Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano, Egypt

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2008
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Projects Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Damascus (formerly a Four Seasons hotel)

Employment History

• Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla; Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence; Four Seasons Hotel Damascus (formerly a Four Seasons hotel); The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Doha, Sharq Village and Spa Doha operated by The Ritz-Carlton

Education

• Diploma, Computer Science & Technology, Damascus University, Syria

Birthplace

• Damascus, Syria

Languages spoken

• Arabic, English

It takes a good mix of experience to oversee the operations of a luxury address like Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano, and Hotel Manager Tony Khoury has experience to spare. “The tool box I carry around with me is very well-equipped,” he says, metaphorically, noting his background in engineering and the operations of rooms and residences, in addition to management skills he has developed over years working at city hotels and a beachfront resort. “We have a unique product with an uncommon mix of amenities for business and leisure travellers. Everyone here needs to be able to cater to both to ensure a great experience.”

There is much for Khoury and the team he manages to offer guests. Laid out with a striking waterfront setting along the Egyptian Riviera between the Mediterranean Sea and the buzzing metropolis founded by Alexander the Great, the property was considered a city hotel before undergoing extensive redevelopment to transform its beachfront into a resort setting with beach suites, beach villas with private pool, tennis facilities, and more.

“During winter, we cater primarily to business travellers, and during summer we welcome local families who just want to enjoy the sea, sand, and sun on our beach,” says Khoury, who assumed his role in 2021 shortly after the redevelopment was completed. “The property essentially has two personalities and everything between them is different – including the dress code. It has one soul, however, and one team that is always alert for what the guest needs.”

Gearing the team to routinely shift from systematic hotel-style operations to relaxed, resort-style catering takes every tool in Khoury’s box, especially keen management. He has always believed that people are Four Seasons greatest asset, and while the property is important, it’s the team that creates the experience for guests.

“I love to inject positive energy to build enthusiasm in the team about what we’re doing,” he says, adding, “The goal is for everyone to know that their role has an impact, and that’s what guests remember.”

Connecting with guests is key for Khoury. He tries to meet every arrival, and has honed the art of engaging guests whenever opportunities allow. “I make efforts to chat with people in the elevator, at our restaurants, and other public spaces.” Such time is important to communicate his availability, he says. “People feel special when they feel we care about them. It lets them know we’re here to exceed their expectations.”

Syrian by birth, Khoury studied computer science and technology and initially found work with an international luxury hotel group in Doha, Qatar. After seeing success opening two properties, however, he headed back to Syria to raise his young son on his home soil.

Not long after his return, Four Seasons reached out to gauge Khoury’s interest in joining what is now the company’s former hotel in Damascus. With hospitality running in his DNA and his mission to raise his son among family, he couldn’t resist the opportunity and signed on as a Project Manager.

He stayed in the role for two years, becoming Director of Engineering on the hotel’s first local planning committee. Then came the crises in Syria. Khoury ended up taking charge of the property. He remained for over a year before joining Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence, where he made a leap from engineering to become Director of Rooms and learned the culture of Egypt “step-by-step.” He later returned to Damascus for his first turn as a Hotel Manager, and then gained resort experience as Director of Residences for Four Seasons in Anguilla.

Now in Alexandria, the excitement never ends for Khoury, especially when it comes to balancing the wide-ranging operational needs of the property. “The priorities change every day.” Meantime, when friends and family ask how he makes a career of something so different from what he studied in school, he tells them, “Luxury hospitality is in my blood now. I have passion for it, and that’s not going to fade.”