Dozens of Hilton Baynunah staff face redundancy

Up to 78 hoteliers could face redundancy when the Hilton Baynunah closes on December 31 following the expiration of its contract with Mismak Properties LLC.

A spokesperson for Hilton Worldwide told Hotelier Middle East the operator was "taking all necessary measures to withdraw from the property in a positive and constructive manner including providing on-going communication to and with all team members regarding securing other employment within the Hilton organisation or with the hotel owners".

However, one of the hotel’s receptionists told Abu Dhabi's The National there were no jobs yet available.

“The hotel is closing down on December 31 and we don’t have any information about what will happen,” she said. “We know they will not renew the contract, so now we’re just trying to find another job.”

Hilton said the decision to end the contract with Mismak Properties LLC was "mutually agreed", but a source at Mismak Properties told the newspaper the tower would be turned into a luxurious residential development.

Baynunah will be the second Hilton hotel to close down in Abu Dhabi in just 12 months. Last December, the Hilton Corniche Hotel Apartments was taken over by the Al Fahim Group and transformed into a residential building.

The Hilton Worldwide spokesperson commented: "We are proud corporate citizens of Abu Dhabi, appreciate our team members, active in the Abu Dhabi community and are firmly committed to exploring new opportunities in a market we respect and value.”

To read the original story published in The National, click here.