Jumeirah Group has signed a letter of understanding with locally based Souria Holding to manage Jumeirah Abraj Souria, a newly planned five-star hotel development in the Baramkeh area of central Damascus in Syria.

The hotel will be part of Abraj Souria, a mixed-use development covering 300,000sq m (3.2m sq ft) that will contain commercial and retail elements, including a shopping mall, entertainment facilities and an office tower. It is expected the development will take 4-5 years to complete

Jumeirah Abraj Souria will have 350 luxury guestrooms and 100 luxury serviced apartments. The hotel - 2km (1.2miles) from Damascus old town - will also include a Talise Spa, several restaurants and extensive conference, banqueting and leisure facilities.

Image: Gerald Lawless, executive chairman of Jumeirah Group, and Haytham S Joud, chairman of Souria Holding