Another year and another opening for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in the Middle East

Work is nearing completion at Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria, located on a prime position overlooking the Mediterranean, and in the heart of the ancient city's elite district of San Stefano.

The 118-room Hotel has risen from the legendary San Stefano Hotel which was built in the late 1800s and played host to the rich and famous of the day. Four Seasons guests will follow in the footsteps of the glamorous and the great when the new property opens its doors in late summer. The Hotel will feature legendary Four Seasons service where staff will attend to every desire and travellers can experience the distinct European flavour the Mediterranean gateway of Alexandria has to offer.

The Hotel is an integral part of the new San Stefano complex which stretches along Alexandria's famed Corniche. Offering a range of facilities the Hotel will recreate the days of grandeur which made San Stefano so desirable and fashionable over a century ago.

Each spacious guest room at the Hotel will feature private balconies with spectacular views over the Mediterranean. Visitors will enjoy a fine range of cuisines and be able to choose from several dining outlets including Mediterranean, Southern Italian and Lebanese, and be charmed by the fascinating Alexandrian ambiance from the welcoming surrounds of Café Fresco, or the Gelateria - an ice cream parlour reminiscent of yesteryear.

The Hotel is destined to be the preferred venue for conferences and meetings while the grand ballroom will play host to large events and weddings. The ballroom's interior features a hand painted ceiling, its design of clouds reminiscent of the craftsmanship found in French chateaux.

A two-storey Spa will offer an extensive menu of treatments inspired by the sea. Here, guests will be pampered, surrounded by the sights, sounds and aromas of nature. There will be separate treatment rooms for men and women, ensuring utmost privacy. Complementing the Spa is a gymnasium with a full range of state-of-the-art fitness equipment, a whirlpool, steam and sauna.

Overlooking the Mediterranean and the Corniche, the fourth floor terrace offers a large circular infinity pool and pool deck, providing a calming escape from the city.

Since the Canadian company opened its first Middle Eastern property in May 2000, Four Seasons has opened a new hotel in the region almost every year, with 2007 seeing two properties join the growing portfolio.

In January, Four Seasons took over the reigns of its first golfing facility in the Middle East with the opening of Four Seasons Golf Club Dubai Festival City.

Incorporating the famed Robert Trent Jones II-designed 18 hole Al Badia course, the Golf Club complex also features a golfing Academy and a range of dining options, soon to be joined by a dedicated Italian restaurant.

In 2008, a Country Club will open offering a range of other leisure facilities and exclusive residential apartments while, adjacent to the course, Four Seasons Hotel Dubai, the third segment of this ambitious development, is currently under construction.

'In just over seven years, Four Seasons has established itself as the pre-eminent luxury brand in the region,' said Antoine Corinthios, President, Europe, Middle East and Africa. 'The personal, caring service for which Four Seasons has been renowned in other parts of the world is now firmly established in the Middle East and we look forward to further expanding our brand presence with new openings.'
Elsewhere in the region, new properties for Four Seasons are taking shape as Abu Dhabi works towards a late 2008 opening and Bahrain, Beirut and Marrakech are expected to be operational within the next two years.

Meanwhile, international development continues apace for the Group with the openings of six properties across two continents during 2006, while, in February, Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui in Thailand became operational. Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai, Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus and Four Seasons Hotel Florence are all expected to open by the end of this year.