Hilton commits to major new Papua project

Hilton has signed its first hotel in Papua New Guinea, as part of a major new complex that will also include a convention centre.

Under a new management agreement with Star Mountain Plaza Ltd (SMPL), Hilton will operate the newly-built Hilton Port Moresby and convention centre in the Star Mountain Plaza development in Papua’s capital city.

The 212-room hotel will form part of a new 16-storey mixed-use tower which will also include office and retail space and 128 apartments. Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2015 and be completed by late 2017.

“Papua New Guinea is one of the world’s last tourism frontiers,” said Rob Palleschi, Hilton’s global head of full service brands. “Port Moresby is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea, and the main port of entry into Papua New Guinea by air and sea, making it a key gateway location. Today we are delighted to fly the Hilton flag in yet another attractive leisure destination here in Port Moresby.”

Hilton Port Moresby will comprise of 164 standard rooms (33m²), 46 executive suites (46.5m²) and two chairman suites (117m²), along with four restaurants, two bars, a business centre, health club, spa and outdoor pool, plus several event spaces measuring up to 2,800m².

To be built over two stages, the entire US$400 million Mountain Plaza development is being overseen by Papua New Guinea’s state-run Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC).

“Aside from being a popular leisure destination, Papua New Guinea is also increasingly attractive for business travel,” said Augustine S. Mano, managing director of MRDC and chairman of SMPL. “Hilton is the perfect partner and we are confident that Hilton Port Moresby will set a new benchmark in world-class hotel experiences here in Papua New Guinea when it opens its doors in 2018.”

The signing of the new Hilton comes just a few months after IHG launched a new Holiday Inn Express hotel in Port Moresby, which joins existing Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn hotels in the Papuan capital.

sourced:traveldailymedia.com