China's first Conrad - the luxury range and Scandic by Hilton, the group's mid market offering to open.

Hilton International (HI) has signed two new management contracts for Beijing, including the first Conrad hotel in China and the first Scandic by Hilton outside Europe to open in 2008. Together with the existing Hilton Beijing, the three hotels will make Hilton history by offering for the first time, a complete lineup of HI brands in a single city.

Said Koos Klein, President of Hilton Middle East & Asia Pacific, "With the signing of these two new contracts, Beijing becomes the first city in the world to support three Hilton International brands including the luxury-tier Conrad, the upscale Hilton and the mid-market Scandic by Hilton.

Both hotels are part of mixed-use sites and are located in two separate but equally prominent inner-city precincts. Developed by the China Overseas Real Estate Development Corporation, they are scheduled to open in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Conrad Beijing
The Conrad Beijing will comprise 200 hotel guest rooms and 100 serviced apartments and will feature a variety of restaurants and extensive meetings facilities including an auditorium and a ballroom with a capacity for more than 500 people, as well as a full facility spa and health club. It will appeal to premium travelers seeking luxury, recognition and first class service.

The Conrad will be located on Chang An Avenue, between the Second Ring Road and the Third Ring Road in the Chaoyang District, where the Friendship Store will be turned into a 200,000m2 mixed-use development. The hotel will take up approximately a quarter of the development and the rest will be made up of grade A offices and a large multi storey retail space. Chang An Avenue is the centre of China's political, economic and cultural activities and is known as the "First Street of China."


Scandic by Hilton
Scandic by Hilton Beijing will feature 400-guest rooms and 100-serviced apartments. Public facilities include two restaurants, a lounge, a number of meeting rooms, a ballroom, and a health club and swimming pool.

Like Conrad Beijing, this hotel will also form part of a 200,000 m2 mixed- use development site, which includes retail, office space and underground parking. It is located in the southwest quarter of the city on Guanganmenwai Street between the West Second Ring Road and the West Third Ring Road and is less than 10 minutes drive from Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

Scandic by Hilton is the leading hotel chain in Northern Europe with 135 properties and 23,500 rooms covering ten countries. The concept is based on easy and accessible travel for business and leisure with an emphasis on relaxed 'Nordic common sense'. According to Koos Klein, "It offers travellers a contemporary hotel space from a trustworthy brand at a value-for-money proposition."

In other expansion news in China, Hilton International will open its first Hilton Worldwide Resort in the People's Republic on Hainan Island this December. The 500-room Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa is located on prime beachfront land in Yalong Bay and is home to a full spa facility. Meanwhile, the 30-storey, 410-room Hilton Xiamen is scheduled to open early 2007.