Posted on: Saturday, February 5, 2005
Hilton may expand in Hawai'i
Advertiser Staff
Hilton Hotels Corp. is planning a major expansion of its luxury Conrad brand, and Hawai'i is among the locations the company is considering.
Advertiser library photo "They are looking at many locations, Hawai'i being one of them," said Cynthia Rankin, regional director of public relations for Hilton Hawaii.
The goal of the program is to propel Conrad, named after Hilton founder Conrad Hilton, into direct competition with top-dollar rivals like Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton. Both have properties in Hawai'i: the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu, and the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua on Maui.
Dieter Huckestein, recently named chairman and chief executive officer of Conrad Hotels, said the Conrad chain will be priced slightly below Four Seasons in most markets. Conrad hotels have butler service and spas, and at many properties, guests will bypass the front counter and be escorted directly to their rooms to check in.
Huckestein said he is in serious discussions for possible Conrads in Washington, D.C., Boston, New York, Orlando, Fla., Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Phoenix, Seattle and Hawai'i and two resorts in Mexico. Huckestein's background in the hotel industry includes working as Hilton's senior vice president for the Hawai'i/California/Arizona region.
New Conrad Hotels are scheduled to open in Tokyo and Phuket, Thailand, in 2005, in Las Vegas and Indianapolis in 2006 and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2007.
Conrad Hotels, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, is equally owned by the Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Hilton Hotels Corp. and U.K.-based Hilton International Co.
Hilton Hotels this week announced plans to increase the number of Conrad Hotels from 17 to as many as 50 by 2010.
Hilton Hotels is planning to increase the number of its Conrad Hotels, possibly putting one in Hawai'i. The Conrad line, as exemplified by the Conrad Bali, above, specializes in luxury resorts and likely would compete with Four Seasons Resort and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Hawai'i.
