Image: The hotel will house an eforea-branded spa

Hilton Worldwide has secured a management agreement with the Mihtab Group for the first Hilton Hotels and Resorts-branded property in Iraq - the Hilton Erbil Hotel and Spa.

The 300-bedroom property is due to open in 2016 and is the group's second earmarked for the city, following plans revealed last year for a DoubleTree Suites by Hilton hotel.

Located in an upscale residential and commercial district to the north of Erbil, the property is to feature an eforea-branded spa - Hilton Hotels and Resorts' signature in-house concept.

Further details of the spa element are yet to be confirmed, although the hotel will also include a large health club; an indoor and outdoor swimming pool; and an upscale retail arcade.

Hilton Hotels and Resorts global head Dave Horton said: "We look forward to welcoming guests to one of the most beautiful and unexplored areas of the Middle East."

Mihtab Group was founded in 1982 by owner Zmnako Yasin Ismail Qadir and is a company with interests spanning a number of sectors across the Middle East - including hospitality.

He said: "As we face a surge in domestic and international travel to Iraqi Kurdistan, the addition of a new property by Hilton Worldwide will be a major boost to the range of hospitality offerings currently available.

Along with Hilton, fellow operators Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Marriott International have announced plans for properties in Erbil, while Rotana sees "a lot of potential in Iraq".

Hilton Hotels and Resorts recently published its new global spa trends report and is currently expanding its eforea concept to locations around the world - with Doha, Qatar among the most recent openings.

Click here for more information about the new Hilton Erbil Hotel and Spa and click here for more details about the Mihtab Group.

To read more from key figures from Hilton's global spa team about the rollout of the eforea spa brand, see Spa Business 2011 Issue 3, p28

To read the current issue of Spa Business, visit: www.spabusiness.com/magazine

Image (c) Hilton Hotels and Resorts