Hilton Worldwide, McLean, Virginia, signed an agreement with Al Habtoor Group, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to convert two of its properties to the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand and to develop Dubai’s first Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts branded hotel.
The agreement will see Hilton Worldwide enter Lebanon by converting the 195-room Habtoor Grand and the 183-room Metropolitan Palace to the Hilton Beirut Habtoor Grand and Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace. Both hotels are located in Beirut’s city center and are expected to open in early 2012.
The companies also signed an agreement to develop the 324-room Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, the first luxury resort by the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts brand in Dubai. The resort is planned to open at the end of 2013.
“We have been looking forward to entering Lebanon and are very pleased that we are able to do so with this caliber of properties,” said Christopher Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide. “Equally, Waldorf Astoria’s heritage and prestige is a perfect fit for Dubai.”
