Arabtec wins five-star Syrian hotel deal

Dubai builder Arabtec has been awarded the contract to build a new five-star hotel valued at $120m in the Syrian capital city of Damascus.

The 338-room Yasmeen Rotana Hotel is being developed by Bena Properties, a member of Cham Holding and the parent company of Al Fajr S. A. of Syria, according to a statement by Arabtec on Monday.

The hotel, which will cost about $67m to build, will be located on the Damascus - Beirut highway, 35 minutes from Damascus International Airport, Arabtec said.

“We are very excited about our new project in Syria. Our first project, the 8th Gate for Emaar-Syria Invest Group Overseas (IGO) is almost complete, and we are targeting this market aggressively," said Riad Kamal, CEO of Arabtec Holding.

The hotel will have three restaurants an executive lounge, a 600-seat banquet hall, six meeting rooms, a spa, a fitness centre with swimming pool, a sky bar and a cigar lounge.