Beirut’s iconic Four Seasons hotel to reopen, says Saudi prince

Beirut’s iconic Four Seasons Hotel is scheduled to reopen in early 2026 following an extensive rehabilitation project, according to Saudi investment firm Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), owned by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.

In a statement on Tuesday, the prince linked the hotel’s reconstruction to Lebanon’s “new era” under the recently elected President Joseph Aoun with hopes that there will be an end to decades of violence and instability in the country. 

Located in downtown Beirut near the renowned Zaituna Bay marina, the luxury hotel sustained significant damage during the 2020 Beirut Port explosion.

The disaster killed over 220 people, injured more than 6,500, and left large parts of the capital, including much of downtown, in ruins. 

The reconstruction initiative is being led by Kingdom Beirut S.A.L, a subsidiary of KHC, and will see the hotel fully renovated by the first quarter of 2026.

“At the dawn of a new era for Lebanon and under the leadership of President Joseph Aoun, I am pleased to announce that the Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut will be entirely rebuilt and modernised by Kingdom Beirut S.A.L,” the statement read.

The revamped hotel will align with the latest Four Seasons standards and feature a completely new design, aiming to establish it as one of the world’s premier urban resorts. 

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, a global luxury hotel brand, has been privately owned by KHC and Cascade Investment – Bill Gates’s investment firm – since 2007.

Each holds a 47.5 percent stake in the company, with the remaining 5 percent owned by Triple Holdings, representing the brand’s founder, Isadore Sharp.

Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, who was detained during an anti-corruption drive in 2017, serves as chairman of KHC, which boasts investments on six continents and assets exceeding 50 billion Saudi riyals. 

He was held during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s anti-corruption drive in 2017 but was released a year later after paying a significant settlement to the state.

The reopening of the Four Seasons Beirut may signify the beginning of increased Saudi investment in Lebanon following President Aoun’s election and the appointment of ICJ head Nawaf Salam as prime minister. 

Saudi Arabia backed Aoun’s candidacy, with its envoy, Prince Yazid bin Farhan, visiting Beirut ahead of the parliamentary vote. 

Recently, MbS congratulated Aoun and extended an invitation for an official visit to the Kingdom. 

Lebanese Member of Parliament Najat Aoun Saliba remarked last week that Saudi Arabia is “ready to support Lebanon economically” but insists that all weapons be placed under state control – a veiled reference to Hezbollah’s arms.

The Iran-backed group has been significantly weakened following its 14-month conflict with Israel, which concluded in late November under a US-brokered 60-day ceasefire. 

The war claimed 4,000 lives, injured over 16,000 people, and caused destruction amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.