Gulf investors boycott London hotels with links to Qatar

CAIRO – 13 August 2017: Gulf dignitaries and business people boycott a number of London’s top hotels with links to Qatar in support of their countries’ decisions to cut ties with Qatar, according to the Financial Times report on Friday.

According to the U.S. newspaper website, this comes after a widely shared unofficial blacklist of some of London hotels on social media. The list includes Claridge’s, the Connaught and the Berkeley, all of which are owned by Constellation Hotels, which is part of Qatar Holding, in addition to the Churchill Hotel, which is owned by an investment group that belongs to the former Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Jaber Al-Thani and the Carlton Hotel in Cannes, France, which is owned by ‘Katara Hospitality,’ which is based in Doha.

The U.S. newspaper explained that the hotels are part of the assets owned by Qatari investors in London. The investments are estimated at more than £35 billion ($45 billion), according to official estimates of Qatari investments in the UK.

The hotels are considered among the most well-known and well-equipped hotels in London, as they are a regular residence for Middle Eastern visitors, especially during the summer months, in which they escape from the high temperatures.

On June 5, a number of Arab countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, cut all diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar over accusations of funding terrorist groups in the region.

The Arab quartet issued 13 demands to Doha, including closing Al Jazeera television, curbing relations with Iran and shutting down a Turkish military base.