In this post we will briefly introduce Hilton’s 18 hotel brands
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Over the last few years, we’ve seen most major hotel chains launch new brands to appeal to different market segments, and perhaps more importantly, to investors. This can lead to a crowded portfolio with many similar and overlapping brands. If you’ve been confused about the differences between some of Hilton’s 18 different hotel brands, then you’ve come to the right place, as today we’re going to explore the ins and outs of each different brand:
  1. Canopy by Hilton
  2. Conrad Hotels & Resorts
  3. Curio Collection by Hilton
  4. Doubletree by Hilton
  5. Embassy Suites by Hilton
  6. Hampton Inn by Hilton
  7. Hilton Garden Inn
  8. Hilton Grand Vacations
  9. Hilton Hotels & Resorts
  10. Home2 Suites by Hilton
  11. Homewood Suites by Hilton
  12. LXR Hotels & Resorts
  13. Motto
  14. Signia
  15. Tapestry Collection by Hilton
  16. Tempo
  17. Tru by Hilton
  18. Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
Canopy by Hilton​
Canopy is one of Hilton’s newer brands, with the first property opening in 2016. It has rapidly grown to 28 locations around the world, including one in Chengdu (the capital of Sichuan province, China) that made me stop in my tracks and applaud at the incredible location they’d managed to secure right in the center of the city.
Canopy properties feature a young and modern design with a lot of natural light and soft colors. This is one of the first brands to completely do away with single-use plastic water bottles in guest rooms, instead opting for reusable glass bottles and filtered water stations on every floor.
Conrad Hotels & Resort
The Conrad chain, named in honor of Hilton’s founder Conrad Hilton, boasts 42 luxury properties around the globe. Conrad hotels are much more modern and affordable than Waldorf Astoria while still offering a luxurious stay to guests. While you’ll find a Conrad in many major cities worldwide, you’ll also find many more resort destinations, including Bali, Bora Bora, Thailand, Mexico and more.
Curio Collection by Hilton
The Curio Collection is a rapidly growing brand with about 100 properties worldwide. This reflects Hilton’s bet that many travelers prefer a boutique and local experience over rigid brand standards.
While most of the Curio Collection hotels are centered around North America and Europe, there is a recently-opened location in the Maldives as well as a few properties dotting Asia and the South Pacific. I had the chance to stay at The Diplomat in Miami a few years back and was very impressed at how well run the large beachfront property was without feeling overly branded or generic.
Doubletree by Hilton
DoubleTree by Hilton has over 500 hotels around the world, mostly centered in North America and Europe. These middle-market properties appeal to both business and leisure travelers. They are beloved for their “secret” chocolate chip cookie recipe, which the brand released for the first time to help those missing travel during the coronavirus pandemic.
Embassy Suites by Hilton​
Embassy Suites is a great choice for an extended stay or a trip with the whole family, as all 250+ of these hotels are suites only. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast when staying at an Embassy Suites hotel, as well as a daily evening reception with complimentary snacks and drinks. I’ve been impressed with some of this brand’s big-city locations, including a location in Times Square and property in Chicago just a block away from the river and the famous Magnificent Mile.
Hampton Inn by Hilton
Hampton by Hilton, including the Hampton Inn & Suites hotels for large groups or extended stays, is by far the largest Hilton brand. Its ~2,500 hotels around the globe make up just shy of 50% of the total Hilton portfolio, meaning if you find yourself frequently staying with Hilton, you’re likely to end up at a Hampton sooner or later.
These properties really run the gamut and include big-city destinations, airport hotels, beach resorts, and everything in between. On my travels, I’ve been really impressed by the reach of the Hampton footprint. Specifically, on a trip to Lanzhou a few years ago (a relatively small city in northwest China), there were three Hampton Inns for me to pick from, when not one of the other major hotel chains (Marriott, Hyatt or IHG) had a single property in the city.
Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn is one of the largest brands in the Hilton family, with over 850 hotels worldwide, including some interesting destinations like Tangier, Morocco, and a property in a surprising prime location in downtown Kuala Lumpur. This brand tends to cater to business travelers and on-the-go tourists, offering made-to-order breakfast for all guests, along with business centers and gyms.
Hilton Grand Vacations​
Hilton Grand Vacations is sure to be the least interesting brand to serious award travelers as this is Hilton’s timeshare brand. Properties are primarily located in the U.S. and at popular resort destinations abroad (Cancun, Barbados, etc.), but there are also a large number of properties spread out in Japan.
Timeshare members can book stays using either Hilton Honors points or Club points. Still, timeshares often represent a very poor value proposition in the long term, so this will not be the best travel strategy for most people.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts​
The eponymous brand of the portfolio, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, has name and brand recognition all over the globe. With over 500 properties worldwide, you’ll find some variation in the quality, including airport hotels that have seen better days and modern and pristine beachfront resorts. Most hotels flying the Hilton flag share several common amenities, including swimming pools, event spaces and oftentimes an executive lounge.
Home2 Suites by Hilton​
If you’re looking for an extended stay on a tighter budget, Home2 Suites by Hilton may be for you. All of the brand’s nearly 500 properties offer pools, outdoor spaces, and a combined gym and laundry facility to help you make the most of your time.
Homewood Suites by Hilton
​Homewood Suites is Hilton’s option for those looking for an extended stay with all the comforts of home. The 500+ affordable all-suite properties feature a fridge, kitchen, bedroom and living room in every suite, and guests are invited to enjoy free breakfast and a complimentary happy hour/evening social as well.
LXR Hotels & Resorts​
LXR Hotels & Resorts is a collection of independent luxury properties. The brand currently only has four locations: Dubai, London, Bodrum and Anguilla. To give you an idea of just how upscale this brand is, the Habtoor Palace in Dubai, the founding property of the LXR brand, used to be the St. Regis Dubai Al Habtoor City before the entire development (including the neighboring W and Westin) left the Starwood/Marriott umbrella.
​Motto
Motto is Hilton’s newest brand and has three properties now available for booking including in city center Washington DC, Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia and the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan (It looks like bookings are available beginning in November 2021).
Motto is focused on reimagining the city hotel experience with more thoughtful use of space. The brand promises shared common spaces in each property, tech-friendly rooms, and a superior sleep experience delivered with sound-absorbing materials in the room and a “curated sleep kit.”
​Signia
Signia is another yet-to-launch Hilton brand, with properties under development in Atlanta, Orlando and Indianapolis. Signia will focus on hosting large meetings and events (a business model that’s been thrown into question by current social distancing requirements). The brand promises to “holistically reimagine” event and meeting spaces with a more modern approach.
Tapestry Collection by Hilton​
Tapestry Collection is another of Hilton’s soft brands, with about 50 boutique properties mostly in smaller markets in the U.S. and Canada. These independent hotels represent affordable luxury and again focus heavily on the unique attributes of the individual location.
​Tempo
Tempo is Hilton’s newest brand, focused on providing an “approachable lifestyle hotel” to the young professional crowd. Tempo hotels will feature a midcentury modern style and offer amenities like public co-working spaces, a premium fitness center and in-room “power up” videos.
Tru by Hilton
Tru by Hilton is a fast-growing U.S.-centered brand focused on a fast-growing market: cost-conscious millennial travelers. Similar to Marriott’s Moxy, you can expect to find small rooms that make an efficient use of space at Tru’s nearly 200 North American hotels, bulk toiletries, open closets and “mobile” desks that let you rearrange the space as you see fit.
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts​
Waldorf Astoria is the pinnacle of luxury within the Hilton family, with 34 hotels and resorts located in major cities and popular beach destinations worldwide. Most of the properties feature a neoclassical style, more akin to a St. Regis than an Edition or Park Hyatt, and a fitting choice for a brand with nearly 25% of its locations centered in Europe.
Two of the best-known properties in the brand are the iconic Waldorf Astoria New York, which set the record in 2014 for the most expensive hotel ever sold when it was purchased by Chinese insurance conglomerate Anbang group for $1.95 billion, and the recently-opened Waldorf Astoria Maldives which somehow managed to up the ante in what was already one of the most luxurious destinations in the world.