Hilton Hotels & Resorts[3] (formerly known as Hilton Hotels) is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts and the flagship brand of American multinational hospitality company Hilton.[4]
The original company was founded by Conrad Hilton. As of December 30, 2019, 584 Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties with 216,379 rooms in 94 countries and territories are located across six continents.[1][5] This includes 61 properties that are owned or leased with 219,264 rooms, 272 that are managed with 119,612 rooms, and 251 that are franchised with 77,451 rooms.[1] In 2020, Fortune magazine ranked Hilton Hotels & Resorts at number one on their Fortune List of the Top 100 Companies to Work For in 2020 based on an employee survey of satisfaction.[6]
Conrad Hilton founded the Hilton hotel chain in 1919, when he bought his first property, the Mobley Hotel, in Cisco, Texas.[7] The first hotel to feature the Hilton brand was the Dallas Hilton. In late 2010, Hilton announced a name change of the Hilton Hotels brand to Hilton Hotels & Resorts along with a new logo design, as part of a rebranding effort for the flagship brand.[8]
Today, Hilton Hotels & Resorts is Hilton's flagship brand and one of the largest hotel brands in the world.[9] The brand is targeted at both business and leisure travelers with locations in major city centers, near airports, convention centers, and popular vacation destinations around the world.[10]
Hilton Hotels & Resorts participates in Hilton Honors, Hilton's guest-loyalty program established in 1989.[11] Members who book directly through Hilton-owned channels receive exclusive discounts and amenities such as free Wi-Fi, digital check-in, keyless entry, and the ability to use a mobile app to choose specific rooms.[12][13]
The Beverly Hilton in Beverly HillsHilton Istanbul Bosphorus was built in 1955 as the Istanbul Hilton, the second Hilton hotel in Europe (the first was the Castellana Hilton, in Madrid, in 1953). The Istanbul Hilton is currently the longest serving Hilton hotel outside the United States. It appeared in the James Bond film From Russia with Love (1963).The Hilton Edinburgh Carlton in Edinburgh, ScotlandHilton TokyoHilton Colombo, Sri LankaHilton Athens in Athens, Greece: The hotel opened on April 20, 1963, as Athens' first international chain hotel. Conrad Hilton was present at the opening ceremony.Hilton Houston NASA Clear Lake - Houston, Texas
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: The Hilton Addis, a landmark hotel in Addis Ababa, was designed to resemble the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. Hilton was given a 50-year contract to manage the hotel under the condition that it will not open any other property in the city.
Albuquerque, United States: The Hilton Hotel in Albuquerque was opened in 1939 as the first Hilton-branded hotel outside Texas and the first high-rise in Albuquerque. It was sold to other companies in 1974 and subsequently left the chain, but ended up with Hilton again in 2019, after which it was branded as part of the Curio Collection. It has been included in the National Register of Historic Places since 1984.
Algiers, Algeria: The Hilton Alger first opened in 1993, but closed a year later after the assassination of a representative from Daewoo, which supervised the hotel's construction, during the height of the Algerian Civil War. It reopened as an independent hotel in 1997 and became a Hilton again in 2000, before it closed for the second time in 2017.[26][27]
Antananarivo, Madagascar: The Madagascar Hilton, opened in 1970, has been described as the city's only "true" high-rise building.[30] It left the chain in 2007 and is currently known as the Hotel Carlton Madagascar.
Hilton Barcelona opened in 1990 after a few decades of legal wrangling, during which time its original proposed location was repurposed as a hospital.[35]
Beirut, Lebanon: With construction on the Beirut Hilton finished, the hotel was scheduled to open on April 14, 1975, but the Lebanese Civil War erupted exactly one day before the Grand Opening date, April 13. The hotel never opened and was severely damaged during the war, and the building was demolished in the late 1990s. However, two different hotels later opened in 2011 under the Hilton name in the city's eastern suburb, the Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace and the Hilton Beirut Grand Habtoor, which face each other. Both are conversions from independent hotels.[39]
Belgrade, Serbia: In March 2018, Hilton opened their first hotel in Serbia, Hilton Belgrade.[40][41]
Birmingham, United Kingdom: With nearly 800 rooms and suites, the Hilton Birmingham Metropole is the largest hotel in the United Kingdom outside London. It was originally two separate hotels that were joined by a tunnel in 1988.
Bridgetown, Barbados: On October 24, 1999, the four double columns of the left-hand side of the then-modern Barbados Hilton in Needhams Point collapsed and imploded inwards in just 10 to 15 seconds during an earthquake. It was later demolished in May 2005 after Hilton Hotels constructed a new property in January that year.
The Palmer House Hilton is a historic hotel in the Chicago Loop. It is notable for being the city's first hotel to feature elevators, electric light bulbs, and telephones. It has been dubbed the longest-operating hotel in North America, although it was temporarily closed for a year during the COVID-19 pandemic.[47]
The Hilton Chicago figured prominently in the 1968 Democratic Convention police riot[48] that occurred on Michigan Avenue and across the street in Grant Park on August 28. During the riot the demonstrators took up the chant "The whole world is watching", and the hotel's doors were locked for the first time in its history. The hotel suffered minor damage as a result of the violence, and a couple of street-level windows gave way under the weight of dozens of protesters being pushed up against them by the police.
The Drake Hotel was formerly a longtime rival of The Palmer House, before it was acquired by Hilton International in 1980 and operated under its Vista Hotels brand.[49] It became a Hilton proper in 2005.
The Hilton Colombo Residences, formerly the JAIC Hilton, opened as the second Hilton property in Colombo in 1998.
Colorado Springs, United States: The Antlers Hotel, with history dating back to the 19th century, was managed by Hilton following its purchase by Morgan Stanley in 2003. It left the chain in 2015 and became a Wyndham.
The first hotel to bear the Hilton name was the Dallas Hilton, a high-rise that opened in 1925.[52] The hotel left the chain in 1938 and is currently operated by IHG Hotels & Resorts under the Hotel Indigo brand.
The Hilton Fort Worth, historically known as Hotel Texas, was built in 1921. On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy gave his last address in the hotel's Crystal Ballroom, a few hours before his assassination in Dallas. It was operated as a Sheraton from 1968 to 1979, a Hyatt Regency from 1981 to 1995, and a Radisson from 1995 to 2006, before becoming a Hilton from 2006 onwards.[54][55]
The Blackstone Hotel, the tallest hotel in Downtown Fort Worth, was managed by Hilton from 1952 to 1962.
Hanoi, Vietnam: The Hilton Hanoi Opera has been awarded "Vietnam's Leading Hotel" for five consecutive years between 2004 and 2008. It closed in 2022 for a planned refurbishment into a Waldorf Astoria.[57]
Havana, Cuba: The Habana Hilton was Latin America's largest and tallest hotel at the time of its opening in 1958. Following the Cuban Revolution, it famously became the residence of Fidel Castro and other Cuban revolutionaries. Hilton continued to manage the property until 1960, when the Cuban government nationalized all private properties.[58] Since 1993, the hotel has been managed by Meliá Hotels International under their TRYP by Wyndham brand.[59]
Helsinki, Finland: The Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa was originally a 1910s fisherman's croft, before it became a restaurant and eventually a hotel. Hilton inherited management of the property during its ownership of Scandic Hotels from 2001 to 2007.[60]
Hong Kong, China: The Hong Kong Hilton, opened in 1963, was one of Hilton's first properties in Asia, alongside the Tokyo Hilton. It was the first hotel in the world to include a minibar within all of its hotel rooms. The hotel closed in 1995 and has been demolished to make way for the Cheung Kong Center.
Houston, United States: The Shamrock Hotel, constructed next to the Texas Medical Center, was the largest hotel built in the U.S. during the 1940s. It was operated as the Shamrock Hilton from 1955 until 1985, when Hilton sold the loss-making property to the Texas Medical Center, which demolished it.
Istanbul, Turkey: The Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus is Hilton's first post–World War II property and is the longest operating Hilton Hotel outside the United States, having been continuously managed by the company since its opening in 1955.[63][64]
İzmir, Turkey: The Hilton Izmir was the tallest building in İzmir prior to the completion of the Folkart Towers. After 30 years in service, the hotel closed in 2020.[65]
Kansas City, United States: Hilton began managing the historic Hotel President since 2005 as the Hilton President Kansas City.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: In 2004, the Hilton Kuala Lumpur was opened on KL Sentral, directly opposite the main entrance to the Sentral Terminal, as the replacement for their former premises in Jalan Sultan Ismail. The latter was the first internationally run hotel in the city when opening in 1973, and changed management in 2002 (renamed Crowne Plaza Mutiara) before being demolished in 2015 for a (currently on hold) mixed-use development.
Kyiv, Ukraine: The Hilton Kyiv is part of a 25-level, multipurpose building called the H-Tower, with the hotel occupying floors 3–8.[66]
The Las Vegas Hilton was rebranded from the former International Hotel in 1971. An extension in 1981 added 391 rooms to the existing 2,783, which made it the largest hotel in the world until 1990. The Las Vegas Hilton was one of Hilton's most successful properties until the Great Recession. The hotel exited the Hilton system in 2012 and is currently managed by Westgate Resorts.
The Flamingo Las Vegas, a brainchild of Bugsy Siegel, was operated by Hilton between 1974 and 2000. Under Hilton, the property's four towers were built, while the last remnants of the original Flamingo were torn down.
The Las Vegas Hilton at Resorts World is one of the three Hilton-managed hotels in the Resorts World Las Vegas complex, alongside a Conrad and an LXR hotel. Together, they represent the largest Hilton property in the world, with 3,506 rooms combined.[67]
Laughlin, United States: The Aquarius Casino Resort, the largest hotel in Laughlin, was initially operated as the Flamingo Hilton Laughlin, a branch of the Las Vegas property, before leaving the chain in 2000.
The Hilton London Hyde Park was rebranded in 1999 from the Coburg Hotel, which dates back to 1907.[72] It was a filming location for the film Frenzy (1972).[73]
The Hilton London Metropole opened in 1972 as part of the Metropole chain.[74] It was sold to Stakis Hotels in 1996, ultimately ending up with Hilton International a few years later.[75]
The Hilton London Paddington was formerly the Great Western Royal Hotel, a historic accommodation within the London Paddington station complex that has been in continuous operation since 1854. Following the privatization of the British Rail, it was sold to the private sector in 1983 and ended up with Hilton in 2001.
The historic five-star Langham Hotel was acquired by Ladbroke Group, the owner of Hilton International at the time, in 1986 and operated as the Langham Hilton until 1995.
Longview, United States: Conrad Hilton purchased the Gregg Hotel in 1936, naming it the Longview Hilton, until he sold it to Tom Young & Associates in 1947.
Memphis, United States: The Hilton Memphis, the tallest hotel in Memphis, first opened as a Hyatt Regency in 1975.[80] It became part of Hilton in 2004.
N'Djamena, Chad: In 2016, Hilton N’Djamena opened, in the process making Chad the 100th country Hilton began operations in worldwide.[87] The hotel closed in November 2019.[88]
Nassau, The Bahamas: The British Colonial Hotel, which dates back to 1901, has been managed by Hilton since 1999. It is notable for being built on the site of the Old Fort of Nassau, as well as having the only private beach on the island.
The Millennium Downtown New York Hotel was managed by Hilton as the Millennium Hilton between 1994 and 2022. It suffered extensive damage during the September 11 attacks, but was restored and eventually reopened after 18 months. The U.S. flag which flew outside the hotel is currently preserved in the hotel's lobby.
Nicosia, Cyprus: The Hilton Nicosia was the scene of the assassination of Youssef Sebai, an Egyptian newspaper editor and friend of Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat, on February 19, 1978. The assassination and the hijacking of a Cyprus Airways DC-8 at Larnaca Airport led to the Egyptian raid on Larnaca International Airport by Egyptian forces. The intervention by the Egyptians led to the deterioration of relations between Cyprus and Egypt.
Pittsburgh, United States: The Hilton Pittsburgh opened in 1959, with Conrad Hilton attending the ceremony, and is the largest hotel in Pittsburgh. It exited the Hilton chain in 2010 and is currently operated by Wyndham.
Podgorica, Montenegro: The Hilton Podgorica Crna Gora was reconstructed from Hotel Crna Gora, which was built in 1953 as a symbol of post-war reconstruction in the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica.[92]
Prague, Czech Republic: The 11-floor Atrium Hotel Prague was taken over by Hilton and rebranded as Hilton Prague in 1991, shortly after the Velvet Revolution.[95]
Reno, United States: The Bally's Reno was rebranded as the Reno Hilton in 1992, with Hilton investing $86 million worth of renovation money. It left the Hilton chain following the spun-off of Park Place Entertainment and was rebranded Grand Sierra Resort in 2005.
San Angelo, United States: The San Angelo Hilton was opened in 1929 as one of the earliest Hilton-branded hotels. It is no longer affiliated with Hilton and is now known as the Cactus Hotel.
The Singapore Hilton was developed alongside its sister property in Kuala Lumpur in 1963, but its opening was delayed to 1970, owing to the administrative logjam caused by Singapore's departure from Malaysia. It is known for hosting the popular European restaurant Iggy's. In 2022, it left the Hilton chain and has been managed by IHG Hotels & Resorts through its Voco conversion brand.
Sydney, Australia: On February 13, 1978, the Sydney Hilton Hotel was the site of one of the few terrorist incidents on Australian soil, when a bomb blast killed three people (two council workers and a policeman).
Taba, Egypt: Hilton began managing the Aviya-Sonesta Beach Hotel in 1990, a hotel built by Israel during its occupation of the Sinai Peninsula, after an international panel ruled that the strip of land it sat on belonged to Egypt. Rebranded as Hilton Taba, the hotel was popular with Israeli tourists on account of its location near Eilat and its tax-free status (to this day, it is the only hotel in Egypt where Israelis do not need to pay a tax to travel to).[107] It left the Hilton chain in 2017 and subsequently joined Deutsche Hospitality.[108]
Tallinn, Estonia: In June 2016, Hilton opened their first hotel in Estonia and the Baltic states, Hilton Tallinn Park.[109]
Tehran, Iran: The Parsian Esteghlal International Hotel opened in 1962 as the Royal Tehran Hilton. Following the Iranian Revolution, the Iranian government severed all contracts with foreign hospitality companies, and the hotel is now a public property.
Tel Aviv, Israel: The Hilton Tel Aviv was the largest and most modern hotel in Israel at the time of its completion in 1962.
Toronto, Canada: Hilton managed the Harbour Castle Hotel from 1977 to 1987, when it traded with the Westin their respective Toronto hotels in a complicated management swap.
Venice, Italy: The Hilton Molino Stucky was built in 1895 as a flour mill by Swiss businessman Giovanni Stucky on the western end of the Venetian island of Giudecca. After major renovations, Hilton assumed management of the building as a hotel in 2007.
Willemstad, Curaçao: The Curaçao Hilton, built in 1967, was one of the first international-branded hotels on the island. The property left the chain in 1983, became a Hilton again in 2003, before leaving for good in 2019. It is currently operated by Hyatt as part of its Dreams all-inclusive brand.
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A commercial space station project known as Space Islands was proposed by Hilton International in 1999 to be constructed from used Space Shuttle fuel tanks.[118] When completed, it was to be called the Hilton Orbital Hotel. The tanks were to be connected together to form a ring, resulting in a space station similar to that pictured in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Plans were also drawn up for the Lunar Hilton, a 5000-room hotel on the Moon, though Steve Hilton noted in 2009 that both these plans were more symbolic than practical at this stage.[119]
In March 2013, Hilton announced that it would be entering Myanmar for the first time with the construction of a 300-room hotel in Yangon.[121] While the Yangon hotel has yet to materialize, Hilton did manage to open properties in Mandalay and Naypyidaw in the north of the country (although the Mandalay Hilton has since closed).[122][123]
In 2017, Hilton announced that it would remain the sponsor for McLaren until 2021. Hilton was one of the oldest sponsors of F1 series and sponsored McLaren since 2005.[125]
In October 2017, Hilton announced it had committed a total of $50m (£37.8m) over five years to its Hilton Africa Growth Initiative to support the continued expansion of its Sub-Saharan African portfolio.[citation needed]
"Archived copy"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Tygiel, Jules (June 27, 1983). "Those Who Came After". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on February 18, 2014. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
