The presence of fluoride anions in the synthesis gel leads to zeolite BEA with high hydrothermal stability. This longer lifetime is caused by a lower concentration of internal silanol defects that are sites of the initial framework hydrolysis eventually destroying the lattice structure. The lifetime of these zeolites was the higher the lower the concentration of framework bridging hydroxyl groups that form hydronium ions was. While lattice hydrolysis was initiated at defect sites in all cases, the role of defects became less important as the concentration of hydronium ions increased. At higher concentration of hydrated hydronium ions, the presence of water associated with the hydrated hydronium ions limits the useful lifetime of zeolite catalysts in water. For such materials, the selective hydrophobization of the external surface extends the lifetime.