The Hilton Universal City Hotel, which is located steps away from Universal Studios Hollywood, may be getting bigger.
In an expansion plan unveiled last month, Sun Hill Properties Inc., the operator of the flagship hotel, announced plans to build a 395-key hotel addition directly adjacent to the existing hotel.
“It’s been a long time coming, and we are thrilled to achieve this critically important milestone in our entitlement process, getting us one step closer to bringing this expansion to reality,” Mark Davis, president and chief executive of Hollywood-based Sun Hill Properties, said in a statement.
The expansion is being built to cater to an anticipated surge in visitors.
“After over 30 years of serving Los Angeles and the greater San Fernando Valley, we owe these additional rooms to the region, as we prepare to host the 2028 Olympic Games and tourism numbers continue to rise,” Davis said.
According to Davis, the need for more hotel rooms is high, following the general market returning to pre-pandemic levels.
“After the extended downtime we experienced during the pandemic, our hotel is back to running at or near capacity,” Davis said. “This expansion will allow Hilton to meet that growing need.”
The 18-story hotel addition is being designed by Ankrom Moisan Architects, a Seattle-based architecture firm, and is intended to supplement the 24-story, 495-key existing hotel. The new expansion plan also includes a rooftop restaurant and a luxury spa.
Construction will begin next year and is expected to be completed in 2026.