If you're looking for a lovely home alongside a ready-made business opportunity then Alexander House could tick all the right boxes.

It combines a family home alongside a thriving bed-and-breakfast operation in a spacious package comprising a traditional whitewashed cottage with red sandstone extension.

"It’s a great location to live and to have a business, said Caroline Wilson, who shares the property with Stephen Cassels.

"Gretna Green is famous for runaway weddings which is great when marketing the guest house. we saw a huge amount of potential to make it a great home and business."

The couple relocated from Keswick just over 10 years ago and have ploughed love, time and trouble into Alexander House, creating an award-winning B&B in the process.

Caroline explained: "It was a family home with two letting rooms and we adjusted this to double the number of letting rooms, installing a new kitchen complete with a range-style cooker, new windows and doors throughout and completely modernised and redecorated as well.

"We widened the driveway and made a gravelled seating area, landscaped the gardens to make them low maintenance and created a private outdoor space and room to grow vegetables."

Alexander House was formerly two railway cottages built in 1856 with the extension being added some time in the 1970s and has double glazing and central heating throughout.

The beautifully presented property now offers four en-suite letting bedrooms, a guest dining room with doors to the garden, a light and airy breakfasting kitchen - with integrated appliances, tiled flooring and a breakfast seating area - and a separate private owners' annex with entrance hall, two bedrooms and a shower room.

Being ideally located close to Gretna Green's famous Anvil Hall, where many couples choose to marry, the B&B is perfect for wedding parties, their families and tourists who frequent the whole year through. Alternatively it could easily be converted back into a family home.

It is surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens with ample parking and easy access to central Scotland or Carlisle and the Lake District National Park.

Caroline said: "We have focused on upgrading the customer experience and have achieved and maintained a No 1 placing on TripAdvisor for B&Bs/inns in Gretna Green since 2013 and a Certificate of Customer Service Excellence from TripAdvisor every year since 2013 as well as a customer rating of 9.6/10 from Booking.com since 2012.

"We still think there is a lot more potential to build the business. The property has flexibility for co-living with older family members or for a growing young family and the village has schools and a buzzing local community."

Her favourite place in the house is the dining room which she says is a great space for having family and friends around at Christmas. She also loves the garden which is quiet, secluded and not overlooked. Being south-facing, it is great for entertaining, especially during the summer, and has views of the Solway Firth and Lake District fells as well as being nestled below the old parish church in Gretna.

"There are two lawned areas and beds with various shrubs, roses and hydraengeas and a gravelled seating area to the front with large planters," Caroline added.

"In the private garden at the rear is another lawned area which is south-facing with two sheds and a greenhouse, along with raised vegetable beds."

One of the spots in her home that she will miss is the large picture window in the kitchen which overlooks the private garden: "This is where we feed the birds and various wildlife visit. We'll also miss the peace and tranquillity which this garden provides when we are relaxing outside.

Although she and Stephen are retiring from the business and moving to a smaller property, she is still fond of Gretna Green and the wider area.

"There are good transport links for commuting, small village schools and it’s a quiet and safe area with easy access to the Lakes and rest of Scotland without the huge price tag.

"Dumfries and Galloway is Scotland's best-kept secret and has a milder climate being close to the sea, ideal for walking, cycling and exploring."

Caroline also says that Alexander House offers deceptively spacious accommodation: "The outside look of the property is deceptive, photographs do not do it justice as to how much space there actually is inside.

"So many of our visitors and guests cannot believe how large it is. There are high ceilings that give it a light and airy feel and there are 10 flexible rooms in total.

"The unique layout provides privacy in the separate owners' accommodation and the four en-suite bedrooms benefit from Private off-road parking for up to six vehicles.

"It is also reassuring to know that no new properties will be built on any side of the property and that new owners will be able to enjoy the peace and quiet, and lovely views, without hindrance."

Alexander House, Gretna Green, is for sale at £299,950 from PFK Estate Agents. Full details are available here .