Hilton Worldwide launches new Curio brand
Hilton Worldwide has introduced a new hotel brand called Curio, more than three years after it was forced to abandon the development of its Denizen brand.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /?>
The US-based company said that Curio would become a global collection of "distinctive" four- to five-star hotels.
Initially, a total of five hotels in the USA will carry the brand, including the SLS Las Vegas. The new hotel and casino is due to open on the site of what was the Sahara hotel and resort at the end of the Las Vegas Strip following a $415 million renovation, which includes the total redevelopment of three existing Sahara towers.
Hilton said the brand was created for travellers who "seek local discovery and authentic experiences".
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Other hotels confirmed to be taking on the Curio brand include: the Sam Houston hotel in Houston, Texas; Hotel Alex Johnson in Rapid City, San Diego; The Franklin hotel in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and a soon-to-be-named hotel development in downtown Portland, Ore
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The announcement is a significant move for Hilton, which in 2009 was accused by Starwood Hotels and Resorts of using stolen documents to help it develop Denizen, after two former Starwood employees who had helped launch Starwood's successful W brand moved to Hilton.
Asked whether Curio would be coming to the UK, a Hilton Worldwide spokesman said: "We are actively looking at projects in the UK and Europe, particularly in London and other mature markets."
The introduction of Curio means that Hilton Worldwide now has 11 brands, six of which are in Europe - across nearly 4,000 hotels.
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