New Qatari owner of Harrods plans to open a luxury hotel chain under the store’s name in the world’s most renowned capitals including London.
Harrods hotels are also to be launched in Paris, New York and Kuala Lumpur. An earlier report in the Daily Mail announced.
Qatar Holding said that the opening of the hotels was part of the plan of making Harrods into a global luxury brand. A spokesman for the Guardian said that preference will be given to build the hotels in areas already owned by Qatari Holding such as Chelsea barracks in London and Costa Smeralda in Sardinia. This new enterprise will define both luxury retail and leisure sectors.
Mohamed Al Fayed sold the luxury store back in 2010 for the amount of £1.5 bn. The Qatari fund that also owns US embassy in Grosvernor Square and the One Hyde Park apartments will take over the Olympic Village once the games are over.
Of course this had a controversial reaction as it left many people with a lot to say. Some think that by expanding into the leisure sector Harrods will lose the uniqueness of its name, apart from being a luxury retailer is mainly a touristic destination for those visiting London.
By Eirini Wallace
Image taken from The Telegraph