NEW YORK - Hilton Hotels, which has owned the Waldorf since 1949, is scheduled to announce today it will launch a chain of luxury hotels under the Waldorf-Astoria brand.

The new brand will include business hotels and resorts worldwide and match or exceed the chain's current luxury leaders, Hiltons and Conrads, for its level of amenities.

Starting Feb. 1, Hilton will re-brand three well-known U.S. resorts for which it won management rights this year: the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui, Hawaii; the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix; and La Quinta Resort near Palm Springs, Calif.MO< The resorts, whose original names will be accompanied by "The Waldorf-Astoria Collection" designation, will see little change in operations, but they will be added to Hilton's reservations system, Hilton President Matt Hart says.