News

Hilton Hotels Corporation has announced that it will sell two of its biggest UK hotels - the 1,054-room Hilton London Metropole and the 794-room Hilton Birmingham Metropole.

The London Metropole is the largest business hotel in the UK, the Birmingham Metropole the second largest.

Hilton will retain long-term management contracts on both hotels, and they will continue to bear the Hilton name, a key draw for international visitors.

'The hotel transaction market continues to be vibrant,' said Hilton's executive vice president Robert La Forgia, revealing that the sale would increase the sum raised by the company's asset disposal programme, launched in early 2005, to more than £1 billion.

Under the programme, Hilton sold 15 of its hotels to the Royal Bank of Scotland for £384.2m last November, and reportedly intends to sell all 400 hotels outside America.

'We intend to place further hotels on the market', said Mr Forgia, adding, 'We have recently listed 11 properties across Europe'.

The European and worldwide hotels sold, to include the Hilton Luxembourg and Hilton Durban, will remain under Hilton management and bear the superbrand name for at least three decades.


© Adfero Ltd