At Hilton, there's a hotel brand for everyone, from the no-frills Hampton Inn traveler to the luxury seeker who wants to be pampered at a Conrad or Waldorf Astoria. As a member of the Hilton Honors program, you'll be able to earn and redeem your points on everything from affordable hotels with all the basics to some of the most luxurious addresses around the world.
Hilton’s 18 brands include more than 6,500 properties in 118 countries and territories, and Hilton Honors members have come to expect notable perks with them no matter what corner of the planet they visit.
Given Hilton’s wide range of offerings, you have loads of opportunities to earn and redeem points, to flex your Hilton elite status for lounge access and free breakfasts, and to take advantage of perks like the free night certificates that come with cards like the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Terms apply.
To know which amenities and benefits to expect at a Hilton Honors hotel, it helps to know the brands and what makes them distinct. Here’s a full rundown of what you can expect from every brand in the Hilton portfolio to help you redeem your hard-earned Hilton Honors points wisely.
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
Waldorf Astoria’s legendary service and rich history make its hotels some of the most sought-after destinations in the world. The 32 Waldorf Astoria properties in 15 countries add prestige to the Hilton Honors portfolio and rank high on the bucket lists of Honors members saving up points for a dream vacation. Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi is no exception, with its beautiful overwater villas and private plunge pools overlooking the stunning aquamarine ocean.
Grand Wailea Maui, A Waldorf Astoria Resort is another guest favorite, with a variety of accommodation options that includes traditional hotel rooms as well as the two- and three-bedroom Ho’olei Villas that are more like private residences on the hill facing the Pacific Ocean.
Conrad Hotels & Resorts
Named for company founder Conrad Hilton, this is a luxury brand through and through, with properties around the world. From Cairo to Washington, D.C., Conrad is in city and resort locales, always with an air of sophistication. Some hotels have extensive meeting space, while others win the prize for most unusual sleeping accommodations. How about bunking underwater at Conrad Maldives’ The MURAKA for a creative Hilton Honors points-earning experience?
LXR Hotels & Resorts
This is a smaller collection of distinctive properties that focus on individualized service (the brand says its experiences are “never mass-produced”). The properties reflect the flavor and culture of their environs. The Zemi Beach House in Anguilla, for example, pays tribute to its Caribbean home with its beautiful beachfront location and famous Rhum Room bar with more than 100 small-batch, single-estate rums.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
The namesake brand for Hilton, these 500+ full-service hotels across six continents are known for innovation and amenities. Near its Hilton McLean Tysons Corner property (adjacent to company headquarters), Hilton often tests new amenities and services for all of its properties at its Innovation Gallery. From Hilton Honors’ Digital Key to noise-canceling devices for rooms, this is an incubator for new product ideas and where things are tested for potential implementation in other hotels.
The Caribe Hilton, on a verdant 17-acre Puerto Rico peninsula close to San Juan’s historic district, was Hilton’s first hotel outside the continental United States. It is also known as the hotel where the piña colada recipe was created, according to DiscoverPuertoRico.com.
Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton calls this brand “laid-back” and “sophisticated.” At nearly 600 of its properties, it features a Garden Grille & Bar concept serving cooked-to-order meals and hand-crafted cocktails, a fitness center and, at many properties, a swimming pool. Hilton Garden Inn has hotels in almost 50 countries and territories with more growth planned.
Hampton by Hilton
Alert, waffle lovers! The hotel brand is perhaps most famous for being the first hotel brand in its segment to popularize the fresh baked-by-guests Belgian waffle. Of course, it's now the centerpiece of the Hampton Inn's free, hot breakfast that you can expect at all properties worldwide.
Take, for example, the Hampton by Hilton Dubai Airport, which offers a good snapshot of Hampton’s business-traveler-friendly amenities: complimentary breakfast (including grab-and-go bags in many hotels on weekdays), fitness centers and, in many locations, meeting space.
Hamptons aim to please leisure travelers, too, with amenities like the relaxing pool deck at the Dubai Airport location. With more than 2,500 hotels around the world, the brand continues to grow, opening its first hotel in Ecuador last year.
Embassy Suites by Hilton
A favorite of families and business travelers alike, Embassy Suites by Hilton properties feature all-suite accommodations with a separate living area and a sleeper sofa, plus a bedroom. Kitchenettes come with a refrigerator and microwave. A hallmark of the brand is its atrium-style lobby and dining area where complimentary, cooked-to-order breakfast is served each morning.
An evening happy hour with free cocktails, beer, wine and appetizers adds even more value. It’s like the club lounges found in some other hotels except all guests are welcome — no elite status required. Most of Embassy Suites’ 250+ properties are in the United States.
Homewood Suites by Hilton
Another of Hilton’s all-suite brands, Homewood opened its 500th property and first in the Caribbean, Homewood Suites by Hilton Santo Domingo, in 2019. Set up like apartments, with living room, bedroom and kitchen, Homewood’s suites are ideal for an extended stay. Refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, dining ware and cooking appliances are standard.
Accommodations are designed in studio, one- and two-bedroom setups, making them great for families, as well as those looking for temporary living arrangements. They are popular with business consultants, medical and insurance professionals, and others who find themselves relocating to an area for weeks at a time (although guests can stay just a single night if they wish).
Guests enjoy complimentary breakfast each morning and an evening social hour with wine, beer and refreshments Monday through Thursday. These hotels also offer free grocery shopping service — guests pay for the groceries, but no additional fee.
Home2 Suites by Hilton
Another all-suite, extended-stay brand, Home2 Suites by Hilton opened its 400th hotel this year. Guests enjoy free hot breakfast, 24-hour marketplaces for refreshments and free wireless internet. Home2 Suites are pet-friendly, and some have great residential features like outdoor patio with a firepit and grill, swimming pool, and Spin2 Cycle — an integrated fitness and laundry room so guests can work out while they wait for their clothes.
Tru by Hilton
Tru by Hilton is a fast-growing brand, opening 100 hotels within its first three years of operation, and later 200 brands within about six years. These hotels mix modern style with affordability for both business and leisure travelers. One of its most popular perks is the complimentary “Top It” breakfast bar with hot and cold offerings plus 35 healthy, sweet and savory toppings to customize meals every morning.
Every Tru by Hilton lobby features a “Tru-ly Local Wall” listing activities in the area. The lobby also features an all-hours market to buy refreshments.
Canopy by Hilton
These boutique hotels are representative of their location through their décor and design while also instilling a subtle focus on healthy living. Guests are greeted with locally sourced welcome gifts, and they will find local drinks and ingredients on the bar and restaurant menus. Guests can borrow bikes from the hotel, they’re complimentary, or use pet-friendly guides to get out and explore the neighborhood.
The Canopy by Hilton Philadelphia Center City is in a Beaux Arts building that once housed a department store. Other interesting hotels in the portfolio include Canopy by Hilton Kansas City, also housed in a former 1920s department store, and Canopy Jersey City, which features studio space for local artists in a nod to the nearby Powerhouse Arts District.
Curio – A Collection by Hilton
These upscale, independent hotels range in size and offerings, and Hilton hopes to add its 100th Curio hotel to the portfolio this year. You’ll find something different and emblematic of its location in each property. For example, in Augusta, Georgia, home to the Masters Golf Tournament, The Partridge Inn is adorned with framed photos and historical documents illustrating the region’s importance for area sports and commerce. A member of Historic Hotels of America, this Curio property is a traditional Southern inn, with a grand front porch where guests can enjoy meals and cocktails.
Another notable hotel in the collection, especially as road trips and national parks take center stage this year, is Hoodoo Moab near Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park in Utah. The region’s famous red rocks are a big draw for travelers looking to get out in nature, and this modern hotel gives guests the chance to sleep close to the park.
DoubleTree by Hilton
DoubleTree is known for its signature warm chocolate chip cookie provided at check-in (the one whose coveted recipe was finally revealed as a stay-at-home pandemic surprise). DoubleTree by Hilton operates nearly 600 full-service hotels in 48 countries. These hotels cater to business and leisure travelers alike, mixing functional space with amenities like pools and fitness centers in many locations.
DoubleTree is growing around the world, and some properties are in unique locations like historic buildings and along scenic waterfronts. The DoubleTree by Hilton in Trieste, Italy, is located in an ornate palazzo building that has preserved its original fresco ceilings.
Tapestry Collection by Hilton
These boutique hotels highlight local color and eclectic themes in their design. No two hotels are alike. This is one of Hilton’s new collection brands that bring together independent hotels under its fold. Atocha Hotel Madrid, one of the newer Tapestry offerings, is within walking distance of its namesake train station and the city’s famous Golden Triangle of Art museums.
Signia by Hilton
Hilton announced this new meeting-and-events-focused brand last year, but has yet to debut its first Signia property. According to Hilton, modern architecture and impressive, locally inspired design will be key aspects of the new Signia properties. At the heart of each hotel will be what Hilton says is a “destination bar” for social gathering, as well as a chef-driven concept restaurant. And tech-heavy ballrooms and conference rooms will be at the core of this new brand.
Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, Signia by Hilton Atlanta and Signia by Hilton Indianapolis are expected to be the brand’s first properties to open, but due to a slowdown in meeting travel at the moment, opening dates have been postponed.
Tempo by Hilton
These lifestyle properties focus on mindfulness and well-being. Hilton enlisted Thrive Global to help design morning and bedtime rituals that guests can use to power up or power down each day. Stylish rooms and social spaces also help to feed that purpose.
Rooms have great bedding and a Get Ready Zone (flexible spaces where guests can rearrange furniture depending on whether they want to work or relax). Bathroom mirrors have built-in Bluetooth speakers so that guests can stream their own entertainment. Open lobbies provide ample space to work or to grab a cocktail. Dining menus showcase the creativity of a panel of emerging chefs through a partnership with Blau + Associates. There’s also a Coffee Fuel Bar for guests who need a quick pick-me-up.
Among the Tempo properties coming soon include Tempo Boston Fenway located steps from Fenway Park (slated to open in 2023), and Tempo Milwaukee Downtown, a 155-room hotel with unobstructed views of the bustling city and Milwaukee River just steps away Fiserv Forum, home of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks (set for a 2024 opening).
Motto by Hilton
Another new Hilton brand, Motto offers “micro hotels” designed for customers who prefer affordability and a good location over lavish amenities and spacious rooms. Located in urban destinations, Mottos offer modern yet compact accommodations in the center of the action. The first hotel, Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center, opened in July.
Social spaces offer free wireless internet and a cafe. Rooms come with flexible furniture that can be moved to create spaces that work best for you. Accommodations are small, but they have doors that can connect them to other rooms for guests who want more space. Guests can use the Hilton Honors app to stream entertainment and even control in-room functions like lighting.
Hilton Grand Vacations
These are vacation ownership properties that come with the ability to earn and redeem Hilton Honors points. Properties are located in California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, South Carolina and Utah domestically, as well as in Barbados, Italy and Scotland overseas. These furnished vacation homes are especially great for families because of their well-equipped kitchens and separate living rooms and bedrooms.
Those who achieve elite status within Hilton Grand Vacations Club’s own program by purchasing a vacation ownership property get an equivalent level of status (Gold or Diamond) in the Hilton Honors program. Hilton Honors members can also redeem points at select Hilton Grand Vacations properties when they book through Hilton.com.
Photos courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, Ramsey Qubein, Zemi Beach House, Aaron Haxton, Caribe Hilton, Davidson Hotels & Resorts, Hampton by Hilton Dubai Airport, Homewood Suites by Hilton Las Vegas City Center, Home2 Suites by Hilton San Francisco Airport North, Tru by Hilton Hershey Chocolate Avenue, Pennsylvania, and Brian Robbins (© 2020 Hilton).
