First Hilton Worldwide Hotel in Yucatan Capital of Merida due to open in 2011

Hilton Worldwide has announced that it has signed a multi-year management agreement with Consorcio Hotelero S.A. de C.V. for a Doubletree by Hilton full-service hotel in Mexico. Construction of the Doubletree by Hilton, Merida is expected to begin this month with a scheduled completion in March 2011.

This latest announcement reinforces the continued growth of Hilton Worldwide in the region, and the further development success of the upscale, full-service Doubletree by Hilton brand across Latin America.

Strategically located in Merida’s hotel zone and business district, the Doubletree by Hilton, Merida offers convenient access to the city’s most important points and proximity to restaurants, shopping, and more. Just ten minutes from Merida International Airport, the brand new Doubletree by Hilton, Merida will offer 100 guest rooms and suites, 3,000 square feet of meeting space, a full-service restaurant, lobby bar, pool and fitness center.

Known as “the White City” due to the color of the city’s older buildings and its cleanliness, Merida is the largest city and capital in Mexico’s state of Yucatan. A cultural haven, Merida was designated as the first American capital of culture in 2000 and is home to an array of museums, art galleries, theaters, restaurants and shopping, complemented by the city’s colonial architecture and vibrant ambiance. Visitors to Merida can also enjoy a day trip to the Chichen Itza ruins, one of the most visited archaeological sites of Mexico.

Doubletree by Hilton is a proud member of the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of hotels with a fast-growing network that spans more than 220 locations around the world. Some Doubletree by Hilton characteristic qualities include the warm worldwide welcome of the brand’s legendary chocolate chip cookie to every guest at check-in, the rewards of the prestigious Hilton HHonors loyalty program and 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 travelers to stay. Doubletree by Hilton hotels also participate in Hilton HHonors®, the only guest rewards program that allows members to earn Points & Miles® for the same stay and redeem points for free nights with No Blackout Dates at more than 3,500 hotels worldwide.

Hilton Worldwide currently has a portfolio of 22 hotels and resorts in Mexico across a number of brands including resort areas such as Cancun and Los Cabos, to the most recent addition which debuted in December 2009: Hilton Mexico City Reforma. The company has a Hilton Garden Inn property under development in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas and is actively pursuing additional growth opportunities in Mexico.