Hilton has quietly launched a new luxury collection brand LXR Hotels and Resorts, with the former St Regis Dubai Al Habtoor City the first to join the brand.
The group has rebranded three Marriott hotels within the mixed use Al Habtoor City development, with the Westin Dubai, Al Habtoor City becoming the Hilton Dubai, Al Habtoor City, and the W Dubai Habtoor City morphing into the V Hotel Dubai, Curio Collection by Hilton.
But the most interesting of the rebrands is the luxury St Regis property (pictured), which has become the Habtoor Palace, LXR Hotels and Resorts.
Hilton has yet to make a launch announcement for the new brand, but in a press release detailing the reflagging of the three hotels, the group describes the Habtoor Palace as “A 234-guest room luxury hotel [which] will operate as an independent property as it joins the upcoming luxury collection brand from Hilton, LXR Hotels and Resorts”.
If you think you’ve heard of the brand before, you probably have. It previously launched in 2005, when the Blackstone Group acquired Wyndham International. The LXR branded hotels were then reflagged as Hilton properties in 2007 when Blackstone acquired the group.
Marriott announced the debranding of the St Regis, W and Westin properties last month – at the time it was not clear how the hotels would be branded going forward. In a statement Marriott said:
“Marriott International and Al Habtoor Group, have agreed Marriott International will no longer manage or otherwise be associated with The St. Regis Dubai, W Dubai Habtoor City and The Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City, with effect from July 31, 2018.
“These hotels will no longer be part of the St. Regis, W Hotels and Westin Hotels global brand portfolios. This is a mutual decision reached amicably between the parties.”
Commenting on the addition of the hotels to the Hilton portfolio, Ian Carter, President, Global Development, Architecture, Design and Construction, Hilton, said:
“The addition of these three properties is great news for Hilton and strengthens a strategic partnership with Al Habtoor Group which spans across several markets internationally.
“Our portfolio will now see more than 5,000 rooms open by the end of the year in Dubai, a destination that ranks alongside global powerhouses such as London, Paris and New York in terms of annual visitor numbers.”
