Hilton has signed a franchise agreement with Annexum to develop two hotels totalling 480 rooms in Rotterdam. Mainport Hotel Rotterdam, Curio Collection by Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton Rotterdam Centre are due to open in 2024 following renovations, during which both hotels will remain operational and will be trading as Hilton affiliate hotels. Investment manager Annexum recently acquired the two hotels, which will become the first properties under the Curio Collection by Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton brands in Rotterdam, and join Hilton Rotterdam and Motto by Hilton Rotterdam Blaak in the Dutch city.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, Hilton senior vice president of development in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said that Hilton has a proud legacy in the Netherlands dating back more than 60 years.
“We’re actively growing our portfolio to cater to customer demand, with 18 hotels now trading or under development. Rotterdam is a dynamic city with a vibrant cultural scene, and the arrival of the Curio Collection by Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton will add to its appeal as a destination. With this partnership with Annexum, we will enhance Hilton’s presence in Rotterdam, serving an even greater variety of traveller needs,” said Fitzgibbon.
The first Curio Collection by Hilton property in the city, Mainport Hotel Rotterdam, will feature views of both the waterfront and city centre of Rotterdam from wraparound windows, as well as 215 characterful and spacious guest rooms. The hotel will also include an on-site bar and restaurant, overlooking the River Maas and serving a delicious menu of dishes and cocktails. Guests will also be able to experience the hotel’s top-floor spa and fitness facilities. For business travellers, the hotel will include 600 square metres of conference and events space, set across ten meeting rooms.
Curio Collection by Hilton is an upper upscale, global portfolio of one-of-a-kind hotels handpicked for their unique character; each one is an integral part of the destination it calls home. Recent openings include Hotel Montera Madrid, Curio Collection by Hilton, Domes Aulus Elounda, Curio Collection by Hilton in Crete and Reykjavik’s Iceland Parliament Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton.
Occupying the adjacent building at the base of the Erasmus Bridge, DoubleTree by Hilton Rotterdam Centre’s 265 guest rooms will include rooms with waterfront views and panoramas of the city, and a bar and restaurant available to guests at both Mainport Hotel Rotterdam and DoubleTree by Hilton Rotterdam Centre. The hotel will have its own spa facilities and swimming pool, with many of these facilities available to guests at both hotels. DoubleTree by Hilton Rotterdam Centre’s meeting spaces, located on the 15th and 16th floors, will provide a jaw-dropping backdrop for meetings and events with views of the harbour city’s skyline, the River Maas and the port. Across the two properties, there will be an impressive, combined meetings and events capacity of 800.
DoubleTree by Hilton is a fast-growing, global portfolio of upscale hotels with a philosophy of making guests feel comfortable while travelling, including through DoubleTree’s signature warm cookie welcome at check-in. DoubleTree by Hilton Rotterdam Centre joins other hotels operating under the brand in the Netherlands, with two properties in Amsterdam, one in Sittard and one in Soestduinen.
Ronald Jansen, partner of Annexum, said that Rotterdam’s popularity with business and leisure travellers is only getting stronger.
“In partnership with Hilton, we’re confident these hotels, which we have just acquired, will be hugely popular with guests. Their superior location in central Rotterdam makes the properties ideal for conversion. We couldn’t be more pleased to elevate their offering with the DoubleTree by Hilton and Curio Collection by Hilton brands,” said Jansen.
Jansen added that the company was looking forward to welcoming guests to the new hotels following the renovations.
