Hilton to open new resort in Krabi, Thailand

Hilton International has announced plans to manage a second resort property on the west coast of Thailand minutes after unveiling full details of the Conrad Phuket Resort and Spa at a press conference held recently in Bangkok.

Hilton Krabi Resort and Spa, a deluxe 200-room property now in conceptual stage, will be built on unspoiled beachfront properties just minutes from the seaside town of Krabi.

“We will orientate the architecture of the new resort in such a way as to make the best use of the 400-metre beach frontage. Almost three quarters of the property will comprise two to three storey low rise buildings, while the remainder are expected to be upscale stand-alone villas,” said Koos Klein President of Hilton International Middle East Asia Pacific.

“The resort will feature two restaurants and bars, two meeting rooms and a number of leisure facilities including a spa with eight massage rooms.”

Resort Holding Company Ltd., which is the parent company of Panwaburi Company Ltd and the developers behind the Conrad Phuket Resort and Spa, will also own the Hilton Krabi Resort and Spa.

Director of development of both properties, Mr Methee Tanmanatragul said: “We have been working closely with Hilton International on a number of resort projects that will unite the power of the world’s leading hotel brand with Thai styled resorts and retreats. By fully utilizing the Hilton and Conrad global sales networks, we can now reach out to a much broader travel market including couples seeking intimate luxury getaways and families looking for upscale resort holidays.”

Klein added that Thailand continues to be an important factor in the group’s expansion strategy. “Thailand is one of the most attractive countries for international visitors. It is one of the few destinations to offer a combination of incredibly friendly people, beautiful beaches, exciting shopping activities, and a rich and exciting culture. In addition, the country has excellent accessibility, good airline capacity and the full  marketing support of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. With all these factors in place, the market will only grow further.”

The Krabi Hilton Resort and Spa will join the growing list of Hilton Worldwide Resorts, a collection of 38 resort properties located in some of the most beautiful destinations throughout the world. By the end of 2005, Hilton has plans to add seven more Worldwide Resorts to the four already operating in the Asia Pacific region.

Krabi, located on the Andaman Sea off peninsular Thailand, is famous for  the stunning limestone cliffs filmed in the James Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun. Accessibility to the destination increased with the completion of the Krabi airport in 1999. This is expected to grow further when the runway expansion program servicing international carriers is completed this year.