Sultan Of Brunei's Beverly Hills Hotel Ownership

The Beverly Hills Hotel, also known as the Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows, is one of the world's most famous hotels. Located on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California, the hotel has been closely associated with Hollywood stars and celebrities since its establishment in 1912. The hotel was bought by the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, in 1986 for $110 million. Since 1996, it has been run as part of the Dorchester Collection, owned by the Brunei Investment Agency. The hotel has 210 guest rooms and suites and 23 bungalows and is known for its signature pink and green exterior. While the hotel has hosted numerous celebrities and social events, it has also been the subject of controversy and boycotts due to the Sultan of Brunei's implementation of Sharia law in his country, which includes the persecution of the LGBTQ+ community and strict laws regarding women's rights.

The Sultan of Brunei has owned the Beverly Hills Hotel since 1986/1987

The ownership of the hotel has changed hands several times over the years. The original owners were Margaret J. Anderson, a wealthy widow, and her son, Stanley S. Anderson. In 1986, Marvin Davis purchased the hotel from the Silberstein family. However, less than a year later, in 1986 or 1987, Davis sold the hotel to the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, for $110 million.

Since 1996, the Beverly Hills Hotel has been operated as part of the Dorchester Collection, owned by the Brunei Investment Agency (BIA), an arm of the Ministry of Finance of Brunei. The BIA owns several other luxury hotels worldwide, including The Dorchester in London, Coworth Park in the UK, and Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris.

The Sultan of Brunei's ownership of the Beverly Hills Hotel has sparked controversy and boycotts due to the implementation of Sharia law in his country. In 2014, the Sultan introduced aspects of Sharia law in Brunei, which included the persecution of homosexuals and strict regulations for women. This led to widespread protests and a boycott of the hotel by celebrities and non-profit organisations, who disagreed with the Sultan's stance on LGBT rights and women's rights. Despite the backlash, the Sultan retained ownership of the hotel, and it remains a part of the Dorchester Collection today.

The hotel is part of the Dorchester Collection, owned by the Brunei Investment Agency

The Beverly Hills Hotel, also known as the Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows, is part of the Dorchester Collection, which has been owned by the Brunei Investment Agency (BIA) since 1991. The BIA is an arm of the Ministry of Finance of Brunei. The Dorchester Collection was established in 2006 to manage several luxury hotels in Europe and the United States.

The Dorchester Collection includes nine luxury hotels in total, a mix of wholly-owned and part-owned properties. These hotels are:

• The Dorchester, London
• 45 Park Lane, London
• Coworth Park, southwest of London
• Plaza Athénée, Paris
• Principe di Savoia, Milan
• The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills
• Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles
• Le Meurice, Paris
• Hotel Plaza Athénée, Paris

The Dorchester Collection also has plans to open a property in Tokyo, Japan, in 2028.

The Beverly Hills Hotel was established in May 1912 and has been associated with Hollywood film stars, rock stars, and celebrities. It has 210 guest rooms and suites and 23 bungalows, and its exterior is painted in the hotel's signature pink and green colours. The hotel was first painted pink during a 1948 renovation to match the country club style of the time.

The hotel has had several famous owners throughout its history, including Hernando Courtright, a vice president of the Bank of America, and Marvin Davis. In 1986, Davis sold the hotel to the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, for $110 million. The hotel underwent a complete restoration from 1992 to 1995 and has been run as part of the Dorchester Collection since 1996.

The Sultan's introduction of Sharia Law in Brunei sparked boycotts of the hotel

The Sultan of Brunei's introduction of Sharia Law in his home country sparked boycotts of the Beverly Hills Hotel, which he owns. The new laws, which came into effect in 2014, imposed harsh punishments on women and gay people, including death by stoning for those engaging in same-sex intercourse. This prompted a major boycott of the hotel by celebrities and non-profit organisations, who felt that the Sultan's actions were deeply offensive and hypocritical, given that the hotel offered same-sex wedding packages.

The boycott was led by celebrities such as Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, and Sharon Osbourne, who announced that they would not patronise the hotel. Richard Branson also announced that his Virgin Airlines employees would not patronise any Dorchester Group properties. In addition, the Beverly Hills City Council passed a resolution asking the Sultan to sell the hotel, and many organisations cancelled events and conferences that had been planned at the hotel.

The hotel management responded by asserting that its policies and practices were not governed by the laws of Brunei and that it did not discriminate based on sexual orientation. They also stressed their commitment to diversity and equality. However, the boycott had a significant impact, with reports suggesting that it cost the hotel millions of dollars in lost business.

Despite the backlash, the Sultan initially showed no signs of reversing the laws or selling the hotel. Christopher Cowdray, the top executive of the Sultan's hotel company, pleaded with protesters to reconsider, arguing that the boycott only hurt the hotel's employees. Some individuals, including Russell Crowe and Kim Kardashian, spoke out against the boycott, expressing sympathy for the hotel workers.

In 2019, the Sultan of Brunei again faced calls for a boycott when the country made gay sex and adultery punishable by death. This time, the boycott was supported by LA City Comptroller Ron Galperin and celebrities such as George Clooney and Elton John. Once again, the LA City Council passed a resolution barring the city from conducting business at the hotel and urging residents not to patronise it. In response, the Dorchester Collection, which manages the hotel, reiterated that they "do not tolerate any form of discrimination".

The boycott was supported by celebrities including George Clooney, Elton John, and Ellen DeGeneres

The Beverly Hills Hotel, established in 1912, is one of the world's best-known hotels, closely associated with Hollywood stars and celebrities. Since 1996, it has been run as part of the Dorchester Collection, owned by the Sultan of Brunei.

In 2014, the Sultan of Brunei began changing his country's legal system to include aspects of Sharia law, including the persecution of homosexuals. This prompted a boycott of the Beverly Hills Hotel, supported by celebrities such as George Clooney, Elton John, and Ellen DeGeneres. The boycott was a response to the Sultan's decision to implement harsh punishments, such as stoning and whipping to death, for citizens engaging in same-sex relationships. Clooney, in a guest column, called for an immediate boycott of the hotel, stating that every time someone dines or stays at the hotel, they are "putting money directly into the pockets of men who choose to stone and whip to death their own citizens for being gay or accused of adultery."

Elton John also supported the boycott, and celebrities such as Jay Leno and his wife, Mavis, of the Feminist Majority Foundation, participated in a large protest outside the hotel. Ellen DeGeneres tweeted her support for the boycott, and the word spread quickly in the Hollywood community. The Beverly Hills City Council passed a resolution urging the Sultan to sell the hotel, and many organizations joined the boycott, canceling reservations and high-profile events.

The boycott faced opposition as well, with some arguing that it would only hurt the hotel employees and that it was unfair to punish them for the actions of the owner. However, supporters of the boycott believed that it was a necessary cause to take a stand against the Sultan's discriminatory laws. The hotel management responded by asserting that it does not discriminate based on sexual orientation and that its policies and practices are not governed by the laws of Brunei.

The boycott was criticised by Russell Crowe and Kim Kardashian

The Beverly Hills Hotel, located on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California, is one of the world's best-known hotels, closely associated with Hollywood stars and celebrities. The hotel was established in 1912, before the city of Beverly Hills was incorporated. It has changed ownership several times since then, and since 1996, it has been run as part of the Dorchester Collection, owned by the Sultan of Brunei.

In 2014, the Sultan of Brunei, who owns the hotel, began changing Brunei's legal system to include aspects of Sharia law, including the persecution of homosexuals. This prompted a boycott of the hotel, with celebrities such as Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, and Sharon Osbourne announcing that they would not patronize the establishment. Richard Branson also joined the boycott, stating that his Virgin Airlines employees would not patronize Dorchester Group properties.

However, the boycott was criticized by some celebrities, including Russell Crowe and Kim Kardashian, who argued that it would unfairly punish the hardworking employees of the hotel. Crowe took to Twitter to express his support for LGBT rights and his opposition to the boycott, stating that "throwing the staff of Dorchester Collection Hotels under the bus to make a political point is not acceptable to me." Similarly, Kardashian wrote a blog post voicing her criticism of the boycott and expressing her sympathies for the hotel workers. She argued that boycotting the hotel would not affect the Sultan, who is worth an estimated $20 billion, but would instead hurt the employees, some of whom she knew personally and depended on the business and tips to support their families.

Kardashian further stated that there must be other ways to express their views and stand up for their beliefs without punishing innocent people in the process. She emphasized her continued support for the LGBT community while suggesting that the boycott was not the most effective solution. Crowe and Kardashian's stance on the boycott sparked a debate, with some agreeing that it would hurt the employees more than the Sultan, while others argued that it was necessary to take a stand against the Sultan's implementation of Sharia law, regardless of the consequences.

In summary, while the boycott of the Beverly Hills Hotel gained support from many celebrities and organizations, it was also met with criticism from Russell Crowe and Kim Kardashian, who expressed concern for the hotel employees and suggested alternative ways to address the issue of Sharia law in Brunei.

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