Harrods Hotels Planned for Malaysia, New York & Paris

Image: Qatar Holdings

Plans to open Harrods-branded hotels in cities such as London, Kuala Lumpur, New York and Paris are underway, according to Qatar Holding LLC, the investment arm that purchased Harrods for a reported $2.3 billion in 2010.

Hoping to transform the renowned British luxury retailer into a global brand, Qatar Holdings LLC has announced that they have just signed an agreement with Malaysian partners to build a hotel in Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Bintang shopping district, which will cost approximately $635 million in development and construction costs. Construction is expected to begin next year.

Qatar Holding Vice Chairman Hussain Ali Al-Abdulla told reporters in Kula Lumpur, “We have already decided to build a Harrods Hotel in london, one in Kuala Lumpur and one in Sardinia, Italy. We are looking to invest more in Malaysia because we think the economy is growing.”

The Harrods Hotel in Kuala Lumpur will feature 300 rooms and will be the group’s first in Asia, though there are rumors that they plan to build another in China at some point.

Preference will be given to construct the Harrods Hotels on sites that are already owned by Qatar Holding or its affiliates, for example at Chelsea Barracks in London or Costa Smeralda in Sardinia.

Luxury department store Harrods opened its doors in London’s Knightsbridge in 1849.