Hilton signs first Rajkot hotel with DoubleTree opening set for 2030

Hilton has signed an agreement for DoubleTree by Hilton Rajkot, its first property in the Indian city, with an opening expected in early 2030. The hotel is being developed in partnership with Sanjayraj and Co. and will have 145 guest rooms and suites.

Hilton said the property would become its fourth hotel in Gujarat, extending its network into a commercial market supported by engineering, manufacturing and trade. The project combines accommodation with approximately 22,000 square feet of meeting and event space, targeting corporate demand alongside weddings and other social gatherings.

Business access and event facilities

The planned site is on Second Ring Road in Rajkot’s developing commercial district. According to Hilton, the location will provide access to industrial and business areas, as well as Rajkot Junction railway station and Rajkot International Airport.

The events facilities will include a ballroom measuring 17,400 square feet and three meeting rooms. Other planned amenities comprise an all-day dining restaurant, a speciality restaurant, a spa, a fitness centre and an indoor-outdoor swimming pool.

Hilton identified Rajkot, Gujarat’s fourth-largest city, as a market where business travel and demand for meetings and celebrations support the case for a full-service international hotel. For operators, those demand segments are central to the planned combination of guest accommodation, dining and event facilities.

Swaraj Rajguru, partner at Sanjayraj and Co., said expansion in manufacturing, engineering and trading had increased the need for hospitality infrastructure serving business and leisure travellers. He also pointed to the city’s wedding and social celebrations market as a source of demand for event venues.

DoubleTree builds its Indian pipeline

Clarence Tan, Hilton’s senior vice president, Development, Asia Pacific, said the company was prioritising Indian markets with strong long-term fundamentals. He described DoubleTree’s full-service format as suited to commercial centres such as Rajkot and said the brand had 12 hotels trading in India, with another 14 in its pipeline.

The Rajkot property will join DoubleTree by Hilton Ahmedabad, Hilton Garden Inn Surat City Centre and Hampton by Hilton Vadodara Alkapuri in Hilton’s Gujarat portfolio. Globally, DoubleTree spans more than 700 hotels across 63 countries and territories, according to the company.

Regional growth within a wider India strategy

Zubin Saxena, Hilton’s senior vice president and regional head, South Asia, said the group was seeking a balance between established gateway cities and regional markets with growth potential. He linked the Rajkot signing to the increasing relevance of internationally branded, full-service hotels in emerging commercial centres.

Hilton said its Indian network comprised over 100 trading and pipeline hotels and that it remained on track towards its long-term ambition of operating 400 hotels in the country. When it opens, the Rajkot property will participate in Hilton Honors, giving eligible direct-booking members access to benefits including member discounts, Points and Money payment options and complimentary standard Wi-Fi.