DUBAI: Hilton Worldwide has expanded its South African footprint with the signing of an agreement for the 137-room Hilton Cape Town. Scheduled to open in April 2011, the hotel is situated in the Cape Town CBD, ideally located for easy access to Table Mountain, Camps Bay, the Cape Town International Convention Centre and the V&A Waterfront.

“It’s with great pleasure that we welcome the Hilton Cape Town, our third Hilton property in South Africa and our first in Cape Town – widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities. This hotel is an important addition to our offering across the region. With its excellent location, in an area renowned for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, we anticipate attracting both local and international tourists who visit the area for business or leisure,” said Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
During the next few months, the property, which features two restaurants, a bar, meeting facilities and business center, gym and outdoor swimming pool, will undergo a transformation process to convert the hotel to the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand.

Patrick Fitzgibbon, SVP development, Europe and Africa, Hilton Worldwide added, “Cape Town is an exciting place to be and an important leisure destination not just for South Africa, but for Africa as a whole. It’s a strategic location when it comes to building our portfolio of brands and growing our African footprint. It also provides a key link to our hotels in Durban, Johannesburg and the upcoming Hilton Windhoek, Namibia. We’re delighted to have signed the Hilton Cape Town and look forward to welcoming guests in April.”

Cape Town, referred to as South Africa’s ‘Mother City’, is regarded as one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in the world. Situated in the Western Cape, Cape Town is known for its natural beauty and spectacular setting on the tip of the African continent. Table Mountain, a famous tourist attraction, soars over the city and offers spectacular views of the Cape Peninsula. The city has several cultural attractions as well, including Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, one of Cape Town’s most popular tourist spots renowned for its shopping, restaurants and the Two Oceans Aquarium.

Hilton Worldwide has two hotels in South Africa, Hilton Sandton and Hilton Durban, and 26 hotels in total across Africa. The company has another 14 in the development pipeline including the Hilton Windhoek in Namibia, Hilton Lagos Airport in Nigeria and Hilton Kampala in Uganda.