Hilton Worldwide announces double arrival into St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia & MCLEAN, Virginia – Hilton Worldwide today announced the signing of a management agreement with Expoforum JSC for a dual-branded project featuring a Hilton and a Hampton by Hilton hotel. The new properties will be located at Expoforum, Russia’s newest international convention and exhibition center, and are expected to join the portfolio in early 2014. This latest signing increases Hilton Worldwide’s presence in Russia to 19 hotels that are either currently operating or under development.

Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, Europe and Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said: “Russia is a very exciting strategic development market for Hilton Worldwide, and with our hotel development moving at great pace across the country, we are delighted to secure our first hotels in St. Petersburg. This will be our first dual-branded project in the country, a formula which brings significant benefits to both investor partners and customers looking for either an economy or upscale hotel offering.”

The newly-built hotels form part of a large convention complex, which includes significant congress and exhibition space, as well as office buildings, car parking, and warehouse facilities. The hotels will be located on the main route to the cities of Pushkin and Pavlovsk, within easy reach of the emerging business areas around Pulkovo Airport, as well as the car manufacturing zone of Shushary, which is often referred to as the “Detroit of Russia.” St. Petersburg is Russia’s second largest city and acts as a key economic and political center, as well as a global tourist destination.

Hilton St. Petersburg Expoforum – offering 241 guest rooms, including 21 suites – will provide guests with the world-renowned Hilton Hotels & Resorts upscale and full-service hospitality. The hotel will feature a speciality restaurant, an all-day dining restaurant, and lobby bar, as well as event space totaling 1,600 square meters, a business center, and a health club with an indoor swimming pool. Hilton Hotels & Resorts was ranked the “Number One Hotel Brand” in Russia for the second year in the BDRC Russian Hotel Business Guest Survey.

Hampton by Hilton St. Petersburg Expoforum will also offer meeting rooms and a fitness suite, and will feature the brand’s signature offerings with a stylish lobby and free Internet access throughout. Guests can also expect comfortable guestrooms featuring the “Cozy Hampton Bed.” Hampton by Hilton is designed and styled to appeal to business and leisure travelers, offering best-in-class service and comfort. Other guest amenities include the free hot breakfast, a 24-hour snack area that features light entrees and sandwiches, and a traditional bar.

Natalia Konovalenko, Expoforum board of directors and chairperson, said: “We are delighted to work on this outstanding project in St. Petersburg together with Hilton Worldwide. Congress delegates and trade fair participants and visitors will have a range of accommodation meeting the high standards of Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Hampton by Hilton.”

Hilton Worldwide has three hotels open and operating in Russia including Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya, DoubleTree by Hilton Novosibirsk, and Hilton Garden Inn Perm. Most recently the company announced the signing of Hampton by Hilton Voronezh, which is expected to open in early 2013.

Further properties under development and expected to open in 2012 include: DoubleTree by Hilton Perm, Hilton Garden Inn Ulyanovsk, DoubleTree by Hilton, Moscow Leningradsky-Riverside, Hilton Garden Inn Yaroslavl, Hilton Garden Inn Moscow New Riga, and Hilton Garden Inn Krasnodar.