Hilton seals Waldorf deal

Hilton is to take over the operation of London's Waldorf hotel under a lease agreement with owner Royal Bank of Scotland.

The five-star, 303-bedroom hotel, which has been undergoing a £25m refurbishment, will be renamed the Waldorf Hilton under the agreement.

The hotel is one of two Le Méridien hotels owned by Royal Bank of Scotland that were put into administrative receivership in July.

Under the deal, the hotel's 115 staff and general manager Amanda Scott will join Hilton on or before 31 January 2004, when the existing management agreement expires.

Wolfgang Neumann, Hilton UK & Ireland area president, said: "Hilton is delighted to be given the opportunity to operate this flagship property in central London with a strong reputation based on quality. The Waldorf Hilton will make a major contribution to our growing portfolio in London."

Hilton currently operates 13 hotels in central London, and the deal is expected to fill the gap that will be left by the expiry next May of its management contract for the 439-bedroom Langham Hilton.

Marriott International is rumoured to be the frontrunner to take over the operation of the 453-bedroom Grosvenor House hotel on Park Lane, the second of the RBS-owned properties placed into administrative receivership.

RBS is also understood to be in the process of appointing operators for the other nine hotels it owns, with former UK and Ireland managing director of Le Méridien Tony Troy thought to be taking control of up to five of the properties.

by Nic Paton and Samantha McClary

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