Qatar to acquire Four Seasons Firenze
According to reports in Italian media, Qatar’s recent 650 million euro investment in four hotel in Sardinia, is to be followed by investment in the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze – currently owned and controlled by Marcello and Corrado Fratini. The 118 rooms and suites of the Four Seasons Hotel in Florence is housed within the historical 15th century Palazzo della Gherardesca, on over 4 hectares of lush gardens. It is unclear whether the deal with include Palazzo Tornabuoni, a high-end fractional ownership property, also owned by Fingen Group, which is managed by Four Seasons as well. In 2011, Fingen Group started the development of the Four Seasons Hotel in Rome within a historical palace – a development which could also be taken over by Qatar.
Qatar has been investing in luxury hospitality in Europe, most notably, the upcoming Peninsula Hotel in Paris, through Qatari Diar; the Shangri -La Hotel in London, opening later this year at the Shard, Europe’s tallest building and most recently four luxury hotels in France (Paris, Nice and Cannes) the management of which has been assigned to Hyatt.
