The Syrian-Swiss owner of Beit Zafran, Gabriela Wengert, meticulously restored this former Ottoman mansion (built in 1836) over several years, taking great pride in bringing it back to its former beauty. True to its authentic form, its 12 exquisite rooms and suites are built around the house’s two inner courtyards with their magnificent original marble fountains and the scent of jasmine. The “liwan” with its original wooden ceiling and stucco decoration is a seating area open to the courtyard where you can escape the heat and buzz of Damascus.