Arabtec to build $120m five-star hotel in Syria

Arabtec has won a contract to construct a $120 million (Dh440m) five-star hotel in Syria, a statement said.

The Dubai-based construction company will build Yasmeen Rotana owned by Al Fajr SA of Syria. The construction work is valued at $67m, the company said.

The hotel is the first project to be developed by Bena Properties, a member of Cham Holding and the parent company of Al Fajr SA of Syria.

The hotel is to be built in Mazzeh on the Damascus-Beirut highway, 15 minutes from the heart of Damascus and 35 minutes from Damascus International Airport.

Riad Kamal, Chief Executive Officer of Arabtec Holding, said: "We are very excited about our new project in Syria. Our first project, the Eighth Gate for Emaar-Syria Invest Group Overseas is almost complete, and we are targeting this market aggressively."

Hawazen Esber, Chief Executive Officer of Bena Properties, said: "Our partnership with Arabtec is based on their impressive track record in construction in general, and hotels in particular."

The star property will feature 338 rooms, including three executive floors and three restaurants offering some of the world's most popular cuisine.

It will also have 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.

With its contemporary design and distinctive Damascene tones, the Yasmeen Rotana promises to be one of the best hospitality venues in Syria, the company statement said.

This property will be managed by Rotana, a leading hotel management company in the Middle East and North Africa. Arabtec has worked on some landmark properties such as the world's tallest tower Burj Khalifa, the Address Downtown, Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, among others.

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