Los Angeles Business from bizjournals - 8:13 AM PDT Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Hilton Hotels Corp has signed its first franchise agreement in Central America for Hilton Garden Inn, the company said Tuesday.

The deal is with Hoteles Aeropuerto H.A.L., S.R.L., of which Enjoy Group and DWL are partners, according to a release. The Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport, which will be located in Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, is scheduled to open in Fall 2008, according to a release. Terms of the franchise agreement were not disclosed.

Enjoy Group currently is also a partner in the Hilton Papagayo Resort and the Doubletree by Hilton Puntarenas Resort, according to a release.

Beverly Hills-based Hilton (NYSE: HLT) develops, owns, manages or franchises more than 2,800 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership properties. It currently owns, manages or franchises four hotels in Central America.