Hilton has sealed its first ever hotel in Laos, the landlocked Southeast Asian nation.

The US hotel giant has penned a deal with TPD Company to manage the 160-room DoubleTree by Hilton Vientiane, which is scheduled to open in the Lao capital in early 2020.

Located in the centre of the city, on the intersection of Rue Setthathilath and Rue Manthatourath, about 5km from the Vientiane’s Wattay International Airport, the upscale hotel will be close to the That Dam stupa, restaurants, markets and museums.

“The capital city of Vientiane is a key destination in Laos, with tourist arrivals making up approximately 25% of total annual arrivals historically. Vientiane has become a strategic market for Hilton’s first point of entry to Laos,” said Guy Philips, Hilton’s senior vice president of development for Asia & Australasia. “As one of the world’s fastest growing hospitality companies and through our strong partnership with TPD… we are confident that the DoubleTree by Hilton Vientiane will perform well in the market.”

While few details of the hotel have been made available, DoubleTree hotels worldwide feature onsite restaurants and fitness centres. All guests are welcomed with a warm chocolate chip cookie.

“We are excited to introduce the… DoubleTree by Hilton brand into the historic and charming town of Vientiane,” said Dianna Vaughan, senior vice president & global head of DoubleTree by Hilton. “As one of the first global hotel companies with a presence in the market, we look forward to welcoming both international and domestic visitors to the city.”

The new hotel will complement Hilton’s existing DoubleTree portfolio in Southeast Asia, which currently includes locations in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.