Hilton has announced the signing of a management agreement with Trillion Real Estate & Properties Private Limited for a new DoubleTree by Hilton property in Shirdi, Maharashtra. Scheduled to open in Q1 2019, DoubleTree by Hilton Shirdi will be located at Shirdi’s historical town centre, marking Hilton’s entry into the popular pilgrimage destination. The latest addition increases Hilton’s pipeline of hotels in India to 19 properties.

According to Dianna Vaughan, Senior Vice President and Global Head, DoubleTree by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton Shirdi will mark the brand’s sixth property in the pipeline in this burgeoning market. “As the first upscale hotel in Shirdi, we look forward to delivering exceptional experiences to guests beginning with our signature, warm DoubleTree Cookie welcome,” she said.

Shirdi is a popular pilgrimage town and an estimated 22 million tourists from across the country and overseas visit the famous Shirdi Sai Baba temple annually. Most recently, the city saw the completion of a new Shirdi Airport, which will facilitate greater access for pilgrims to visit the destination — religious tourism is a key focus in India’s tourism planning.

When open, the 125-room DoubleTree by Hilton Shirdi will be one of first global hospitality brands in Shirdi. It is located approximately four kilometres from the famous Shirdi Sai Baba Temple and is easily accessible to Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station, the town’s main train station, and the soon-to-open Shirdi Airport. In addition to a banquet hall and four meeting rooms, hotel will have an outdoor pool, a fitness center as well as three food and beverage outlets including an all-day dining restaurant.