Hoteliers ambushed by politics in Saudi Arabia, China, US

Seattle

HOTELS used to be gauged by the campaign strategy that won the presidency for Bill Clinton: it's the economy, stupid. Nowadays, politics may determine their future.

The latest upheaval came with the arrest over the weekend of billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, whose Kingdom Holding Co is co-owner of Four Seasons Hotels Ltd and New York's Plaza Hotel.

Prince Alwaleed, a prolific and long-time investor in luxury hotels and management companies, was detained on Saturday, one of several family members caught up in move…