Recent hurricanes have had a significant financial impact on one of Host Hotels & Resorts’ flagship assets, with the company reporting that repairs and resilience enhancements at The Don CeSar hotel in Florida will amount to $105 million according to its end-of-year 2025 filing. This large sum draws attention to the mounting expenses caused by severe weather and highlights the ongoing challenge of addressing climate risk in the hospitality industry.
Major Repair Efforts Following 2024 Hurricanes
Substantial hurricane damage hit The Don CeSar, a landmark on St. Pete Beach, in 2024 as a result of hurricanes Helene and Milton. In response, Host Hotels & Resorts directed a sizable share of its capital budget to handle extensive repairs and rebuilding at the property. Specifically, about 30% of the $105 million invested so far addresses the destruction from these storms.
Across its portfolio, Host Hotels & Resorts allocated $75 million—equal to approximately 11.6% of its total capital expenditure for 2025—for hurricane-related damage repairs and additional restoration projects. Insurance recoveries partially offset these costs, as Host received $73 million in settlements by its latest filing. These proceeds took into account not only the physical damage but also business interruption losses due to The Don CeSar’s temporary closure.
The Don CeSar’s Road to Restoration
After the 2024 hurricanes, The Don CeSar was closed for repairs until late March 2025. By the third quarter, the hotel had fully reopened all its amenities to guests, reaching an important recovery milestone as full operations resumed.
Host Hotels & Resorts also reported that, over the six years prior to December 2025, roughly 8% of its total capital spending was directed toward initiatives intended to strengthen its assets against future climate risks. This focus illustrates a broader industry trend, as companies attempt to adapt to more frequent, intense storms. Nonetheless, Host emphasized that resilience spending, while essential, does not remove the potential for future climate-related losses.
Industry-Wide Implications
By offering a detailed, itemized breakdown of its hurricane-related repair and resilience expenditures, Host stands out among hospitality companies, which often roll these expenses into broader capital allocations. The restoration of The Don CeSar highlights the ongoing difficulties hotels in hurricane-exposed markets face when weighing costs of disaster recovery against efforts to improve safety and reduce risk.
Host’s experience at The Don CeSar demonstrates that, despite substantial investments and insurance payouts, catastrophic events continue to threaten operations. The company’s detailed disclosures may set an example for how hospitality businesses approach and report climate-related losses as weather risks intensify.