London's Dorchester Hotel Wins Court Approval to Sell Qatari Royal's Car Over Unpaid Bill
London's Dorchester hotel received court approval to sell a Qatari royal's car to help cover an unpaid 458,000 pound bill for luxury accommodations.
The Dorchester hotel in London has received court approval to sell a luxury car belonging to a member of Qatar's ruling family after he failed to pay a bill amounting to 458,000 pounds, according to a report in the Financial Times.
Court Ruling and Debt Details
Sheikh Nasser bin Abdullah Al Thani, a member of the Al Thani ruling family, accumulated the massive debt for unpaid rooms and services at the five-star Mayfair hotel, where rooms range from around 1,000 pounds to over 8,000 pounds per night. The hotel sued the sheikh in March, and a court ruled in its favor in July. Judge Michael Mirtian later authorized the hotel to auction off the sheikh's vehicle, a rare 2011 Fiat 500 Abarth Tributo Ferrari.
However, the car sale will fall far short of covering the total debt. According to The Classic Valuer website, the average resale price for this limited-edition model has hovered around 23,500 pounds since 2020.
Response and Background
The sheikh did not attend the legal proceedings, nor did he send a lawyer or representative. Court documents indicate he resides at the Al Wajbah Palace in Doha.
"Sheikh Al Thani only recently discovered the legal steps taken against him because they were not properly served," his lawyers told the Financial Times. "He is challenging the amount demanded by the hotel and will take steps to overturn the judgment."
Al Thani's financial troubles are not limited to London. In 2020, a Spanish judge barred him, his two brothers, and his father from management roles at the Málaga CF football club due to allegations of financial irregularities, and the club was suspended from European tournaments.
