Qatar-based Katara Hospitality has confirmed that its global portfolio has grown to 30 hotels in operation or under development, achieving the company’s long established goal of 30 properties by 2016 – two years ahead of schedule.

Over the past year, Katara Hospitality has added six international properties to its collection of iconic hotels. In June, the company acquired five properties in key European cities, adding the InterContinental Carlton Cannes (France), the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam (Netherlands), the InterContinental Madrid (Spain), the InterContinental Frankfurt (Germany), and the leasehold interest in the InterContinental De La Ville Rome (Italy) to its portfolio. Katara Hospitality has also expanded its footprint into the London market this year with an investment in The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel.

Sheikh Nawaf Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al-Thani, chairman of Katara Hospitality, said: “Achieving our goal of 30 properties two years ahead of target is indeed a major achievement which has earned us global recognition as one of the world’s leading hospitality companies. As we continue our journey of expansion in Qatar and internationally, Katara Hospitality is now focusing on its next strategic target of expanding its portfolio of hotels to 60 properties by 2026.”

The past year has also witnessed several important hotel openings for Katara Hospitality. The Peninsula Paris (France) opened after four years of meticulous restoration that celebrated the property’s outstanding architectural heritage whilst discreetly modernising it to become a thoroughly contemporary hotel. The Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel in Qatar re-opened in November, following an extensive renovation that upgraded the property’s facilities. The Excelsior Hotel Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan (Italy) also welcomed its first guests following the hotels soft reopening in December. The project will officially reopen in February 2015, once the full four-year renovation is completed by renowned Milanese architect Marco Piva.

The company’s contributions to the hospitality landscape have also been recognised on a regional level. This year, Katara Hospitality was named the Hospitality Company of the Year at the fifth Arabian Business Qatar Awards and the ‘2014 Hospitality Achiever’ at the Inaugural Qatar Enterprise Agility Awards. – TradeArabia News Service