Hilton Hotels is bedding down recent acquisitions in the lifestyle hotel segment, and now expects to double its presence in the category over the next four years, taking it to 700 hotels globally.
In recent months, the group has concluded two deals that have added to its portfolio of lifestyle brands. Hilton acquired the Graduate Hotels brand, and with it a portfolio of more than 35 distinctive hotels and pipeline projects. And it also acquired the NoMad brand, a concept with just its first flagship hotel open in London.
Building lifestyle brands
These brands will feed into a lifestyle brand portfolio that Hilton had previously developed internally. These include Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection, Motto by Hilton, Tapestry Collection, and Tempo by Hilton. And to ensure the focus on growth, Hilton has appointed Kevin Osterhaus, formerly with Graduate Hotels, as Hilton’s president, global lifestyle brands.
Graduate, focused as a brand on creating hotels in towns and cities with a significant university or college presence, has been to date a largely US focused brand. The start of an international growth for the brand has seen two UK sites added in Oxford and Cambridge. Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta has said he sees substantial potential to grow the Graduate brand, noting as the acquisition was announced: “With thousands of colleges and universities around the world, we believe the addressable market for the Graduate brand is 400-500 hotels globally.” Graduate Princeton and Graduate Auburn are expected to open in 2024.
Two collection brands, which draw together independent and individual properties, also feature in the Hilton lifestyle line-up. Hilton launched Curio in 2014 and added Tapestry in 2017. While Curio was aimed at four to five star hotels, Tapestry fits in beneath with a more affordable three to four star offering.
An international phenomenon
Curio is truly international, with hotels in 40 countries, and opening 30 more hotels this year. Keight Hotel Opatija is the brand’s first hotel in Croatia, while the Grand Hotel Vilnius in Lithuania, Kwetu Nairobi in Kenya and Zemi Miches All-Inclusive Resort in the Dominican Republic all add to the global offering. Tapestry, meanwhile celebrated the 100 hotel milestone in 2023, and should open its 150th destination later in 2024 as it focuses on conversions as well as expanding via collaborations with independent hotels. This year’s additions include Bermudiana Beach Resort, Tapestry Collection by Hilton as well as hotels in Thailand, Paraguay and Turkey.
Canopy is a longstanding lifestyle brand in the Hilton portfolio, and is now expanding into resorts. Canopy by Hilton Seychelles opened as its first, and resorts in Okinawa and Bozeman, Montana are due to follow. The brand saw six signings in the first quarter, including new destinations in Greece and Malta. Motto is also expanding fast, with a pipeline that will spread it to 10 country markets by 2026. Later this year Motto by Hilton Hong Kong Soho will launch, along with another Motto in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Tempo was launched in 2020 with its first hotel opening in Times Square in 2023. Nashville, Louisville and Raleigh followed with the expectation of growing to around 30 hotels open by 2026.
