Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has signed an agreement with Mase Company, a firm managed by Brilliant Role Group to open a new 202-room hotel in Dohuk, Iraq.

Set to debut early next year, the facility will be the first of four new Starwood hotels to open in Iraq after 20 years and also the first internationally-branded hotel in the emerging city of Dohuk.

Situated on the border of Turkey, the Sheraton Dohuk Hotel will be ideally located at the top of a hill with stunning views overlooking the entire city and nearby mountains, said a statement from Sheraton.

The hotel will feature an all-day dining venue, a signature restaurant, and four lounges. Sheraton Dohuk Hotel is set to become the choice gathering place for business travellers, offering extensive meeting and event space, including three ballrooms for special events, it added.

Michael Wale, the president, Starwood Hotels & Resorts (Europe, Africa and Middle East) said, "We look forward to a long-term partnership with Mase Co as we enter into our first hotel development together with the introduction of the Sheraton brand into Dohuk."

“We are proud to be part of the development of this important region in Iraq as we bring a new level of hospitality to the local community and to international travellers,” he observed.

Zakaria Abdulla, the chairman of Brilliant Role Group said, “As Dohuk continues to grow as an emerging city in the Middle East, there will be a strong demand for an international hotel brand such as Sheraton. The signing of Sheraton Dohuk Hotel is in line with our vision to support the development of the Kurdistan region as a key business destination.”

According to him, the hotel will feature the brand’s signature Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft, Sheraton Club Lounge and Sheraton Fitness, Programmed by Core Performance, designed exclusively for Sheraton guests through its partner Core Performance.

"All guest rooms will be feature the all-white Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed, designed to meet AAA’s Five Diamond Award criteria. Guests can also pamper themselves in Sheraton Shine Spa," he added.

Bart Carnahan, the senior VP (Acquisitions & Development) Starwood Hotels & Resorts, EMEA said: “Sheraton continues to be a first-mover into many new markets around the world, and remains a popular choice for owners and developers in both primary and secondary markets.”

“As part of our global growth strategy, we seek new frontiers for our brands, and the signing of Sheraton Dohuk Hotel marks a significant milestone as we look for the right expansion opportunities in Iraq and throughout the Middle East,” he noted.

Starwood, he said, currently operates nearly 50 hotels in the Middle East and continues to strengthen its long-established position as one of the leading luxury hotel operators in the region, with plans to open over 30 hotels in the next few years.

Sheraton Dohuk will mark Starwood’s re-entry into Iraq, which will be followed by the opening of Sheraton Erbil Hotel, Aloft Erbil and Four Points by Sheraton Erbil in the booming capital of Kurdistan capital in 2015.-TradeArabia News Service