Hilton Worldwide announced that the iconic Alabama building, The Admiral Hotel Mobile, will join Curio – A Collection by Hilton, a hand-picked global set of upscale and luxury properties embodying the distinct culture and spirit of their local communities. The hotel is scheduled to re-open this fall as The Admiral Hotel Mobile, Curio Collection by Hilton following a multimillion-dollar renovation.

The hotel’s two new on-site dining options will include Corner 251, a bakery/café with a new bar, and Launch, an upscale urban restaurant featuring a diverse menu of American classics made with fresh ingredients from local fisheries, growers and purveyors, prepared daily.

The property originally opened in 1940 and became known as the first building in Mobile to have air conditioning, and featured a cocktail lounge, coffee shop, drug store and National Airlines Office. Renovations to the hotel will include updates to the lobby design, restaurants, and public spaces as well as 6,000 square feet of functional meeting and event space with state-of-the-art equipment that can seat up to 550 people.

“Air conditioning sounds simple by modern standards, but in its heyday it drew stars like Elvis Presley and Jimmy Stewart,” said Matt Wehling, senior vice president, development – North America, Hilton Worldwide. “We are excited for The Admiral Hotel Mobile to join Curio’s global collection of 50 properties and 13,000 rooms open or in various stages of development and to soon be welcoming guests who are equally as curious and passionate about traveling the world.”

The final phase of the hotel’s remodel will include a complete makeover of 155 guest rooms, including five luxurious suites on the top floor, as part of a comprehensive redesign by architect James Flick, of Dallas-based project development firm Flick Mars.

“We are excited to join Curio – A Collection by Hilton to re-launch The Admiral Hotel Mobile,” said Charles Oswald, president & COO, HP Hotels. “Owner Ike Thrash and his team at The Thrash Group have done a first-class job of completely re-imagining the hotel, while staying true to its historic characteristics. The Admiral Hotel Mobile will once again take its rightful place among the finest hotels in downtown Mobile. We are delighted to have this beautiful, charming and historic hotel as part of our growing portfolio at HP Hotels."