London’s luxury Dorchester Hotel has received court permission to sell a car belonging to Qatari royal Sheikh Nasser bin Abdullah al-Thani over an alleged unpaid bill approaching £460,000.
The five-star Mayfair hotel took legal action against the sheikh in March over unpaid room charges and other expenses.
A London court ruled in favour of The Dorchester in July.
Court documents showed the hotel was seeking more than £458,000 from al-Thani.
The dispute has now moved to enforcement, with the hotel targeting one of his vehicles in an attempt to recover part of the money.
Limited-Edition Fiat Set for Sale
District Judge Michael Javaherian granted The Dorchester permission to sell al-Thani’s 2011 Fiat 500 Abarth Tributo Ferrari.
The vehicle is a limited-edition model inspired by Ferrari styling.
However, selling the car is expected to recover only a small fraction of the disputed amount.
The model has recorded a median resale value of around £23,500 since 2020.
That represents only about five percent of the sum the hotel says it is owed.
The Dorchester is among London’s best-known luxury hotels.
Standard rooms can cost around £1,000 per night.
Higher-end accommodation can exceed £8,000 per night.
The disputed amount would therefore represent a lengthy stay, even by the hotel’s premium pricing standards.
Sheikh’s Lawyers Challenge Court Judgment
Al-Thani did not attend the hearing and was not represented by lawyers at the time.
However, his legal team has since challenged the debt.
His lawyers told the Financial Times that the sheikh had only recently become aware of the proceedings.
They also argued that legal documents had not been properly served on him.
According to his representatives, al-Thani intends to ask the court to set aside the judgment.
The debt therefore remains contested despite the earlier ruling in favour of The Dorchester.
No final outcome has yet been announced regarding any attempt to overturn the judgment.
Qatari Royal Known for Luxury Cars
Al-Thani is a member of Qatar’s ruling family.
He previously served as vice-president of Spanish football club Malaga.
His father was the club’s majority shareholder.
The sheikh has also been associated publicly with several high-value vehicles.
His social media accounts have previously featured luxury cars including a Lamborghini Aventador.
He has also been seen with a rare Mirage GT, a heavily modified vehicle based on the Porsche Carrera GT.
A 2015 social media image reportedly showed his Lamborghini parked outside The Dorchester.
The latest court decision brings together two symbols of luxury: one of London’s most famous hotels and a limited-edition performance car.
However, the value of the Fiat is unlikely to make a significant impact on the amount being claimed.
The legal dispute could continue if al-Thani succeeds in challenging the original judgment.
For now, The Dorchester has court approval to proceed with the sale of the vehicle as part of its effort to recover the alleged unpaid debt.
