Brunei's Hotels: Boycott And Be Heard

In 2019, Brunei introduced laws that made gay sex punishable by death by stoning. In response, celebrities such as George Clooney, Elton John, and Ellen DeGeneres called for a boycott of Brunei-owned luxury hotels. The boycott was also taken up by major financial institutions, including Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, and Goldman Sachs, who directed their staff to avoid the hotels. The hotels, which are part of the Dorchester Collection, include The Beverly Hills Hotel, Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, and the Dorchester in London. Despite the backlash, the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, defended the laws, calling for stronger Islamic teachings in the country.

Celebrities boycott Brunei-owned hotels

George Clooney leads the way

In an opinion piece published in Deadline Hollywood, George Clooney called for a boycott of Brunei-owned hotels over the country's anti-LGBTQ laws. Clooney wrote:

> Let's be clear, every single time we stay at or take meetings at or dine at any of these nine hotels we 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.

Clooney also said that while it might not be possible to shame "murderous regimes," one can shame the banks, the financiers and the institutions that do business with them and choose to look the other way."

Ellen DeGeneres, Elton John, and others join in

Several celebrities have heeded Clooney's call, including Ellen DeGeneres, Elton John, Billie Jean King, Jay Leno, and human rights activists. DeGeneres took to Twitter to urge her followers to "boycott these hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei. Raise your voices now. Spread the word. Rise up." Elton John commended Clooney for taking a stand, saying that he and his husband, David, deserve to be treated with "dignity and respect" wherever they go.

The boycott's impact

The boycott has had a significant impact, with high-profile events being pulled from the Dorchester and 45 Park Lane in London. Several multinational banks, including J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Bank of America, CitiGroup, and Bank of New York Mellon, have barred their employees from staying at Brunei-owned hotels. The Dorchester Collection, which operates the hotels, said they "understand people's anger and frustration but this is a political and religious issue that we don't believe should be played out in our hotels and amongst our 3,630 employees."

The Dorchester Collection

• The Dorchester, London
• 45 Park Lane, London
• The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills
• Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles
• Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris
• Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan
• Coworth Park Hotel, Berkshire
• Le Meurice, France
• Hotel Eden, Rome

In 2019, the Sultan of Brunei introduced laws that punish gay sex and adultery with death by stoning, and theft with the amputation of limbs. In response, celebrities including George Clooney, Elton John, and Ellen DeGeneres called for a boycott of the Dorchester Collection. Clooney argued that while it is difficult to influence governments, "you can shame the banks, the financiers, and the institutions that do business with them and choose to look the other way."

The boycott sparked a deactivation of the hotels' social media accounts, with Dorchester Collection posting:

> "Although we believe in open and transparent communication, we have reluctantly deactivated our hotel social media pages due to the personal abuse directed to our employees for whom we have a duty of care."

Despite the boycott, it is unclear whether a drop in bookings would affect the Sultan of Brunei, who is one of the world's richest men with a personal fortune of around $20 billion. However, in 2024, the Sultan of Brunei walked back the country's gay sex death penalty after continued international pressure and boycotts, demonstrating the potential impact of such campaigns.

The impact of a boycott

In 2019, Brunei introduced laws that made gay sex punishable by death by stoning. The small, oil-rich Southeast Asian nation also banned adultery, robbery, and insult or defamation of the Prophet Muhammad, with similar punishments. In response, there were calls to boycott Brunei-owned luxury hotels, including The Dorchester in London, The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, and Hotel Bel-Air.

The impact of this boycott:

Financial Losses for the Hotels

The boycott led to financial losses for the targeted hotels as customers, particularly celebrities, politicians, and businesses, chose to take their money elsewhere. High-profile events were also pulled from some of the boycotted hotels, further reducing their revenue.

Social Media Backlash

The boycott also played out on social media, with some of the hotels' accounts being deleted or deactivated due to personal abuse directed at employees. This likely damaged the hotels' reputations and further reduced their ability to engage with potential customers.

Loss of Business from Banks and Other Institutions

Major banks and financial institutions, such as J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of America, joined the boycott by banning their employees from staying at the targeted hotels. This resulted in a significant loss of business for the hotels, as these institutions are typically frequent customers of luxury hotels.

Negative Publicity and Damage to Reputation

The boycott brought negative publicity to the hotels and, by association, the nation of Brunei. The boycott was covered extensively by international media, and celebrities and public figures used their platforms to speak out against the anti-LGBTQ+ laws and encourage others to join the boycott. This likely damaged the reputation of the hotels and may have led to longer-term impacts on their businesses.

Pressure on the Brunei Government

While it is unlikely that the boycott alone would have been enough to change the laws in Brunei, it did bring significant international attention to the issue. The United Nations and Amnesty International also condemned the laws, and the boycott may have contributed to further diplomatic and economic pressure on the Brunei government to reconsider their stance.

In summary, the boycott had significant financial and reputational impacts on the targeted hotels and brought international attention to the anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Brunei, potentially influencing future policy decisions and public opinion.

The Sultan of Brunei's wealth

The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is one of the world's wealthiest individuals, with a net worth of around $28-30 billion. He is the country's prime minister and has ruled as an absolute monarch since 1967, making him the world's longest-serving current head of state.

The Sultan's extravagant spending is well-known. He owns over 7,000 cars, including custom-made Bentleys, Ferraris, BMWs, and a McLaren F1 LM. His car collection is estimated to be worth $5 billion. He also owns a gold-coated Rolls-Royce, a gilded Boeing 747, and numerous other luxury vehicles. In addition to his cars, the Sultan regularly flies his barber in from London's Dorchester Hotel and lives in the world's largest palace. He also owns $70 million worth of art by Renoir.

The Sultan's wealth and spending habits have come under scrutiny due to his implementation of strict Islamic criminal penalties in Brunei, including the death penalty for homosexuality and adultery. This has led to international protests and calls for boycotts of companies owned by the Bruneian royal family, particularly the Dorchester Collection, a group of luxury hotels in the US and Europe.

The effectiveness of boycotts

In 2019, Brunei introduced laws that made gay sex punishable by death by stoning. Adultery, rape, sodomy, and extramarital sexual relations for Muslims were also banned and carried the same punishment. In response, there were calls to boycott Brunei-owned luxury hotels, including The Dorchester in London, The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, and Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles.

The success of a boycott can depend on its ability to generate media coverage and target a single, high-profile company. In some cases, boycotts have been more effective when joined by governments or other large corporations, such as in the case of divestment campaigns against apartheid in South Africa.

In the case of the Brunei hotel boycotts, it is challenging to determine their effectiveness as there are multiple factors at play. The boycott sparked media attention and led to some high-profile events being pulled from the targeted hotels. Additionally, several banks and financial institutions joined the boycott, such as Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, and Goldman Sachs. However, it is unclear if these actions had a significant impact on the hotels' revenue or if they contributed to any changes in Brunei's laws or policies.

Overall, while the effectiveness of boycotts can vary, they remain a powerful tool for individuals and organisations to express their values and exert pressure on companies, governments, and other entities.

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