Al Habtoor Group, a leading UAE-based conglomerate and Hilton, a global hospitality company, have announced a new franchise agreement, effective as of August 1, for the three hotels at Al Habtoor City in Dubai.

The decision to rebrand these properties as Habtoor Palace, LXR Hotels & Resorts, V Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton and Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City was unveiled at a ceremony held at Al Habtoor City today (July 31).

The announcement of the deal comes after a recent statement that the Al Habtoor Group plans to expand its Habtoor Hospitality-management portfolio.

Mohammed Al Habtoor, vice chairman & CEO of the Al Habtoor Group said: “We are pleased to extend our partnership with Hilton to three additional hotel properties at Al Habtoor City, our flagship hospitality, leisure and residential development located in the heart of Dubai. This is a record transition into a new portfolio of brands, a testament to the strong relationship and trust between Al Habtoor Group and Hilton.”

“The announcement today increases our partnership with Hilton from five hotels to eight hotels around the world,” he added.

Ian R Carter, president, Global Development, Architecture, Design & Construction, Hilton, said: “The addition of these three properties is great news for Hilton and strengthens a strategic partnership with Al Habtoor Group which spans across several markets internationally. Our portfolio will now see more than 5,000 rooms open by the end of the year in Dubai, a destination that ranks alongside global powerhouses such as London, Paris and New York in terms of annual visitor numbers.”

Habtoor Palace, LXR Hotels & Resorts

A 234-guest room luxury hotel will operate as an independent property as it joins the upcoming ultra-luxury collection brand from Hilton, LXR Hotels & Resorts. Ideally located on Sheikh Zayed Road and just steps from the Dubai Water Canal, the elegant Habtoor Palace features beaux-arts architecture throughout all guest rooms and public spaces.

V Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton

The first hotel in the UAE to join Curio Collection by Hilton, a global upper upscale portfolio of more than 50 hotels and resorts lauded for their distinct culture and spirit, V Hotel joins 10 pipeline and trading properties in the region. Featuring 356 guest rooms, the property represents next generation art and design and is also the location for Dubai’s first resident show, La Perle by Dragone.

Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City

Centrally situated on both Sheikh Zayed Road and the Dubai Water Canal featuring 1,004 guest rooms, including 142 suites, this hotel under the flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand becomes the largest in Hilton’s Middle East & Africa portfolio. Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City builds on the heritage of Hilton Hotels & Resorts in the country since the brand’s first property opened in 1971, and joins nine properties open across the UAE and nearly 50 in the pipeline across the region.

Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, founding chairman of Al Habtoor Group concluded: “Dubai is a safe haven for tourism and investment. The decision of Hilton to choose Dubai as one of the first locations for its upcoming luxury collection brand is a confirmation of Dubai and the UAE’s robustness and appeal.”

The Al Habtoor Group’s hospitality division includes 14 unique and unrivalled lifestyle destinations, seven in the United Arab Emirates and seven abroad - in the United Kingdom, United States, Lebanon, Austria and Hungary.

The Dubai-based hotels include the three hotels at Al Habtoor City, Hotel Collection, in addition to Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah; Habtoor Grand Resort; Metropolitan Hotel Dubai and the Al Habtoor Polo Resort in Dubailand.

International properties include The Ritz-Carlton Budapest, InterContinental Budapest, Hilton London Wembley, Hotel Imperial Vienna, President Abraham Lincoln Springfield – A DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Hilton Beirut Habtoor Grand and Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace. – TradeArabia News Service