NOUMEA, New Caledonia and MCLEAN, Va. – Hilton Worldwide today announced that it has signed a franchise agreement with GLP Hotels for a 154-key conversion project to be known as Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residence. The property, currently the La Promenade, opened in 2008 and will undergo a refurbishment before officially opening under the Hilton Hotels & Resorts banner in mid 2013. This will be the first Hilton Hotels & Resorts branded-property in Noumea, New Caledonia and is located on the popular Anse Vata Beach.

“Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residence is a wonderful addition to our growing portfolio in Australasia, joining our three existing properties in the South Pacific – Fiji Beach Resort & Spa managed by Hilton, Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa and Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa in French Polynesia. We are delighted to be working with GLP Hotels on this project as our entry into the New Caledonian market and expect Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residence to be established as the leading full-service property in Noumea,” said Robert Scullin, vice president, development, Australasia, Hilton Worldwide.

The three-tower Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residence is located on Anse Vata Beach in the centre of the main tourism and accommodation district in Noumea and has uninterrupted water views from every room. The hotel will feature 154-keys, including 21 Junior Suites, 68 Deluxe Suites, 20 Executive Suites and 45 Royal Suites and a restaurant, bar, health club and outdoor swimming pool.

Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts said, “I am exceptionally pleased to be adding another Hilton Hotels & Resorts property to our portfolio in the South Pacific. With a prominent location and many appealing features, Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residence is set to become an exceptional example of the high standards, quality and unrivalled experience guests expect from our brand.”

Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia, is located in the world’s largest lagoon, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage location. The lagoon contains an abundance of marine creatures and coral reefs, and offers a wide variety of activities such as diving, snorkelling, sailing, wind surfing, kite surfing and fishing. New Caledonia is a two-hour flight from Sydney and Brisbane and three hours from New Zealand.

Managing Director of GLP Hotels, Jean Rambaud, said, “We have spent the last seven years building GLP Hotels to where it is today, and we are very excited to be able to bring such a well known hotel brand name as Hilton to Noumea. We believe it will help generate a lot of awareness for GLP Hotels and the whole hotel industry in New Caledonia.” Hilton Worldwide currently has a portfolio of 15 hotels in Australasia, including eight properties in Australia, four in New Zealand and three in the South Pacific.