Hilton hotel for Newcastle Airport

Jun 18 2009 By Peter McCusker and Sara Nichol

THE Hilton Group is set to be unveiled as the operator of the new £30m hotel which is nearing completion at Newcastle International Airport.

The 187-bedroom hotel had been due to open this month but a succession of problems has seen the original operator, the Ramada Group, pull out and the builders go into administration.

It will not now open until late summer and The Journal understands the Hilton Group will be unveiled as the operator in the next few weeks. A Hilton spokesperson said: "We are keen to develop our presence in Newcastle, particularly given the success of our Hilton Newcastle Gateshead property.

"As we look to introduce our family of hotel brands in to the area we are currently in talks regarding several sites in and around the city and hope to make an announcement shortly, but as yet nothing has been confirmed."

Newcastle International Airport was not prepared to comment on the operator and said it expected to make a formal announcement within weeks.

Work started on the hotel last year but earlier this year the two companies who had secured the deal to build the hotel – Rostock Investments Limited and St James Capital Hotels – went into administration.