Hilton announced that the first Hilton Garden Inn will open in Luton - just northwest of London, in the United Kingdom.

Owned by Luton Hotel Syndicate, the new Hilton Garden Inn Luton North will be located in Butterfield Business Park and is scheduled to open in 2008.

"We look forward to debuting Hilton Garden Inn in Luton North and establishing the focused service category in the UK with our key brand attributes like complimentary high-speed Internet access, 24-hour business center, the Garden Sleep System bed and Mirra chair by Herman Miller, which have made Hilton Garden Inn the preferred hotel choice for travelers throughout North America," said Adrian Kurre, Senior Vice President – Brand Management, Hilton Garden Inn.

According to Simon Vincent, Area President for Hilton in the UK and Ireland, "This first Hilton Garden Inn signing in England signals a new era for Hilton in the UK and with Luton as an important business hub with a large population centre, a good access to a growing airport and its easy distance to the sights and sounds of London, the launch of the mid-priced Hilton Garden Inn in this location is sure to be a success."

All 155 guest rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn Luton North will feature core Hilton Garden Inn brand offerings including complimentary WiFi in guestrooms and public areas, a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as evening room service. Guests will also enjoy the lounge in the lobby area with a library and fireplace; a bar featuring plasma screen television; the Pavilion Pantry^® shop offering a selection of delicious ready made meals, beverages and snacks; guestrooms featuring a spacious work desk, air conditioning and LCD satellite television; and a "hospitality center" that includes a microwave, mini refrigerator and coffee maker.

Travelers to the Hilton Garden Inn Luton North will also enjoy a variety of flexible meeting spaces including a boardroom and a meeting room with parquet floor and natural lighting; a complimentary workout facility; and on-site hotel parking.

The Hilton Garden Inn Luton North will join other Hilton Garden Inn locations in Europe that include the Hilton Garden Inn Stuttgart NeckarPark in Germany, the Hilton Garden Inn Florence Novoli and the Hilton Garden Inn Rome Airport in Italy – which opened as the brand's 300^th milestone hotel.