The 168-room Patio hotel in Aberdeen, Scotland, has been sold to Invesco Real Estate for an undisclosed sum. The sale was guided by hotel real estate advisor Molinaro Koger.

Before the sale, Patio Hotel UK entered into a franchise management agreement with Hilton Hotels Corporation for the site to become the second Doubletree by Hilton property in the UK.

To be renamed Doubletree by Hilton Aberdeen City Centre, The Patio Hotel contains two bars, two restaurants, an eight- room conference and banqueting facility and a health and fitness club.

Dave Horton, senior vice president of brand management for Doubletree Hotel, said: "This Aberdeen Scotland hotel deal represents an important milestone in our brand's worldwide development and complements more than 30 full-service hotels and resorts anticipated to join the Doubletree by Hilton collection in 2008"

The first Doubletree branded hotel opened in Cambridge this April and Hilton recently entered into a franchise management agreement in early May with the owners of the Dunblane Hydro, spa and resort, hotel, in Scotland which will be rebranded in 2010 after renovation.

Despite the economic slump, Aberdeen's hotel industry is thriving due to the local oil and gas industries. Hilton has also announced plans to to build a new £18m 175-bedroom Hilton Garden Inn at Aberdeen Airport.

Doubletree branded hotels, which are designed to reflect the property's local area, are currently in 190 locations worldwide, predominantly in the United States. There are also plans to open branded hotels across the world including Canada, Costa Rica, Peru, Russia and Thailand.