Iconic Hollywood hotel heading for Abu Dhabi

The Millennium and Corpthorne hotel chain today announced plans to open a hotel under the Biltmore brand in Abu Dhabi, the first outside of Los Angeles.

The original Biltmore Hotel in Hollywood has been used in many Hollywood films.

The luxury property, to be built in the Al Bateen area of Abu Dhabi, is expected to open in 2013.

"Bringing the first Biltmore hotel outside of Los Angeles to Abu Dhabi is a coup," said Ali Lakhraim, the president and chief executive officer of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels and Resorts.

The hotel company expects to add 12 new properties to its portfolio of 12 operating hotels in the Middle East and North Africa region this year, with 52 signed management agreements in the pipeline. The group said it expects to triple in the Middle East and North Africa in less than three years.

Millennium & Copthorne hotels has more than 120 owned and managed hotels across 20 countries.

The company plans to introduce the Biltmore brand to "a few gateway cities" globally.