CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. – February 8, 2013 – Hospitality veteran Armel Santens has been named general manager of the 416-room Hilton Clearwater Beach resort nestled on 10 acres of white-sand coastline in Clearwater Beach, Florida, effective immediately, according to Ted Ratcliff, senior vice president operations Hilton Worldwide eastern region.

In his new capacity, Santens will oversee the day-to-day operations of the hotel which is centrally located near two major airports; Tampa International Airport (TIA) and St. Petersburg/Clearwater International (PIE), next door to Pier 60 and within walking distance to the beach’s best restaurants and shopping. He recently held the positions of general manager of the Miami Beach Resort & Spa, an LXR Luxury Resort property, where he oversaw the 424-room property in Miami‘s mid-beach area.

Santens began his hospitality career with Hilton International in food and beverage, holding key positions at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel and Hotel Vancouver before joining Meridian hotels in Paris and then Four Seasons in Ontario and the Ritz Carlton in Dallas.  In 1983, he became general manager with Metro Hotels at Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center.  From 1989 to 2001, he held key management positions with Quorum Hotels and Resorts, Sheraton and Millennium Biltmore before taking over as managing director of the Brown Palace Hotel and Complex in Denver and The BelAge in West Hollywood, California.

Santens is a member of the Historic Hotels of America, American-French Chamber of Commerce as well as SKAL Club International.  A graduate with a bachelor degree in Liberal Arts from the Hotel School of Paris, Armel also attended University of Montreal and Cornell University. He speaks French and English fluently and enjoys playing golf.

About Hilton Clearwater Beach
Hilton Clearwater Beach is a spectacular resort located in the heart of magnificent Clearwater Beach, an exclusive beachfront district offering gleaming white sand beaches and soothing waves on the Gulf of Mexico. On the west coast of Florida, guests can enjoy a full-service spa and fitness center, two beachside pools including whirlpool hot tub, a myriad of watersports, several dining options, 24-hour in-room dining, wireless internet service, flexible meeting space, boutiques and cafés. Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort prides itself on the level of personal service offered to guests including dedicated beach concierge, Fun Factory Kids Club, a supervised kids club ages 4 and up and private cabanas on 10 acres of private, sugar-white sand beach. World class shopping and local treasures can be found in town at St. John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk, a charming turn-of –the-century fishing village with shops and restaurants for all ages to enjoy.

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts
One of the most recognized names in the industry, Hilton Hotels & Resorts stands as the stylish, forward thinking global leader in hospitality. From inaugural balls and Hollywood award galas to business events and days to remember, Hilton is where the world makes history, closes the deal, toasts special occasions and gets away from it all. The flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of tomorrow's savvy global travelers while more than 144,000 Team Members shape experiences in which every guest feels cared for, valued and respected. Today, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes more than 550 hotels in 80 countries and the brand remains synonymous with "hotel." Access the latest Hilton news at news.hilton.com or begin your journey at www.hilton.com. Social media users can engage with Hilton at www.twitter.com/hiltonhotels, www.facebook.com/hilton and www.youtube.com/hilton. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide’s ten market-leading brands.