The Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer paid a visit to the Bay Queen in Port St Mary this week.

The development of 23 luxury apartments, two penthouses plus a private club lounge and gym is quickly taking shape, while the ‘twin towers’ have also been reintroduced, replicating those that were such a feature of the Art Deco west wing of the former hotel.

The site was purchased along with the surrounding land for £4m by Hartford Homes in 2007.

Up to now, four of the apartments have been reserved while the rest have been sold, with prices ranging from £974,999 to £1,339,999.

A spokesperson from Government House said: ‘His Excellency and Lady Lorimer were delighted to visit Hartford Homes' new development.

‘Sales and lettings manager, Julie Jones, along with Keith Featherstone and John McLoughlin, were glad to give them an informative tour of this stunning and historic building.

‘The redevelopment of the Bay Queen site has made a significant addition to the Port St Mary skyline.

‘With fantastic sea views to be enjoyed (even on a gloomy autumnal day), it was great to visit this wonderful project. Thank you to the Hartford Homes team for the visit.’

The hotel was originally called the Ballaqueeney Hotel, named after the farm owned by the proprietors. Its name was changed to the Balqueen Hydro following a visit by King George VI and Elizabeth the Queen Mother at the end of the Second World War.

By the 1950s it had become one the British Isle’s premier resort hotels, and usually full with 300 guests from May to the end of September.

The name changed again to Bay Queen in 1970, but the hotel then went through a period of decline until it finally closed in 1987.