Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishment?

[halsey02]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

Sure see alot of royalties there, just like at scotts, children running around no wear shoes.

Those are ot royalties, those are ruffians. If the place owned by a westerner, they will be shown the door!

 

[GoldenDragon]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

Wasn't Jeannie, whats her family name, was the CEO of the hotel.

Daughter-out-law of GKS.

 

[gatehousethetinkertailor]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

Till the late 1980s, Raffles Hotel was just a mansion-sized hotel, not the shopping-center-sized hotel you see today. DBSLand (now CapitaLand) bought over adjacent land and expanded it. The refurbishments and extensions were done by CITB students and Banglas. From a distance, it may look grand but up close, the handiworks are shoddy. Some years ago, Raffles Hotel was sold to an American company (can't remember the name), so it should be that company selling to Qatar.

up to 2005 - Raffles hotel was owned by “Raffles Holdings”, a Temasek Holdings company.

In 2005, Raffles Holdings sold all of its hotel assets to US-based Colony Capital for SGD$1.72 billion (this consisted of 41 hotels and resorts)

In 2006, Colony Capital teamed up with Prince Al Waleed/Chairman of Kingdom Holdings and bought Fairmount Hotels and Resorts - Fairmount Raffles Hotel International from Toronto then became the new owners of Raffles Hotel.

In April 2010, Qatari Diar owned by Qatar Investment Authority bought Raffles Hotel for US$275 million (S$384 million) - this was the third change of ownership in a seven year stretch.

Raffles Hotel is hence now in the hands of Qatar National Hotels Company - a subsidiary of Qatari Diar.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal (nephew to King Abdullah) is a very shrewed and savy Saudi businessman - his wife, Princess Amira al Taweel) is also frequently seen at the gliteratti events and shocks many because she does not wear the abaya (a staple of khaliji women and culture in the GCC):

http://blogs-images.forbes.com/kerr...meerah-Attend-Royal-Wedding-April-2011-I2.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0bXk1pfdPN8Az/610x.jpg

I visited a friend in Riyadh who lived opposite one of his palaces - Prince Alwaleed is a big fan of flying so he built an airstrip in his back garden. He pays his advisers in Kingdom Holdings very handsomely hence he gets dips of quite alot of excellent assets.

His most recent foray (that was publicised) was a USD$300m investment in Twitter via the secondary market. His disposal of Raffles was definitely not at a loss.

 

[Ramseth]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

I don't know much about Qatar except that Qatar Airlines is sponsoring CNA news and Qatar shall be hosting the next next World Cup. The Qatar Airlines sponsorship ads on CNA are the worst ads I've ever seen before on TV. Spread marmalade on bread is world's five-star arlines? A cup of tea is world's five-star airlines?

 

[Mdm Tang]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

its the very prime land the

hotel sits on...

 

[rusty]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

First the fast food joints got halal then followed by foodcourts.

Hotels will get halal certificates soon and GCT already working on the banks.

In the future maybe have halal SMC and GRC.

 

[laksaboy]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

The Al Jazeera news channel is from Qatar.

Qatar seems like a rather liberal Arab country. Maybe not as liberal as UAE or Bahrain, but definitely much better than Saudi Arabia.

 

[Rogue Trader]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

To be honest, Raffles Hotel is over-rated. Nothing to be proud of besides the Singapore sling invention claim (which is a horrible tasting cocktail btw). The Qataris can keep this gigantic reminder of our colonial past and turn it into a camel ranch.

 

[GoldenDragon]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

The Al Jazeera news channel is from Qatar.

Qatar seems like a rather liberal Arab country. Maybe not as liberal as UAE or Bahrain, but definitely much better than Saudi Arabia.

The Arabs I met in the 90s at our Jap clubs (Aurora, Arabesque, Isobella) were all seepay jeeseow. Drank like no tomorrow and must 'on'. Initially the hostesses all interested coz these Arabs paid way beyond market rates. Thereafter, they declined coz these Arabs were violent chaps while screwing. Gals kena bruises very common.

 

[zeddy]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

The Arabs I met in the 90s at our Jap clubs (Aurora, Arabesque, Isobella) were all seepay jeeseow. Drank like no tomorrow and must 'on'. Initially the hostesses all interested coz these Arabs paid way beyond market rates. Thereafter, they declined coz these Arabs were violent chaps while screwing. Gals kena bruises very common.

Back then, this Katong Pinay that I once befriended told me that she'll never have an Arab as her customer... She told me that these Dessert Barbarians loves to have rough anal sex...

 

[GoldenDragon]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

Back then, this Katong Pinay that I once befriended told me that she'll never have an Arab as her customer... She told me that these Dessert Barbarians loves to have rough anal sex...

Another nationality these gals siamed beh hu were the Koreans. Very rough even in KTV rooms. Japs 50-50. Some very gentle while some others like it rough. But all the gals I knew told me the Japs all very neat type - whether hotel or their own homes.

 

[Ramseth]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

Another nationality these gals siamed beh hu were the Koreans. Very rough even in KTV rooms. Japs 50-50. Some very gentle while some others like it rough. But all the gals I knew told me the Japs all very neat type - whether hotel or their own homes.

Korean men are into rough sex, that I can testify to. I have an SC whose father ran a licensed brothel in Geylang. After ROD, he worked for his father and sometimes I went there and chit chat with him at the office area. There was once a girl in room who screamed for help and we rushed in. The pervert Korean was trying to do, well let's just say gymnastic sex, with the girl. My friend bashed the Korean up bloody. I didn't do much except let the scared girl cry in my arms.

Then, the Korean threatened to call police. I said no need, I'll call myself. Then the Korean got scared, cursed in some Korean words that I couldn't understand and said fuck, nevermind, forget it. The brothel bouncer was already guarding the door. I upped the stake for my friend and said not so easy, this is a licensed establishment and what you were trying to do to the girl is illegal, we must call the police. He offered to settle for S$500. My friend paid the girl half.

 

[gatehousethetinkertailor]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

The Al Jazeera news channel is from Qatar.

Qatar seems like a rather liberal Arab country. Maybe not as liberal as UAE or Bahrain, but definitely much better than Saudi Arabia.

Qatar is currently stuck in an identity crisis - they still can't figure out what they want for themselves - on one hand they allowed pork to be sold (under restrictions) in Qatar itself and then they decided just before X'mas that they would ban the sale of alcohol in an area of development called The Pearl.

http://dohanews.co/post/13146717097

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/qatar-alcohol-ban-could-be-tip-of-iceberg-for-gcc-440454.html

Ironically a few weeks after they allowed the sale of pork, the central state mosque was officiated and it was named after the icon of the Wahhabis (the ultra strict nutters from KSA) - Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab Mosque “in reflection of the State of Qatar’s intention to revive the nation’s symbols and its cultural values,”

They have the World Cup 2022 secured but they still have yet to start work on it. They have all kinds of ambitious ideas about what they would like to build and create but they still can't be bothered to fix the road infrastructure in the typical residential areas in Doha. They want to fly to space but can't be bothered to fix the very bad
traffic congestion and probably outside KSA, have the worse drivers in the Arabian Peninsula:

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/01/14/188195.html


The price of a life killed in a traffic accident in Qatar is QAR250k riyals (not even SGD$100k).

As much as they would like to think they have "arrived" they do act like the bourgeoise noveau riche much to the disdain of the rest of the GCC natives. They forget that they really only arrived on the world stage in 2005 not 1895.

Alcohol remains available in 5 star hotels and a few "clubs" but the decision was instantaneous without any explanations.

Whether the banning is part of a wider pincer move to the entire GCC region remains to be seen - alcohol is still available in KSA and Kuwait although they are technically "dry" countries.

 

[gatehousethetinkertailor]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

I don't know much about Qatar except that Qatar Airlines is sponsoring CNA news and Qatar shall be hosting the next next World Cup. The Qatar Airlines sponsorship ads on CNA are the worst ads I've ever seen before on TV. Spread marmalade on bread is world's five-star arlines? A cup of tea is world's five-star airlines?

Sapu jam and teh that can still win awards:

http://www.worldtravelawards.com/profile-2035-qatar-airways

QA still screw the locals badly when it comes to pricing - still very monopolistic and predatory - the most recent fiasco was with an Emirates world wide promotion which the QCAA banned:

http://dohanews.co/post/15172186801

http://www.eturbonews.com/27273/no-love-lost-between-key-gulf-aviation-rivals

QA's Chief Executive Al Baker is often seen in Orchard Road as he owns property in Singapore (naturally) and prefers to entertain the Sheikhs in the safe and vibrant red dot.....not sure whether they hit Aurora KTV....or Cleopatra...

 

[GoldenDragon]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

Then, the Korean threatened to call police. I said no need, I'll call myself. Then the Korean got scared, cursed in some Korean words that I couldn't understand and said fuck, nevermind, forget it. The brothel bouncer was already guarding the door. I upped the stake for my friend and said not so easy, this is a licensed establishment and what you were trying to do to the girl is illegal, we must call the police. He offered to settle for S$500. My friend paid the girl half.

The $500 is for his 'infringement' or it includes the $150 for the session? Shouldn't the gal take all if $500 is compensation money? If not, after deduting the $150, your friend should return the balance $350.

 

[Ramseth]

Re: Raffles Hotel sold to Qatar SWF - Will it be transformed into a halal establishme

The $500 is for his 'infringement' or it includes the $150 for the session? Shouldn't the gal take all if $500 is compensation money? If not, after deduting the $150, your friend should return the balance $350.

Excluding S$120 for the session, S$500 net compensation for the trouble he caused. So, S$620 gross. It's rule to split half-half whether net or gross. Otherwise, my friend and bouncer didn't have to protect the girl. Just call police and ambulance. I was the one rendering free service. But of course, I got a nice treat at M later.