Four Seasons and Atlantic Coast Hospitality Announce Plans for Luxury Hotel in Morocco’s Capital City

Leading luxury hospitality company Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Atlantic Coast Hospitality, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-based real estate development firm Q Holding, announce plans for the upcoming Four Seasons Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr, anticipated to open in 2023.

Kasr Al Bahr, meaning “palace of the sea,” was built as a sprawling royal summer palace in the 19th century, later becoming the Marie Feuillet military hospital prior to closing in 1999. Following extensive renovations and an extremely detailed rehabilitation of this five-hectare (12-acre) historic heritage site and cliffside retreat, Four Seasons Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr will usher in a new era for the historic property with 204 luxuriously appointed rooms and suites overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

“As Four Seasons continues to grow its presence in Morocco, we are proud to build upon the success of our existing properties in Marrakech and Casablanca while introducing a complementary experience, this time in the nation’s capital city,” says Bart Carnahan, President, Global Business Development and Portfolio Management, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “We are honoured that our partners at Atlantic Coast Hospitality have chosen Four Seasons as the stewards of Kasr Al Bahr, and we look forward to introducing guests to this dynamic destination through a new luxury hospitality experience marked by our renowned personalized service and quality excellence.”

Rabat, Morocco’s capital city, is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and effortlessly blends the treasures of its past with dynamic offerings for the modern luxury traveller. The city holds a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation and is often known for its historic landmarks reflecting its past French and longstanding Islamic influences such as the Hassan Tower and the Kasbah of the Oudayas. Visitors will also enjoy the city’s coastal setting with beautiful beaches, bustling music festivals, and more than 202 hectares (500 acres) of green space comprised of tranquil parks.

“As we transform Kasr Al Bahr for the future, we are proud to showcase Rabat’s history and culture while creating a world-class hospitality experience for all who visit,” says Malik Awan, Director, Q Holding. “Four Seasons is the ideal partner for this important project, and together we are dedicated to honouring this exceptional property while offering guests the service and experiences they have grown to expect from this legendary brand.”

Four Seasons Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr will feature seven restaurants and lounges; a spa with well-appointed treatment rooms and an indoor pool; several outdoor resort-style pools; as well as expansive conference and event space. The Hotel’s thoughtful restoration has been led by Moroccan-based architect Karim Chakor, while Roger Nazarian and Associates have been selected to lead the property’s interior design, landscaping and more.

The Hotel will be led by Gregory Viaud as General Manager. With more than 19 years of experience across a broad collection of Four Seasons properties globally, Gregory will manage the Hotel’s pre-opening operations, the second in his career following his assignment at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center. Most recently, Gregory was the Resort Manager at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort. Gregory and his team in Rabat have already begun preparing to welcome guests with the genuine heart and passion for excellence for which Four Seasons is renowned worldwide.

Four Seasons Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr will join Four Seasons growing collection of properties in Morocco, including Four Seasons Resort Marrakech, Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca and Four Seasons Private Residences Marrakech at M Avenue. With easy access to key international and regional hubs, the Hotel will be a 20-minute drive from Rabat–Salé Airport and 90 minutes from Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport. Visitors can also utilize Morocco’s high-speed train network for seamless journeys from Rabat to the key commerce hubs of Casablanca (45 minutes) and the white beaches of Tangier (1 hour 45 minutes).

About Q Holding

Established in Abu Dhabi, UAE in 2005, Q Holding, a subsidiary of IHC, is a private stock company listed on ADX’s second market since 2017 and one of the UAE’s leading investment companies that has garnered an excellent regional and global presence. Initially focused on real estate development, project management, and asset management with an ambitious strategy built on innovation for sustainable growth, the Group and its subsidiaries stand today as a key driver of Abu Dhabi’s economy; a position that opened the door for a competitive regional and global position.

About Four Seasons Historic Hotels 

The Four Seasons collection of unique and architecturally important heritage hotels includes buildings whose origins range from the fourteenth to the early twentieth centuries:  

Upcoming historical restorations include the third Four Seasons experience in Colombia with Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Cartagena, the conversion of the famed Hotel Formentor in Mallorca, Spain, and the extensive renovation and restoration of Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel.

• Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogotá, designed in 1946 by famed Medellín -born architect Santiago Medina Mejia whose characteristic stained glass windows adorn the exterior
• Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, sensitively adapted over ten years from two Renaissance palaces and set in an idyllic 4.5-hectare (11-acre) garden
• Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace, an Art Nouveau landmark in the remarkable city of Budapest
• Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet, housed in a century-old neo-classical prison
• Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, transformed from a nineteenth-century former Ottoman palace
• Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, the legendary eight-storey landmark built in 1928
• Four Seasons Hotel Prague, comprised of several riverside multi-era buildings
• Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, the Côte d'Azur's most legendary palace hotel, originally opened in 1908
• Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, the former social club that hosted the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra, originally opened on New Year's Eve 1930 and re-opened as a Four Seasons experience in 2017
• Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, the former Port of London Authority, a Grade II*-listed heritage building overlooking the Thames River
• Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens, the former iconic Astir Palace south of Athens, now the first Four Seasons hotel in Greece
• Twenty Grosvenor Square, A Four Seasons Residence, the former home of the US Naval Forces in Europe and now the first Four Seasons standalone Private Residence
• Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Madrid, which comprises seven historic buildings in the heart of the Spanish capital
• San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel, composed of the Ancient Convent Wing built on the site of a 14th-century convent, and the Grand Hotel Wing, a Liberty-style structure added in 1896
• Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, housed in a landmark modernist building completed in 1968, recognised on the National Register of Historic Places since 2014
• Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, a historic neo-classical building, originally opened in 1894
• Four Seasons Hotel Milano, an impeccably restored former convent dating to the 15th century