High-end London hotels are struggling to sell their most expensive rooms amid a slowdown in bookings from big-spending Middle Eastern customers, as the conflict in Iran reverberates through the luxury market.
At The Langham in the heart of the capital’s West End, where a suite can cost nearly £6,000 a night, managing director Stefan Soennichsen said business had “gone down dramatically” since the war erupted two months ago.
Stuart Procter, chief executive of The Beaumont Mayfair in London’s most upscale neighbourhood, said the industry was enduring a “tough time”. The price of five-star accommodation in the city for dates between March and July is down 13 per cent on the same period last year, according to data tracker Lighthouse Intelligence.