The Four Seasons Beirut now plans to reopen for the summer of 2027, not for the beginning of 2026. Closed after the damage of the port explosion, on 4 August 2020, the hotel is preparing a complete reconstruction and renovation. His announced return is part of a history marked by the economic crisis, the fall of his clientele and the political hopes displayed in January 2025.
Four Seasons Beirut: a return announced, not realized
As of November 2, 2026, both the official page of the establishment and the opening calendar of the group announce summer 2027. The latter document is marked « October 2026 ». No specific day of reception of the first clients is included. So this is not a reopening today.
The announcement concerns an address inaugurated on January 10, 2010, near the Zaitunay Bay marina. Its return would return 230 accommodation units, including 60 suites. To understand this expectation, we must distinguish between the pre-2020 trade difficulties, the catastrophe that led to the closure and the reconstruction project.
Why the hotel closed after 4 August 2020
The Four Seasons suffered significant damage during the explosion in Beirut port on 4 August 2020. He closed after the disaster. The destruction thus constitutes the documented material reason for the prolonged cessation of the establishment, not a mere decision to leave the Lebanese market.
The disaster struck a hotel already weakened by the economic and political crisis. As early as December 2019, Rami Sayess, then Regional Vice President of Four Seasons, described the collapse of activity. In statements to a news agency, it indicated a fall in occupation from 100% to 4% in October. November ended at 10%.
In an interview published on 5 March 2020, before the explosion, the leader detailed the consequences of this contraction. Nearly a quarter of the employees had been sent to other Four Seasons hotels as reinforcements. The aim was to reduce wage costs while keeping these employees in the network. He also noted the cancellation of twenty out of twenty-four marriages scheduled in the last two months of 2019. Some events had been moved to Dubai or Cyprus. Finally, he explained the loss of some of the Gulf visitors by travel recommendations and political reasons.
Pre-disaster renovations
The modernization project was not entirely born in 2025. In March 2020, Rami Sayess already mentioned projects for restaurants, lobby and rooms. He explained that he wanted to take advantage of the low occupancy rate to speed up some interventions without disrupting clients.
After the explosion, the prospect became that of a rehabilitation of a damaged building. In January 2021, when he left for Bahrain, the leader opposed the good results of previous years to the difficulties of 2020. It combined performance from 2016 to 2019 with the stability of the country and the work of its teams.
In July 2021, Simon Casson, then head of the group’s hotel operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, reported following the work in Beirut. He said he maintained regular contact with the local team. These statements document an old return project, without establishing that work has continued continuously since then.
In 2025, Al-Walid invoked a « new era »
On 14 January 2025 Prince Al-Walid bin Talal, president of Kingdom Holding Company, gave a political dimension to the revival. In his announcement, he invoked a « new era for Lebanon » under Joseph Aoun’s presidency. He presented the hotel’s return as part of this political sequence.
The press release entrusted the complete reconstruction and renovation to Kingdom Beirut S.A.L. He announced an opening to the public in the first quarter of 2026. The program was to renew the hotel’s appearance and bring it to the latest Four Seasons standards, with high-end positioning ambition.
This is the justification expressed by the leader on that date, not proof that all economic conditions were met. The text did not provide a detailed budget or cost-effectiveness forecast. Nor is it possible to confuse the Four Seasons, Kingdom Holding and the construction company.
Why 2027? The gap remains unexplained
The current timetable replaces the target of the first quarter of 2026, which is still included in a June 2025 economic publication. The official pages consulted do not explain this discrepancy. There is no verified evidence to attribute the cause to funding, administrative obstacles or a specific incident at the site.
The programme now includes renovated accommodation, new dining areas, a spa, a rooftop pool and event facilities. It describes the future offer, without confirming that these services are already functioning. The group also highlights the 26th floor terrace.
This project is not sufficient to demonstrate a general resumption of Lebanese tourism. The public pages did not confirm a booking offer for a specified stay. The exact date of customer reception, launch rates and reopening staff remain to be specified.
Comments