Hilton to open airport hotel in Dammam

(Image: Supplied by Hilton)

Hilton has confirmed its first airport hotel in Saudi Arabia. Hilton Dammam Airport will be a 273-key property built in partnership with Al Musbah Group and Damman Airports Company (DACO). An opening date for it is yet to be communicated.

The hotel will have direct skywalk access to the terminal building at King Fahd International airport, one of the busiest airports in Saudi Arabia which hosts approximately 10 million passengers per year.

King Fahd International also serves as a hub for SAUDIA Airlines, Aramco Aviation, and flynas, with flights to over 70 international destinations by more than 50 airlines. It also operates a dedicated Saudi Aramco terminal and Oxford-authorised training centre, an aviation academy, and a large-scale cargo village.

Hilton Dammam to feature…

The property will feature guest rooms, junior suites, as well as larger one- and two-bedroom suites. F&B options will include an all-day dining restaurant with an outdoor terrace, a café, and an outdoor pool with an adjacent café.

The hotel will also offer meeting facilities for business travellers, including several meeting rooms and an executive lounge that can accommodate up to 90 people.

“The opening of the hotel broadens our partnership of over 25 years at King Fahd International airport, where we have lead concessions for travel retail, parking operations and technology, and food and beverage,” said Mohammed Almusbahi, director of Al Musbah Group.

Carlos Khneisser, vice president of Development for Middle East and Africa at Hilton, added, “Saudi Arabia’s rapid evolution continues to provide exciting growth opportunities for Hilton, and we’re working with our owners to introduce more award-winning hospitality brands in locations throughout the country. This signing is another example of Hilton’s commitment to supporting the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia and to enabling growth in key destinations as well as up-and-coming, large-scale developments and secondary cities. Hilton has pioneered the airport hotel concept and we are thrilled to announce that this will be Hilton’s first airport hotel in the country.”

Hilton currently operates 16 hotels in the kingdom with plans to open over 50 new hotels across 10 of its brands, making Saudi Arabia the company’s largest pipeline market in the EMEA region.

It plans to grow its Saudi portfolio to more than 75 properties over the coming years.

In a major development for its regional operations, Hilton appointed Guy Hutchinson – currently serving as CEO and president of Rotana – as president for its Middle East and Africa region, a role that he will take up starting in early 2024.

This article originally appeared on Business Traveller Middle East.