Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and McLean, Va. - Hilton today announced at the African Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) the signing of Hampton by Hilton Sandton Grayston, a deal which marks the first for the brand in Africa and a milestone of 100 hotels trading or under development on the African continent for Hilton in its centenary year.
A franchise agreement was signed with Afrirent Pty through its Indalo Hotels & Leisure subsidiary, a level one Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) third party operating company. Indalo will be the operator of the 158-guestroom Hampton by Hilton hotel in Sandton, the financial capital of South Africa. This mid-market property will join Hilton’s flagship upscale Hilton Sandton, offering additional choice for travellers to the district near Johannesburg, commonly known as “Africa’s richest Square Mile.” Construction is scheduled to begin at the site on Grayston Drive in early 2020 with first guests set to be welcomed by mid-2021.
Hampton by Hilton offers high-quality and thoughtfully designed accommodations, award-winning customer service culture and value-added amenities – all backed by the industry-leading 100 percent Hampton Guarantee™. Hilton’s largest brand now offers 2,500 properties and nearly 260,000 rooms worldwide across 27 countries and territories.
Hilton has enjoyed a rapid period of expansion in the focused service segment through the Hilton Garden Inn brand, which has operational hotels in six African markets and a further 10 under development. Hampton by Hilton is expected to compliment this growth and provide owners and customers with greater choice.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, Senior Vice President, Development, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Hilton said: “With this being our 100th year, reaching the milestone of 100 hotels allows us to reflect on our rich legacy of pioneering tourism on the African continent but also to look to the future. We continue to step up the pace of our growth, especially in the mid-market segment which presents a tremendous opportunity as evidenced by the rapid expansion of Hilton Garden Inn on the continent since its debut in 2016.”
2019 has seen Hilton open four properties in Africa, entering three new markets whilst also further strengthening its multi-brand pipeline. Highlights include:
- Bringing its lifestyle Canopy by Hilton brand to Africa, through the signing of Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof
- Confirming the signing of two landmark flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties in Uganda and DR Congo Hilton Kampala and Hilton Kinshasa
- Accelerating its growth in the focused service segment, opening Hilton Garden Inn hotels in three new countries:
- Continuing to establish its footprint in Morocco with the opening of Hilton Tanger Al Houara Golf Resort & Spa with the Hilton Taghazout Bay due to open in 2020
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 23 world-class brands comprising more than 7,600 properties and nearly 1.2 million rooms, in 126 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for seven consecutive years. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the nearly 190 million Hilton Honors members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.