Paris Hilton hasn’t been much in the limelight lately, and now we know why. The 35-year-old socialite and media magnet has been busy developing a new line of luxury hotels to open in Dubai, New York, and Las Vegas.

As the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, founder of Hilton Hotels, Ms. Hilton presumably had an inside track to launching a Paris Hilton-branded hotel network under the Hilton umbrella. For reasons that can only be guessed at, however, there will be no business link between Paris Hilton hotels and the Hilton Hotel Corporation.

Instead, according to Forbes, Hilton will independently launch the new beach-themed resorts, apparently in partnership with a Philippines-based developer, Century Properties.

Details are scarce as to timing, locations, and longer-term plans.

Don’t be surprised to see a reality-TV show tracking the project (“Paris Does Hilton”?). And the tabloids will undoubtedly get plenty of mileage out of the fact that Ms. Hilton’s hotels won’t be Hiltons.

Pass the popcorn.

Reader Reality Check

Is Paris Hilton’s name a plus or a minus for a new hotel chain?

After 20 years working in the travel industry, and almost that long writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.

This article first appeared on SmarterTravel.com, where Tim is Editor-at-Large.