels is taking over the Newton Lodge, near Kylesku, the Royal Golf Hotel in Dornoch, and the Royal Marine Hotel in Brora. It is understood staff at the three establishments were informed of the move last week.