Shaza sets record straight

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HARTLEY: Shaza hotels are not 'Shariah compliant' but sensitive to Islamic considerations.

Shaza Hotels CEO Chris Hartley talks frankly to Arabian Travel News about the Shariah debate and why it's as confusing as his next-door neighbour's job.

Where does Shaza Hotels stand on the Shariah compliance issue?

I think the most important thing to start with is that Shariah is a broader concept than just relating to hotel facilities. It can apply to many other things like financing and it's also down to how Shariah law is interpreted by practicing Muslims.

We've never at any stage wanted to be seen or in any way articulated what those Islamic principles should be, we just set about creating a product in the luxury market based on Arab culture and tradition.

So Shaza isn't trying to be Shariah?

We try to be sensitive to Islamic considerations, but we're not going to reach down and tick every box off some imaginary list.

What we have tried to accomplish is a respectful facilitation of what the most important principles are - Halal food, no casinos, no alcohol, and so on and then packaged them as uniquely as we can for our guests to enjoy.

You must be bored of continually having to address this issue by now?

Ha ha ha. No, it's important to try and achieve some clarity on this issue. It seems to be one of those topics that just rumbles on and on no matter what you say.

There is a particle accelerator in Geneva where I live and one of the scientists who works there is my neighbour and every time I see him I ask him how it works and he tries to explain it; three years later I still don't understand - talking about Shariah seems to be a bit like that.

Okay, so you'd classify your hotel offering as an ‘Arabic experience' instead of a Shariah compliant one?

We've really done our homework to try and be different to other hotels and integrate ourselves into the culture of the region.

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