A luxury resort and spa is to open under the Hilton Hotels Corporation portfolio in the Netherlands Antilles in 2010.

The Hilton Bonaire Resort & Spa will be developed in collaboration with Azul Management Bonaire.

The resort will feature 132 bedrooms and 12 suites as well as a rooftop Azul spa and fitness centre.

The property will be built on a canal system on the southern edge of Kralendijk, the capital of Bonaire.

The navigable canals will provide dockside access to the resort for dive boats and private vessels.

Bonaire is a Dutch protectorate located in the Caribbean and is recognised for its focus on environmental preservation, particularly for the island’s marine environment.

Hilton has entered into a franchise license agreement with Azul to develop the hotel, while construction is scheduled to begin later this year.

Hilton Hotels Corporation currently owns, manages, or franchises a total of 13 hotels in the Caribbean, including nine Hilton hotels in Barbados, Curacao, Santa Domingo, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.