Crisis Banning Alcohol at Grand Hyatt Escalates between Saudi Owner and International Management Company
By Youssef el-Awmi 2/5/2008
The international hotel management company that manages the Cairo Grand Hyatt gave an ultimatum by Monday to Sheikh Abdel Aziz Ibrahim, the Saudi owner of the hotel, to clarify why he suddenly decided to ban alcoholic beverages in the hotel without informing the company or the Ministry of Tourism, after which the company would take legal measures against him.
Sheik Ibrahim, brother in law of late Saudi King Fahd, had last week ordered closing the hotel bar and getting rid of alcohol beverages worth LE 8 million.
Ministry of Tourism Undersecretary Ahmed Attiya said the ministry is not a party to this dispute.
"The owner has the right to ban liquor, but he should first inform the management company sufficiently in advance for the management to do the necessary preparations regarding it obligations to the customers."
He added: "The ministry does not oblige hotels to serve or ban liquor and it only reduced the hotel from 5 to 3 stars after customers filed complaints that it did not fulfill its contractual obligations to them."
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