Craiova-based entrepreneur Dumitru Popescu, who also owns local bakery Pan Group, is bringing the Hilton hotel brand to the city by opening a 179-room hotel in 2026. The investment is being made through Restaurant President. The unit will operate, under franchise, under the Hilton Garden Inn brand. The new hotel was designed by local company SMAA and has 179 rooms. The franchise agreement was signed between Restaurant President and Hilton Hotel Group and will be operated by Hosplace Hotel Asset Management, a specialized local operator. The value of the investment in the new hotel amounts to approximately EUR 25 million excluding VAT. The hotel’s facilities include a restaurant, fitness space and conference rooms. “It is a pleasure to enter into this partnership with Restaurant President to bring the Hilton Garden Inn Craiova project to life as we anticipate growth in this emerging market. As an iconic component of local tourism, we are confident that the new hotel will attract many guests looking for affordable yet high quality accommodations in the area,” said Malgorzata Morek, Senior Director of CEE Development, Hilton. Hilton is a global hotel company with a portfolio of 24 prestigious brands comprising more than 8,300 properties and more than 1.25 million rooms in 138 countries. The Hilton Garden Inn brand has more than 1,000 hotels in 62 countries worldwide. This story is an update to the following story previously published in RHN: Craiova hotel project to carry Hilton chain brand shows signs of moving forward
Update: Hilton Garden Inn Craiova to open in 2026
