Hilton Worldwide has announced the signing of a franchise agreement with RB Hotels Limited to open Hilton at the Ageas Bowl / Southampton – England’s latest test match cricket venue and the home of Hampshire County Cricket Club.
Hilton at the Ageas Bowl / Southampton is expected to open in early 2014 taking pride of place as part of an ongoing stadium development. The upscale six storey property will be operated by Sanguine Hospitality, with whom Hilton Worldwide already operates a number of hotels, featuring 171 rooms and four suites, many of which overlook the pitch. Eighty five of the rooms will double up as corporate hospitality venues on match days, offering guests a unique entertainment experience.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, Europe & Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said:
“We are delighted to be opening our second property in Southampton, complementing the existing Hilton Southampton with a new landmark hotel at the Ageas Bowl.
“As well as this year’s signature openings, we have a successful recent record in developing hotels within sports stadia. This includes a DoubleTree by Hilton which opened in 2009 at Stadium MK, home of Milton Keynes Dons Football Club.”
This announcement follows a summer which has seen Hilton Worldwide open two flagship properties at iconic sporting locations. Hilton London Wembley, overlooking the famous stadium, opened in July; whilst Hilton Worldwide’s first dual branded property in the UK, Hilton and Hampton by Hilton at St George’s Park, Burton upon Trent, debuted last month at the FA’s new multimillion pound National Football Centre.
As well as attracting thousands of travelling spectators on match days and for concerts, The Ageas Bowl site is also ideally located for both business and leisure guests. Lying just off Junction 7 of the M27 Motorway (which links Southampton to London) and within easy reach of Southampton Parkway train station, it is an ideal venue for meetings and conferences. The hotel will feature 1,000 sqm of events space, including a ball room of 600 sqm whilst the Ageas Bowl itself is already an established conferencing location.
Dave Horton, global head of Hilton Hotels & Resorts, said, “The Ageas Bowl has proved its credentials as one of the world’s finest cricket grounds and we are looking forward to being able to offer world class service at the stadium, in the shape of Hilton at the Ageas Bowl / Southampton. This upscale hotel will strengthen our brand’s ties with top sporting locations in the UK, and extend our offering for visitors to the South Coast of England.”