Hilton has added a new collection brand to its growing portfolio of lifestyle hotel options. Outset Collection by Hilton will aim to offer guests “soulful, independent” places to stay.
Outset will become the Hilton group’s 25th brand, and with it the group is seeking to represent independent hotels in places that are off the beaten track, or in smaller niche locations. The first hotels will appear under the banner later in 2025, with bookings from November on.
Strong signing momentum
Hilton says it has already secured interest from more than 60 hotels, all currently within the US market. It has set a target of growth towards a long term potential of more than 500 hotels across the US and Canada alone. The aim is to provide a broad variety of accommodation, with confirmed signings spreading from a boutique hotel in Chicago, to a “basecamp for exploration” in Moab.
“Outset Collection is an expression of our commitment to growth, innovation and meeting the evolving needs of travelers around the world,” said Hilton president Chris Nassetta. “By expanding our lifestyle portfolio, we are broadening the ways guests engage with Hilton and unlocking new possibilities for our owners, our teams and the communities we serve.”
Hilton has come to love collection brands, having already had strong success with its Curio Collection and Tapestry Collection. They speak to the trend for signing hotel conversions, which enable a fast onboarding of properties that are already trading and fully staffed.
Hilton notes that in its second quarter of 2025, conversions accounted for more than one third of openings, across 10 of the group’s brands. And for owners, the option of becoming part of a strong marketing and loyalty ecosystem comes without the need to apply tight brand standards, or redecorate a property in a prescribed manner.
For Hilton, the Tapestry Collection continues to provide opportunities to grow its portfolio. In Europe, it has Cuber House Valencia in Spain under construction, along with Hotel Neretva Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the Polish city of Poznan, the 96 room Hotel de Rome will open in early 2026, followed by the launch of the Sound of the Sea in Karpathos, a Greek destination that will offer an adults-only sanctuary.
Strong interest in collection brands
Likewise, the Curio Collection is growing around the globe. In Europe, it has upcoming openings in Bodrum, Istanbul and Rotterdam. And in Edinburgh, there were plans to convert the Caledonian Hotel from its previous Waldorf Astoria branding to the Curio Collection, acknowledging the pulling power of the brand.
In the Americas, upcoming Curio properties include the Kailani, an 80 room hotel in George Town, Cayman Islands, opening in late 2026. The Monarch in San Antonio is also slated for a 2026 launch, along with the new build Oberlin in Raleigh.
