Maybourne, the luxury hotel group behind Claridge’s, The Connaught, The Berkeley and The Emory in London, has shifted its sales focus towards the US, UK and Europe as it deals with lower bookings from Middle Eastern guests, according to the Financial Times (FT).
The group’s chief executive Marc Socker told the FT that Maybourne had “proactively pivoted” towards other markets since the start of the Iran war in February, with the US remaining its largest source of guests. VisitBritain reported that bookings from the Middle East fell to around half their normal levels in March following the US-Israel attack on Iran, while July bookings remained below the same period a year earlier.
Maybourne, which is ultimately owned by the family of Qatari royal Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, has acknowledged its exposure to the Middle East but has not disclosed the proportion of its business derived from the region. Socker said the group had been able to replace some of the lost Middle Eastern business with customers from the UK, US and Europe, helping Maybourne increase revenue in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
In the US, Maybourne is placing greater emphasis on the heritage and traditions of its UK hotels when marketing to customers, according to the FT. For domestic British customers, meanwhile, the group is focusing on the opportunity to provide an escape from everyday life. Socker said relying on a single source of business was risky given the volatility in global markets.
Maybourne currently operates hotels in London, Beverly Hills and on the French Riviera. The group plans to nearly triple its portfolio to around 15 hotels by 2035, with its first Paris property expected to open next year. It is also targeting potential openings in New York, Bangkok, Singapore and Tokyo, alongside resort destinations in the Indian Ocean and Caribbean.
The group appointed José Silva, former chief executive of UAE-based luxury hotel group Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts, as chair of its board this month as it prepares for the next phase of its international expansion. Despite its plans overseas, the FT stated that Maybourne is not currently prioritising further expansion in the UK. Socker said the group’s London properties were already operating in an increasingly competitive market following a wave of new luxury hotel openings.
The Chancery Rosewood opened in Grosvenor Square last year, while St Regis London and Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch are due to open in 2026.
Maybourne has been contacted for comment.
Maybourne, the luxury hotel group behind Claridge’s, The Connaught, The Berkeley and The Emory in London, has shifted its sales focus towards the US, UK and Europe as it deals with lower bookings from Middle Eastern guests, according to the Financial Times (FT).
The group’s chief executive Marc Socker told the FT that Maybourne had “proactively pivoted” towards other markets since the start of the Iran war in February, with the US remaining its largest source of guests. VisitBritain reported that bookings from the Middle East fell to around half their normal levels in March following the US-Israel attack on Iran, while July bookings remained below the same period a year earlier.
Maybourne, which is ultimately owned by the family of Qatari royal Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, has acknowledged its exposure to the Middle East but has not disclosed the proportion of its business derived from the region. Socker said the group had been able to replace some of the lost Middle Eastern business with customers from the UK, US and Europe, helping Maybourne increase revenue in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
In the US, Maybourne is placing greater emphasis on the heritage and traditions of its UK hotels when marketing to customers, according to the FT. For domestic British customers, meanwhile, the group is focusing on the opportunity to provide an escape from everyday life. Socker said relying on a single source of business was risky given the volatility in global markets.
Maybourne currently operates hotels in London, Beverly Hills and on the French Riviera. The group plans to nearly triple its portfolio to around 15 hotels by 2035, with its first Paris property expected to open next year. It is also targeting potential openings in New York, Bangkok, Singapore and Tokyo, alongside resort destinations in the Indian Ocean and Caribbean.
The group appointed José Silva, former chief executive of UAE-based luxury hotel group Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts, as chair of its board this month as it prepares for the next phase of its international expansion. Despite its plans overseas, the FT stated that Maybourne is not currently prioritising further expansion in the UK. Socker said the group’s London properties were already operating in an increasingly competitive market following a wave of new luxury hotel openings.
The Chancery Rosewood opened in Grosvenor Square last year, while St Regis London and Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch are due to open in 2026.
Maybourne has been contacted for comment.
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The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making
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It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution
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