Hilton to Announce New Lifestyle Brand at 2009 International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF)

BERLIN, Feb. 9, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hilton Family of Hotels will unveil Project Global21, a global lifestyle brand which complements its existing luxury brands, on 10 March 2009 at the International Hotel Investment Forum held 9-11 March.

The brand reveal will take place at a press conference at 11:15 and conclude with an evening reception at a Berlin landmark to be announced.

"We are so pleased that the Hilton Hotels Corporation has chosen IHIF as the location for their exciting brand reveal. IHIF has long been known as the place where new initiatives are launched, and this positively re-enforces that position," says Jon Leibowitz, (middle left photo) EVP of Questex Media Group, organisers of IHIF.

"We believe this will hold great global appeal for our attendees.

"Project Global21 reaffirms the Hilton Family of Hotels' commitment to the expansion and development of the luxury and lifestyle brands.

The brand will primarily target local influencers, tech-savvy individuals with a global vision and a high disposable income or those just looking for a sensuous retreat. It will offer guests modern convenience, unparalleled personalization, a smart design and will be committed to innovation."

"Project Global21 is a junction where business meets pleasure forever redefining how guests stay and play.

"Our hotels will be born modern through smart design, cultural character and sensitive service delivery-- ever enhancing how guests live now and how guest will live in the future," said Ross Klein, (top right photo) global head, luxury & lifestyle brands, Hilton Family of Hotels.

"Together, with the Hilton Prestige Portfolio, Project Global21 will add to the balance of global connectivity with local destination flavor, offering travelers a wealth of authentic and unique experiences around the globe."

As organisers of top conferences for the hotel and investment industry, Bench Events is a growing entity that currently hosts hotel investment conferences in Berlin, Dubai and Moscow in partnership with other leading providers.

Jonathan Worsley, (bottom right photo) chairman of Bench Events is one of the organizers and founders of the International Hotel Investment Forum held each year in Berlin.

CONTACT:

Michelle Mitchell, +1-216-706-3733, mmitchell@questex.com,

or Christina Harrison, +1-216-706-3770, charrison@questex.com

Web Site: http://www.berlinconference.com/

Hilton chooses Virginia for new HQ

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Hilton Hotels Corporation (Hilton) announced that as part of its previously announced corporate headquarters relocation from Beverly Hills, California (middle left photo) to the greater Washington, DC area, the company has chosen Fairfax County, Virginia as its new home.

Hilton is currently negotiating with prospective landlords in Fairfax County and will announce a site as soon as a lease is finalized.

The relocation, which will significantly reduce the company’s operating expenses, is part of Hilton’s ongoing business reorganization and follows a thorough review of Hilton’s major corporate locations.

Potential locations in the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area were evaluated against multiple criteria, including costs and suitability of available commercial space.

“We are pleased to announce that our global headquarters will be located in Fairfax County, Virginia, and are grateful to the Commonwealth and County for their efforts to create such compelling economic incentives for Hilton,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, (top right photo) President and Chief Executive Officer of Hilton Hotels Corporation.

“We are confident that being based in this location will allow us to be more effective and efficient as an organization, and will provide a high quality of life for our team members.

"We look forward to continuing Hilton’s tradition of community engagement in our new location.”

Nassetta added, “We would also like to thank the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia for their efforts during our selection process. Both Maryland and the District have many positive attributes and are desirable locations for the headquarters of global companies.”

Hilton will invest at least $17 million in the move and create more than 300 permanent, full-time jobs in Fairfax County within the next 36 months.

The comprehensive incentive program for the relocation to the Commonwealth of Virginia and Fairfax County totals $4.6 million in cash grants and other significant incentives. The company also qualifies for a Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit.

Contacts:

Ellen Gonda (ellen.gonda@hilton.com) 310-205-7676 Hilton Hotels Corporation
Gemma Hart (ghart@brunswickgroup.com) 212-333-3810 Brunswick Group

After 40 Years, Hilton Moving from Beverly Hills to DC Area

BEVERLY HILLS, CA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hilton Hotels Corporation (Hilton) plans to relocate its global headquarters from Beverly Hills, CA, (top left photo) to the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Locations in Maryland and Virginia are currently being considered. The move will occur during the third quarter of 2009.

The decision to relocate the company’s headquarters is part of Hilton’s ongoing business reorganization and follows a thoughtful and rigorous review of Hilton’s corporate operations and locations.

Potential locations were evaluated against multiple criteria including costs, proximity to Hilton’s US and international offices, and talent attraction and retention.

Christopher J. Nassetta, (middle right photo) President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “After careful consideration of both the needs of our business and the impact on our organization, we identified the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area as the best market for our business and the right decision for our future.

"Relocating to the DC area will significantly reduce our operating expenses and will position Hilton in a more central location from which to operate a global business, ease coordination across our organization, and better enable us to execute on strategic opportunities.

"Our vision for Hilton is to create the world’s leading hotel company, and this is a necessary and important step toward reaching this goal.”

Nassetta added: “We understand this is a major change for our organization, and we will do our best to minimize disruptions to employees and operations. We have a long history in Beverly Hills and appreciate the support we have received from our civic partners and citizens in the community over the years.”

Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company with more than 3,200 hotels and 545,000 rooms in 77 countries and territories, including 135,000 team members worldwide.

The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded brands, including Hilton®, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations®, Homewood Suites by Hilton® and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection®.

The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton’s (bottom left photo) philosophy that, “It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.”

The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded hotel company: be hospitable®. The philosophy is shared by all brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels, and is the inspiration for its overarching message of kindness and generosity.

Hilton Hotels Corp. Announces Third Major UK Development Deal

Deal Expected to Result in 30 New Properties Focussed on the Hampton by Hilton Brand

LONDON UK, 11 June 2008 – Hilton Hotels Corporation today announced it has signed its latest major strategic development alliance in the UK with HLH Property Ltd. The agreement will see HLH working with Hilton to introduce up to 30 new hotels comprising around 4,000 rooms in the next five years.

This represents the third major UK hotel deal with a leading property partner for Hilton since it declared the intention to grow its family of brands internationally.

The agreement is expected to predominantly focus on Hampton by Hilton™ properties – Hilton’s “new kind of economy hotel” brand offering consistency and comfort for business and leisure travellers alike.

Speaking at the World Economy and Budget Hotels Congress in London today, Phil Cordell, Senior Vice President of Brand Management for Hampton said: “We are delighted with the positive response to Hampton by Hilton internationally and are very excited about working with HLH Property Ltd to gain further momentum for the brand in the UK and Ireland.

“We expect our success in the US to filter through internationally and for Hampton by Hilton to become the UK’s number one economy hotel choice in the future, delivering value for both business and leisure travellers.”

Simon Vincent, Area President of Hilton UK & Ireland said: “Our development pipeline has gained significant momentum over the past year and this agreement with HLH heralds another landmark moment Hilton’s UK and Ireland growth.

“Having already announced substantial alliances with Shiva and Somerston, representing a total of 40 new hotels, this latest deal with HLH highlights our continued ambition to accelerate our expansion plans through the Hilton Family of Brands. Significantly, the sites we are reviewing with HLH do not generally compete with the many other locations where we are in negotiations with other developers and franchisees.”

HLH is a company jointly owned and controlled by David Jason and the Selby family. The stakeholders have collectively over 50 years of real estate experience and have primarily specialised in development across numerous sectors, including hotels. With a disciplined development approach and creative and technical expertise HLH has positioned itself well, to expand within the dynamic hotel sector.

Harvey Selby, Chairman of HLH, said: "We see this as a unique opportunity to maximise market penetration as a developer in a sector with great potential, hand in hand with one of the world’s premier hotel operators.”

CONTACTS:

Katrina Jones, Email: katrina.jones@hilton.com, Tel: +44 (0)20 7856 8313
Chris Daly, Vice President, Daly Gray Public Relations, ph: 703-435-6293

Rome Cavalieri to Join the Prestigious Waldorf=Astoria Collection®

After Four Decades as Italy’s Leading Hotel, Rome Cavalieri (photo above) Becomes the First Hotel in Europe and the Sixth Globally to Join the Luxury Brand of Hilton Hotels Corporation

ROME--Hilton Hotels Corporation has announced that the Rome Cavalieri Hilton, the preferred hotel for global travellers to the Eternal City and the hub for Rome’s society set, will become the first European property to join The Waldorf=Astoria Collection.

“For 45 years, the Rome Cavalieri hotel has been an intrinsic part of Rome’s social fabric and has astonished world travellers with its gracious hospitality, museum-standard collection of art and its grand hilltop setting offering unrivalled views over the Eternal City. This is a magnificent hotel and a pivotal addition to The Waldorf=Astoria Collection,” said Mr. Wolfgang M. Neumann, President for Hilton Hotels Europe.

Welcoming this, the sixth hotel in The Waldorf=Astoria Collection, Ian Carter, (photo at right) President of Global Operations, Hilton Hotels Corporation, said, “Selection for The Waldorf=Astoria Collection is exclusive and only landmark hotels with a reputation for superior service, original architecture or artistic and historical significance receive such designation. Rome Cavalieri meets our parameters and sets a very high reference point for the brand in Europe. The Rome Cavalieri is the perfect first hotel for The Waldorf=Astoria Collection in Europe, and we are excited to welcome it to our growing Collection.”

The Waldorf=Astoria Collection currently has four properties in the United States, comprising the inspiration for the brand, the legendary Waldorf=Astoria® in New York, Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa in Maui, Hawaii, and La Quinta Resort & Club in Southern California. Only one other property has been designated internationally, the 46-suite Qasr al Sharq or “Palace of the Orient” which opened in Jeddah on June 1, 2006 and joined the collection in December, 2006.

Keltner to Step Back from Role at Hilton

BEVERLY HILLS, CA.--Thomas Keltner, Hilton's c.e.o. for the Americas and global brands, has announced he will step down from his position, effective in June. (Hilton Hotels Corp. headquarters, top right photo)

Kendra Walker, v.p. of brand communications, said there are no plans to replace Keltner.

In a statement released by Hilton, Keltner said: "After more than 30 years in the hospitality industry, including eight years with Hilton Hotels Corp., I've announced plans to step away from an active role, effective this June. I will continue to work with Chris Nassetta, c.e.o., as an advisor for a couple of years. During and following that period of time, I will continue to serve on a few boards, increase my involvement in philanthropic endeavors, polish my golf game and do some traveling for pleasure!

"The eight years I have spent with Hilton have been unbelievably exciting and satisfying. Our brands are in good shape and enjoy significant competitive RevPAR premiums. We have received more J.D. Power Awards for customer satisfaction than all our major competitors combined. Our owner relationships, which I greatly value, are solid and based on open, two way communication. Throughout the last eight years, we have opened nearly one new hotel every other day, and our development pipeline is the largest in our history.

"This is a perfect time for me to step back from day to day activities and relaunch into new and exciting directions."

Contact:

Linda Bain

linda.bain@hilton.com

SVP – Global Communications

Hilton Hotels Corporation

Tel: +1 310 205 4030

Cell: + 1 310 435 3285