Is Boycott Against Bev Hills Hotel and Its Hateful Owner Failing?

While the Beverly Hills Hotel, site of a major boycott ever since owner Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei passed severe antigay laws in his nation, is seeings its flagship restaurant flail, its hotel rooms remain packed.

The Hollywood Reporter recently checked availability for August 9 and discovered the hotel was booked. Possible explanation: domestic and international tourists may not be aware of the boycott, or the sultan's policy of stoning gays and adulterous women to death.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Campaign, which is leading the boycott, said the effort against the B.H. Hotel, and all the sultan's properties, remains strong. They are amping up their efforts to stop the sultan from buying two luxury hotels in New York — the legendary Plaza, and the hip Dream Downtown — and one in London. The current owner of the hotels is looking to sell his stakes in those properties, and it's believed the sultan is one of the top contenders to snap them up.