�Hilton has made a commitment to grow its family of hotels throughout Central America, and we are thrilled to bring another Doubletree by Hilton hotel to the most visited country in the region. The Doubletree Cariari by Hilton San Jose and Doubletree by Hilton Puntarenas Resort will complement each other and support the brand�s recognition as we continue to grow,� commented Danny Hughes, area vice president, Caribbean and Central America, for Hilton Hotels Corporation. �The full-service Doubletree Cariari by Hilton San Jose will acquaint guests with the diversity that makes this country such a great place to visit for business or pleasure.� 

Located in Costa Rica�s capital city of San Jose, the Doubletree Cariari by Hilton San Jose (The former Melia Cariari & Conference Center) is just five minutes from Juan Santamaria International Airport and ten minutes from the city center. The hotel will feature 174 charming guestrooms and 48 suites, including 24 suites with specialized butler service. Recreation options will include two swimming pools, fitness center, and casino, while business travelers will have access to a fully equipped business center, and 11 meeting rooms. The hotel will offer one signature restaurant, a pool bar, and cafeteria, serving everything from local to international cuisine. And, if sight-seeing is on the schedule, the hotel is five minutes from the Plaza Real Cariari shopping center, 30 minutes from the Coffee Tour and Finca de Mariposas (butterfly farm), and one hour from the Irazu Volcano national park. 

In January, Hilton Hotels Corporation announced multi-year management agreements to manage a 202-room property in Papagayo and a 410-room property in Puntarenas as the first Hilton and Doubletree by Hilton branded resorts in Costa Rica, respectively. Both resorts are anticipated to open in January 2008. Earlier this year, Hilton also announced the signing of a franchise hotel agreement for a Hilton Garden Inn� hotel in Liberia, Costa Rica, which is forecasted to open in Fall 2008. 

"Costa Rica is a thriving destination and we are delighted to bring our second Doubletree by Hilton hotel to this area of Central America,� said Dave Horton, senior vice president � brand management for Doubletree Hotels. �Doubletree Hotels continues to expand its upscale, full-service hotel portfolio at a solid pace and this newest hotel agreement in San Jose, Costa Rica reinforces our pride in Doubletree being recognized by hotel owners and developers as a dynamic, credible and lucrative hotel brand for hoteliers around the world.� 

"We are delighted to be part of the Hilton Family of Hotels and fly the Doubletree by Hilton flag on our property in San Jose, Costa Rica,� said Yukiko Nakayama, president of Desatur Cariari, S.A. �The Hilton Family boasts a collection of sales, marketing, and technology tools that will complement our product and help deliver great recognition and success for our new hotel. We look forward to a long and prosperous partnership.� 

About Desatur Cariari, S.A. 
Desatur Cariari, S.A. owns the Meliá Cariari scheduled to become the Doubletree Cariari by Hilton, San Jose in January 2008, a resort known for its traditional Costa Rican flavor. The parent company is Corporacion Hotelera Cari-Coro, S.A., a prosperous Japanese corporation that owns a second hotel in Costa Rica. Both properties have enjoyed positive results and great success thanks to the recognition generated amongst visitors and the support of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute. 

About The Hilton Family of Hotels In Central America 
Hilton Hotels Corporation currently owns, manages, or franchises four hotels in Central America, including Hilton full-service hotels in San Pedro Sula, Honduras; Managua, Nicaragua; San Salvador, El Salvador; and a Hampton Inn & Suites hotel in San Jose, Costa Rica. Three additional properties are scheduled to join the Central American portfolio in 2008, including a Hilton full-service hotel in Papagayo, Costa Rica, a Doubletree by Hilton full-service hotel in Puntarenas, Costa Rica and a Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Liberia, Costa Rica. 

About Doubletree Hotels 
With a growing collection of contemporary, upscale accommodations in more than 180 gateway cities, metropolitan areas and vacation destinations throughout the U.S., Canada and Latin America and an aggressive hotel development campaign around the world, Doubletree Hotels, Guest Suites and Resorts are distinctively designed properties that provide true comfort to today�s business and leisure travelers. From the millions of delighted hotel guests who are welcomed with the brand�s legendary, warm chocolate chip cookies at check-in to the advantages of the award-winning Hilton HHonors® guest reward program, each Doubletree guest receives a satisfying stay wherever their travels take them. To make reservations at any Doubletree hotel, travelers may visit our website at www.doubletree.com, contact their preferred travel professional or call 1-800-222-TREE in the U.S. and Canada. 

About Hilton Hotels Corporation 
Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with more than 2,800 hotels and 480,000 rooms in 76 countries and territories, including 100,000 team members worldwide. The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded brands, including Hilton®, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations�, Homewood Suites by Hilton® and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection®.The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton�s philosophy that, �It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.� The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded hotel company: be hospitable®. The philosophy is shared by all brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels, and is the inspiration for its overarching message of kindness and generosity. For more information about our company, please visit www.hiltonworldwide.com, and to learn more about our be hospitable philosophy, please visit www.behospitable.com. 

Hilton Hotels Corporation
Caribbean & Latin America
Karla Visconti, + 1 786 866-7240
[email protected]

Doubletree Hotels & Resorts
Thomas Wingham, +1 310-205-3381 USA
[email protected]
http://www.hiltonworldwide.com