It was a joyous celebration on Thursday the 1st of February at Hilton Hotel as the Star Mountain Plaza Hilton Port Moresby officially opened its stage 2 Star Mountain Plaza Hilton Residence and welcomed the launching of its third development project, an office complex and mixed use retail precinct.
Marking the first branded residences in Papua New Guinea under a management agreement with Star Mountain Plaza Ltd (SMPL), a subsidiary of Mineral Resource Development Corporation (MRDC), Hilton will manage the newly built Residences alongside the currently operating Hilton Port Moresby Hotel, which includes a convention centre and six food and beverage outlets.
The Residences will offer guests the option of studio, one bedroom, two bedroom, or three bedroom apartments that have been designed to accommodate an extended guest stay. This includes fully-equipped kitchens and balconies, while the two- and three-bedroom units feature an ensuite bathroom in the master bedroom.
Hilton Port Moresby Residences also boasts an outdoor pool and sundeck, fitness centre, in-room dining, a Hubworks coworking community, and retail space.
Located within the residences is the host restaurant, which offers breakfast, brunch, and lunch in a relaxed atmosphere. In the evening, the restaurant transforms into the perfect place to dine, unwind and socialise. Guests can enjoy a wide selection of freshly brewed coffee, tea, and freshly made sweet and savoury delicacies at the restaurant’s "grab and go" offering.
For people wanting to dine-in and relax, a bistro-style menu showcases fresh and local produce as well as a seamless blend of contemporary cuisine from around the world.
Present at the occasion were stakeholders of the Hilton Residences and special guests, including guests of honor Prime Minister James Marape, Parliamentary members from the resource provinces of Western, Gulf, Southern Highlands, and Hela, along with landowners, MRDC, and the management of Hilton.
Speaking at the opening ceremony Prime Minister Marape thanked MRDC for liaising with Landowners of Star Mountain Plaza of Western Province, who are beneficiaries from Ok Tedi Mining Limited; landowners of Kutubu and Kikori under Southern Highlands and Gulf Provinces, who are shareholders of Petroleum Resource Kutubu; and beneficiaries of Oil Search Limited for "having a leap of faith in investing in a major long-term development project that will benefit them with a good return on investment."
"Papua New Guinea has yet to become development partners in the hotel industry, but thanks to MRDC and Hilton for having faith and venturing into this magnificent business. As I have heard from the Managing Director of MRDC, this business earns 200 million kina in a year, far greater than my mother's clan in hides. It's a testament of what Papua New Guinean business can do for Papua New Guinea," said Prime Minister Marape.
Gracing the event was Paul Hutton, area vice president and head of Australasia, Hilton. He said, “We’re privileged to be partnering with Star Mountain Plaza once again to expand Hilton’s presence in Port Moresby. We are deeply committed to Papua New Guinea and are thrilled to now offer travellers visiting the area even more accommodation choices and flexibility when they stay with Hilton.”
