Hilton International plans to reintroduce the Scandic hotel brand to the UK and expand its lifestyle resorts into Scotland and Ireland.
Howard Friedman, president of Hilton International UK and Ireland since July, has his sights set on a minimum of 50 Scandic hotels to make the investment worthwhile.
The search is now on for sites outside the brand's Nordic home market, in cities such as London, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Friedman said: "Scandic by Hilton is a brand with lots of potential. We're looking at whether it makes sense in any of these markets. There is no point opening five if we can achieve 50 hotels."
Friedman hopes to expand Hilton's golf and spa properties in Scotland and Ireland with plans for five new resorts in the next two to three years.
A Hilton spokeswoman said: "There are no specific sites at the moment but they would be new-build properties with the projects carried out in conjunction with developers. Hilton would just have the management contracts."
The £382m raised from the recent sale of 15 UK properties remains on reserve pending the conclusion of ongoing talks with US sister company Hilton Hotels Corporation.
- Hilton this week announced the disposal of its Edinburgh Airport, London Mews and Wembley Plaza hotels for £33.8m and the sale of the Sydney Hilton's car park for £54m. Hilton will retain the management contracts for the UK properties and has agreed a new contract with property developer Quintain to manage a new hotel at Wembley Stadium when it opens in 2010.