For the last four years it seems HotelDesigns has been tipping Poland to be the hot spot for hotel development in Europe. Polish hotel contract suppliers have told us they believe that Poland is still 50% ‘underhoteled’.
Rezidor identified Poland as a prime target for Radisson Blu and Park Inn,Starwood have been developing Polish Westin,Sheraton and W, whilst the announcement below shows that Hilton too are now in the game, along with Vienna International, operators of the Andels Hotel Lodz and many independantsHilton Worldwide has announced the signing of franchise agreements for Doubletree in Warsaw and Lodz, Poland. The announcement marks a significant entry for the Doubletree by Hilton brand into the Polish market and the future arrival of the country’s largest conference hotel in the heart of the capital city.
Modern met medieval with the opening of Hilton Gdansk, a new hotel designed by renowned Polish architect Prof. Stefan Kurlylowicz. The hotel is a striking addition to Gdansk’s old city area and is designed to complement the city’s wealth of historic buildings with its timeless features and use of traditional materials. Hilton Gdansk is the second Hilton hotel in Poland, where the brand has had a presence since 2007 with Hilton Warsaw Hotel and Convention Centre.
The two newly constructed Doubletree hotels hotels will provide business travellers with some of the most extensive hotel conference venues in Poland; with 1,000 square metres of dedicated meeting space at the Doubletree by Hilton, Lodz and more than 3,000 square metres of meeting space at the Doubletree by Hilton, Warsaw Conference Centre and Spa.
The Doubletree Warsaw Conference Centre and Spa will be operated by Polaris Hospitality Enterprises Sp.z.o.o and is expected to open in Q2 2012. The Doubletree by Hilton Lodz will be operated by Film Hotel Sp.z.o.o and is expected to open in Q4 2012.
Welcoming today’s announcement, Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president – development for Hilton Worldwide Europe and Africa, said: “Poland represents a substantial opportunity in the introduction of our portfolio of brands around the world. We have dedicated significant development resources to Poland and I am delighted that we are now introducing Doubletree by Hilton to the market, starting with these two excellent properties.”
Rob Palleschi, global head for Doubletree by Hilton hotels, commented: “Doubletree by Hilton has seen remarkable growth since its European introduction in 2008 and we are proud to continue our development success in Poland. With our current collection of Doubletree by Hilton hotels operating in Europe and 15 additional hotels now under development in the region, the potential for owners and developers of current and new-build hotels to become affiliated with Hilton Worldwide and the Doubletree by Hilton brand has never been greater.”
Doubletree by Hilton Warsaw Conference Centre and Spa will offer 347 bedrooms, two restaurants, two bars, a spa and more than 3,000 square metres of conference facilities. The hotel will be easily reached by both road and air, located just 16 kilometres from Warsaw airport and nearby to a new Warsaw orbital road, which has quick connections to Krakow, Wroclaw and Poznan.
Doubletree by Hilton Lodz will offer 200 bedrooms, a restaurant, two bars, a spa and more than 1,000 square metres of conference facilities. Located in the south western part of Lodz, renowned for being the centre of Poland’s film and media industries, the hotel is only five minutes from the city centre and five kilometres from the airport.
Doubletree by Hilton characteristic qualities include a unique and caring commitment to the communities in which they operate. Doubletree by Hilton believes in a set of business values that make their hotels a desirable place for employees to work and a satisfying place for travellers to stay. This can include sponsoring local schools and being active participants in the local community.
Hilton Worldwide has identified Poland as one of its key European growth markets for the rollout of its portfolio of hotel brands. The company currently operates one hotel in the country – the upscale Hilton Warsaw Hotel and Convention Centre – and has a further two full-service Hilton properties in the pipeline to open in Gdansk and Wroclaw, as well as Hilton Garden Inn properties in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Rzeszow and Krakow.
