After conquering several destinations in 2021, including Las Vegas, Kyoto, Seattle and the Seychelles, the luxury brands of the Hilton Group – Conrad, LXR Hotels and Waldorf Astoria - The year 2022 will be a prolific one, with hotels opening in a number of markets. For example, Waldorf Astoria will be opening a new resort in Cancun, Mexico, as well as an urban hotel in the Middle East, in one of Kuwait's main shopping and leisure areas, The Avenues complex. Expected in spring, the Waldorf Astoria Kuwait will offer 200 rooms and suites, a vast spa, a host of restaurants including a renowned Japanese restaurant, as well as meeting and event spaces, including a spectacular ballroom.
The American group also announced the arrival by 2025-2026 of Waldorf Astoria hotels in Japan, in Osaka and in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. Meanwhile, Conrad Hotels has unveiled a new project in Chongqing, China, scheduled for 2023. Already well established in Asia-Pacific, this brand will continue its expansion there in 2022. Following the recent opening of the Conrad Jiuzhaigou, in the Chinese province of Sichuan, the brand is preparing to open its first hotel in Shanghai in January. Located on People Square, close to tourist attractions and office buildings, the Conrad Shanghai With over 700 rooms, it will be the brand's largest hotel in Asia.
Nevertheless, next year will see the brand gain ground in the Americas and the EMEA zone, notably with a hotel, the Conrad Tulum, nestling in the tropical vegetation of the Riviera Maya in Mexico, and closer to home a resort in Sardinia, the Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia, expected next spring. More aimed at business travellers, Los Angeles will see the development of a 305-room luxury hotel in a building designed by Frank Gehry and decorated by Tara Bernerd & Partners. Also in the United States, Conrad Hotels is in the process of landing in the heart of Nashville with a 234-room and suite hotel featuring a vast MICE area.
" I am delighted to see our Waldorf Astoria portfolio expanding into new markets in Mexico and the Middle East, as well as Conrad's growing footprint in the Americas and Europe." said Matt Schuyler, head of the Hilton brand. But next year, the brand's development will also include Morocco, and its capital Rabat. Expected in the autumn, the Conrad Rabat Arzana is part of the Arzana luxury resort complex, overlooking the ocean. As well as offering 120 rooms and two restaurants, the hotel will also feature over 600 square metres of event space, including a large ballroom and four meeting rooms.
Finally, the latest addition to Hilton's luxury brands, the LXR Hotels collection & Resorts opened a number of landmark properties in 2021, including Santa Monica, Las Vegas and Seattle in the Atlantic, as well as the Seychelles and Kyoto. Over the next few years, the company is set to continue its expansion in the Middle East, with a number of signings in the region due to be announced shortly. One thing is certain: its development will take place in Saudi Arabia, with an 80-room retreat integrated into the Diriyah Gate tourism development project near Riyadh.
