Katara Hospitality – Wikipedia
QIA owned hospitality chain
Katara Hospitality, formerly known as Qatar National Hotels Company, is the largest hotel owner, developer and operator in Qatar.[3] It is government-owned.[4] As of 2016, the company owns properties in Qatar, Egypt, Morocco, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United States, Switzerland, Spain and Thailand.[5] The company has a portfolio of 40 hotels in mid-2019.[6]
History[edit]
The company was originally formed in 1970 as Qatar National Hotels Limited (QNH). In 1973, Marriott Hotel, then known as Gulf Hotel and owned by QNH, became the country’s five-star hotel.[7] In 1993, this company was replaced by Qatar National Hotels Company.[8] In 2012, it was rebranded under its current form, Katara Hospitality.[9] ‘Katara’ derives its name from the common spelling used for ‘Qatar’ by ancient cartographers.[3]
World Travel Awards named Katara Hospitality as the “World’s Leading Hospitality Company” in 2013, 2014 and 2015.[10]
Activities[edit]
Several Qatar-based hotels are owned by the company, and there are many projects currently in construction. Hotels operating in Qatar include Al Messila, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Doha, Mövenpick Hotel Doha, Sealine Beach, a Murwab Resort, Sharq Village & Spa, Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, Simaisma, a Murwab Resort, Somerset West Bay Doha, The Avenue, a Murwab Hotel and The Ritz-Carlton, Doha.[11]
Katara Hospitality opened Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel in 1982.[12] In a partnership with the premier Spanish football division, La Liga, Katara Hospitality launched the first-ever “La Liga lounge” at the Sheraton Resort in Doha in March 2017.[13]
Properties[edit]
In 2012, Katara had a portfolio of 24 hotels.[14] By mid-2017, the company had increased its portfolio to 40 hotels.[6]
- Qatar: Al Bayt Hotel Apartments by Murwab, Al Messila, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Doha, City Gate Hotel, Dana Club, Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas, Hotel Park, Jouri, a Murwab Hotel, Fairmont and Raffles Doha, Lusail Marina District, Mövenpick Hotel Doha, Rixos Beach Resort, Qetaifan Island North, Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha, Sealine Beach, a Murwab Resort, Sharq Village & Spa, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, Simaisma, a Murwab Resort, Somerset West Bay Doha, The Avenue, a Murwab Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Doha, The West House Hotel & Residence.
- Switzerland: Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne, Hotel Schweizerhof – Bern.
- France: Carlton Cannes, Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, Maison Delano, The Peninsula Paris
- Italy: Excelsior Hotel Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan, The Westin Excelsior Rome
- UK: Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel, The Adria, The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel
- The Netherlands: InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam
- Spain: InterContinental Madrid
- Morocco: Fairmont Tazi Palace, Tangier
- Egypt: Renaissance Sharm El Sheikh Golden View Beach Resort
- Thailand: Chiva-Som
- Singapore: Raffles Hotel Singapore
- US: Dream Downtown, The Plaza, A Fairmont Managed Hotel
Investments[edit]
Africa[edit]
Katara Hospitality’s first international investment came in 2006, under its previous identity, Qatar National Hotels Company (QNH). That year, it acquired Egypt’s Renaissance Sharm El Sheikh Resort.[15]
In April 2010, QNH signed a deal with the Comoran government to build a $70 million hotel resort in Comoros. The deal came after a donors conference geared towards Comoros was hosted by Qatar in March 2010.[16]
Morocco and the QNH signed a $55 million deal in November 2011 to refurbish the Tazi Palace, located in Tangier.[17]
In Gambia, the company signed a deal with the Gambian government in October 2012 to build a $200 million resort next to Banjul, the capital.[18]
Europe[edit]
The Excelsior Hotel Gallia in Milan, Italy was acquired by the company in 2015. It is part of The Luxury Collection.[19] In addition it runs the Westin Excelsior Rome.
Katara Hospitality has invested in several properties in Paris. Hotels it owns include The Peninsula Paris and the Royal Monceau Raffles Paris.[20]
In Switzerland, the company has invested $1 billion into renovating the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, which it owns.[21]
In the Netherlands, Katara Hospitality own the Amstel Hotel run by the Intercontinental Group. [1]
Americas[edit]
Katara Hospitality acquired full ownership of New York City’s Plaza Hotel in July 2018 after buying the hotel’s ownership stakes from Sahara India Pariwar, and from Ben Ashkenazy and Al-Waleed bin Talal.[22][23]
Subsidiaries[edit]
- Murwab Hotels Group
- Qetaifan Projects Company
See also[edit]
References[edit]
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