Scheduled to open later this year in Scotland's third largest city - the 168-room Patio Hotel Aberdeen will undergo a significant hotel improvement and investment scheme - before being renamed.

Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) has announced that it has entered into a franchise management agreement with Patio Hotel (Aberdeen) Ltd to introduce and open the first Doubletree by Hilton™ hotel product in Scotland.

Hotels across the Doubletree by Hilton portfolio pride themselves on a longstanding tradition of distinctively designed properties that reflect the local area, with the warm welcome of the brand's legendary chocolate chip cookie at check-in, the rewards of the prestigious Hilton HHonors® loyalty programme and a unique and caring commitment to the communities in which they operate.

Doubletree already features a collection of more than 45,000 rooms in more than 190 locations worldwide, predominantly in the United States to date. A rapid worldwide expansion of the Doubletree by Hilton brand has included an aggressive opening plan of upscale, full-service hotels and resorts in Canada, Costa Rica, Peru and the UK with additional hotels and resorts in Italy, Peru, Russia, Slovakia and Thailand anticipated to open during the next several months.

"We are delighted at the great momentum we now have behind the Doubletree by Hilton brand in the UK and we look forward to expanding further with the same core attributes, impeccable service and a sense of contemporary style and individuality," said Dave Horton, senior vice president – brand management for Doubletree Hotels. "This Aberdeen Scotland hotel deal represents yet another important milestone in our brand's worldwide development and complements more than 30 full-service hotels and resorts anticipated to join the Doubletree and Doubletree by Hilton collection during 2008."

This latest development deal represents the continuing expansion of the Doubletree by Hilton brand across the UK. The first Doubletree by Hilton hotel in the UK opened this April in Cambridge. HHC also recently entered into a franchise management agreement in early May with the owners of the historic Dunblaine Hydro hotel, which anticipates converting to the upscale, full-service brand after a massive renovation in 2010.

"With Aberdeen being a centre for business and industry the new Doubletree by Hilton hotel is well placed to make its mark in this market," said Simon Vincent, Area President UK & Ireland. "Through the introduction of the Hilton Family of Brands we are looking to double the size of our existing Hilton estate from 77 to more than 150 in the UK and Ireland. Aberdeen is an excellent example of this plan in action as we already have the Hilton Aberdeen Treetops and have only recently announced plans to build a new £18 million 175-bedroom Hilton Garden Inn at Aberdeen Airport."

The Doubletree by Hilton Aberdeen City Centre will be the largest four-star hotel in the centre of Aberdeen. Located on Aberdeen's famous beachfront area, the hotel is also only half a mile from the heart of the Granite City. Built in 1996, the hotel offers the most modern facilities coupled with traditional Scottish hospitality and spacious luxury accommodation. The hotel is a short car ride away from Aberdeen's International Airport and is close to the city's major road links, railway station, ferry port and the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

"We believe Doubletree's success in the US will be continued here, with our development effort already geared up to identify new conversion opportunities for Doubletree by Hilton hotels. The brand is a great fit for owners who want the benefits of an affiliation without losing out on individuality. We are aiming to have at least 20 Doubletree by Hilton hotels within the UK & Ireland in the next five to ten years."

Hilton currently has 11 hotels across Scotland including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dunkeld and Dundee. This announcement today is reflective of the company's concrete plans to further expand north of the border.