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As one of the largest hotel chains in the world, Hilton Worldwide has more than 6,500 properties in approximately 119 countries and territories.
For those who travel, specifically those who redeem Hilton Honors points, there are so many options to choose from that it can be overwhelming.
To make things easier, we’re going to take a look at Hilton’s 19 different brands so that you can decide which one is right for you. The newest brands, Motto by Hilton, has opened its first micro hotel locations in the Hilton family, and Spark was just announced. Additionally, 2 new brands, Signia by Hilton and Tempo by Hilton, are on the horizon.
Hilton has a massive portfolio of hotel brands that stretch across several tiers: luxury, upper upscale, upscale, upper midscale, midscale, and timeshare. Here’s a quick breakdown.
| Brand Name | Tier | Properties | Countries |
| Canopy by Hilton | Lifestyle | 28 | 7 |
| Conrad Hotels & Resorts | Luxury | 39 | 21 |
| Curio Collection by Hilton | Upper upscale | 101 | 27 |
| DoubleTree by Hilton | Upscale | 620 | 49 |
| Embassy Suites by Hilton | Upper upscale | 259 | 5 |
| Hampton by Hilton | Upper midscale | 2,682 | 31 |
| Hilton Garden Inn | Upscale | 906 | 50 |
| Hilton Grand Vacations | Timeshare | 56 | 6 |
| Hilton Hotels & Resorts | Upper upscale | 584 | 93 |
| Home2 Suites by Hilton | Upper midscale | 478 | 2 |
| Homewood Suites by Hilton | Upscale | 516 | 4 |
| LXR Hotels & Resorts | Luxury | 5 | 5 |
| Motto by Hilton | Upper midscale | 2 | 1 |
| Signia by Hilton | Upscale | Coming soon | |
| Spark by Hilton | Premium economy | Coming soon | |
| Tapestry Collection by Hilton | Upscale independent hotels | 57 | 4 |
| Tempo by Hilton | Upscale | Coming soon | |
| Tru by Hilton | Midscale | 192 | 2 |
| Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts | Luxury | 34 | 15 |
With so many types of hotel properties, you’re bound to find one that fits your needs.
American Express is the exclusive credit card issuer for Hilton, offering 3 personal credit cards and 1 business credit card that earn Hilton Honors points directly.
Not only can you earn a ton of Hilton Honors points when you use one of these cards at Hilton properties, but you have several useful bonus categories that can really boost your earning.
You automatically receive Gold status when you have the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. One of the best parts about Gold status is that you’ll get free breakfast every morning during your stay and space-available upgrades to nicer rooms. You also get your fifth night free on award stays of 5 nights or more.
The Hilton Honors American Express Card provides Silver status to the cardholder. Like Gold status, Silver status provides the fifth-night free benefit on award stays.
Hot Tip: Check out our comparison of the benefits and perks of each Hilton Honors credit card for more details.
The Hilton Honors loyalty program no longer uses award charts like other major hotel loyalty programs, such as World of Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy.
Prices fluctuate by season and occupancy, with maximum standard award prices supposed to be set at 120,000 points per night. We have just seen 2 properties pricing at 120,000 to 150,000 points per night for standard awards: Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi and Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal.
Hilton has provided an online tool that allows you to see the minimum and maximum number of Hilton Honors points an award stay can cost at each property around the world. You can expect Hilton to charge the maximum during its respective busy seasons or whenever prices are higher for paid stays.
When standard awards are not available, premium awards are priced according to the cash price of rooms and can cost hundreds of thousands of points per night.
With 19 hotel brands, it’s no surprise that Hilton has a massive global footprint. However, each Hilton brand seeks to offer a distinct experience to fit the different desires of travelers.
Let’s take a look at what you can expect when staying at each brand.
The first Canopy by Hilton was opened in Reykjavik, Iceland in mid-2016. There are now 12 more Canopy locations with a bunch more scheduled to open in 2021 and beyond.
These upscale properties are being designed to blend into their local neighborhoods with food and drink to match. We look forward to seeing more of these properties open down the road.
Conrad Hotels & Resorts is another luxury brand offered by Hilton. While Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria brand is known for its traditional luxury experience, its Conrad properties are a more modern take on luxury.
There are only 39 Conrad properties. While they don’t have the same name recognition as the Waldorf Astoria, they offer some fantastic luxury options.
If you’re looking for an amazing place to stay in Bali, Indonesia, Conrad Bali is a beautiful place to relax. Stays can be booked for 60,000 Hilton Honors points per night.
Curio Collection by Hilton is another of Hilton’s upper-upscale brands. These properties provide a boutique hotel experience with the benefit of Hilton’s broader platform.
Hilton describes Curio Collection by Hilton as “for travelers who seek local discovery and one-of-a-kind experiences.”
DoubleTree by Hilton is classified as an upscale hotel and is marketed to both business travelers and those looking for a place to stay on vacation. There are 620 DoubleTree by Hilton properties across the globe, giving you plenty of opportunities to try one.
It is known for the famous warm chocolate chip cookies that guests receive at check-in. These cookies are amazing, but don’t take our word for it … book a stay and try one yourself!
If you want a guaranteed suite with space to stretch out while on vacation, Embassy Suites by Hilton is a solid choice. There are 259 of these upper-upscale properties across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.
Every Embassy Suites by Hilton provides a complimentary made-to-order breakfast. In the evenings, you can enjoy a complimentary happy hour with food and drinks.
With so much space in each of these suites, these hotel properties are great for family vacations.
Hilton classifies Hampton by Hilton as an upper-midscale brand. With over 2,682 locations, Hampton by Hilton not only has accessible prices but is available in many cities you might visit. This brand also includes Hampton Inn & Suites hotels if you want to book a suite for your stay.
While not made-to-order, each property does provide a complimentary hot breakfast. Additionally, you will have access to complimentary Wi-Fi.
Thanks to its amazing views, the Hampton by Hilton Bar Harbor in Bar Harbor, Maine is a very popular Hampton property.
Hilton Garden Inn is a massive brand with 906 hotel properties across the globe. Hilton says this brand “strives to ensure today’s busy travelers have what they need to be productive on the road.”
Hilton promotes its made-to-order breakfast and fitness centers in addition to business centers that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Hilton Garden Inn also offers handcrafted cocktails, shareable small plates, as well as flexible meeting space, wireless printing, and free Wi-Fi.
Hilton Garden Inn is perhaps the most well-recognized leader in combining budget-friendly accommodations with a reliable brand and an emphasis on tasty food.
Hilton Grand Vacations is Hilton’s timeshare brand. There are 56 locations that timeshare members can use. Members can use ClubPoints or Hilton Honors points to book stays.
For those earning Hilton Honors points or other hotel points, timeshares don’t usually make much sense as they require a significant cash investment with a very limited number of destination options.
Hilton is one of the most (if not the most) well-known hotel brands in the world, and Hilton Hotels & Resorts is the flagship brand with good reason. This is an upper upscale brand that makes up more than 20% of Hilton’s hotel rooms across the world.
These full-service properties include restaurants, event spaces, swimming pools, and more.
Hot Tip: A few Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties are included in our list of best Hilton redemptions.
Home2 Suites by Hilton is basically the midscale version of the upscale Homewood Suites by Hilton. It is designed for the cost-conscious extended-stay traveler. This brand has grown to 478 properties.
Home2 Suites by Hilton “offers complimentary continental breakfast, integrated laundry and exercise facility, recycling and sustainability initiatives, and a pet-friendly policy.”
Hot Tip: Traveling with Fido? You’ll be pleased to know that many Hilton brands are pet-friendly.
Homewood Suites by Hilton is an upscale hotel brand designed for travelers on long business trips or extended vacations. Rooms are designed to feel residential with a full-size fridge, kitchen, bedroom, and living room area.
Each of the 516 Homewood Suites by Hilton properties attempts to create a home-like atmosphere.
LXR Hotels & Resorts is an upper upscale collection of independent hotels that are now under the Hilton Brands portfolio.
There are 5 locations in total:
Motto is a new format, micro-hotel in urban locations. The first property, Motto by Hilton Washington, D.C. City Center opened in mid-2020, and the second property, Motto Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square, joined shortly after.
Motto by Hilton is designed to be smaller and has a more efficient footprint, complete with state-of-the-art connectivity. Uniquely, there are common areas for casual mingling, known as Motto Commons.
Signia by Hilton is a new full-service brand announced in February 2019. It will focus on hosting large meetings and events.
The Signia by Hilton brand has an emphasis on large, open, grand spaces meant to nullify bumping shoulders with others during large events, conferences, and meetings. Signia by Hilton features ultra-modern furnishings, destination-based dining, innovative technology, and premium wellness amenities.
Classified as upper upscale, Signia by Hilton’s selected competitors are Fairmont, Grand Hyatt, and JW Marriott.
Hot Tip: Did you know that you can earn lots of Hilton points by booking events and meetings? Signia by Hilton is a perfect brand for racking up Hilton points!
Spark is a new budget-friendly brand from Hilton that’s set to debut by the end of 2023. Designed to be fun, simple, and reliable, Spark is categorized as a premium economy brand. Bright and cheerful accent colors will aim to bring a warm welcome to guests, while convenient amenities like a multi-purpose work area and mini-fridge will be central in the guest rooms. A complimentary breakfast, including a bagel bar, will also be served at Spark hotel locations.
Tapestry Collection by Hilton is an upscale brand of independent hotels that seeks to create a unique experience at each property. There are now 57 Tapestry Collection by Hilton locations.
Each Tapestry Collection by Hilton property has a unique personality, with a huge focus on experiential, upscale authenticity.
Tempo by Hilton is Hilton’s newest brand. It emphasizes stylish and wellness-focused business accommodations.
It was created to appeal to those fast-moving business travelers to “enjoy elevated amenities and inspiring spaces, from wake-up to wind-down. Find your focus at the Coffee Fuel Bar or power down with mindfulness rituals from Thrive Global. No matter how you travel, Tempo by Hilton is designed to keep up with your pace.”
The new brand will feature elevated rooms, stylish spaces, local and inspired menus, and tools to fire up and wind down your day.
Tru by Hilton has grown quickly to 116 properties in the U.S. and Canada. This is a hotel brand attempting to capture the cost-conscious, millennial market.
Hilton says that “by focusing on the brand’s 3 key tenets of simplified, spirited, and grounded in value, every detail of the property is crafted for operational efficiency and to drive increased guest satisfaction — from the activated, open lobby to the efficiently designed bedrooms.”
Hilton describes Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts as “inspirational environments and personalized attention that are the source of unforgettable moments.” It’s no wonder that these famous properties are known throughout the world for providing a luxury experience from start to finish.
This luxury brand has approximately 34 properties scattered across the globe. These properties are highly sought-after by those who want to relax at a spa, enjoy world-class restaurants, and have access to amazing concierge services.
Stays at a Waldorf Astoria property typically cost 80,000 to 150,000 Hilton Honors points per night for standard room awards. Ultimately, Waldorf Astoria properties in international cities like Panama and Chengdu often fetch cheaper points prices — think 35,000 to 50,000 points per night.
In contrast, the ultra-luxe Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi costs 120,000 tp 150,000 Hilton Honors points per night for a standard room.
Bottom Line: Waldorf Astoria is the flagship brand of Hilton for luxury travelers. Half of our best Hilton luxury hotels to book with points are Waldorf Astoria properties!
With so many properties, Hilton Worldwide is a popular choice for travelers. For those with Gold or Diamond status, the perk of free breakfast helps Hilton build a loyal following and makes traveling just that little bit easier for loyal Hilton Honors members.
The toughest part about Hilton is the number of Hilton Honors points that can be required to book luxury and upper-upscale properties. Even some of the mid-scale properties can cost quite a few points when booked during a busy season or near a popular event!
With that being said, some of Hilton’s high-end properties are spectacular. The Conrad Koh Samui, Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa, and Conrad Bali are fantastic properties that can be booked with Hilton Honors points, and there are many more great properties from which to choose.
Fortunately, the co-branded Hilton Honors credit cards provided by American Express can help you earn points extremely quickly. If you have paid Hilton stays in the future, you’ll earn tons of points by using your Hilton credit card. Thanks to solid bonus categories, you can also earn plenty of points on your daily spending.
All in all, Hilton Honors is not a perfect program. The variable award pricing is very concerning since there’s nothing to stop Hilton from pricing all awards at the maximum rate all the time. However, there are some great properties to try — so don’t write off Hilton Honors points too quickly!
The information regarding The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, click here.
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Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used by hundreds of clients.
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9 comments
Jack
March 19, 2019
Is Forest Villas Hotel in Prescott, AZ a Hilton property?
Stephen Au
March 19, 2019
Hey Jack,
It is not. Generally, you can find out if a hotel belongs to a chain by visiting their website and searching the city the hotel in question is located in. Thanks for reading.
Candace
April 02, 2019
Hilton Texas has posted a sign that they no longer want military personnel and guests. Wake up Hilton. We patriotic Americans don’t want any businesses or unpatriotic people that don’t support or appreciate their freedom in our USA. We will be sharing this post from Hilton Texas and all listings of Hilton holdings for boycotts.
America, love it or leave it.
Erin Miller
April 03, 2019
Hi Candace, please be advised *we are not Hilton Hotels*. We are Upgraded Points, a website that publishes points and miles content as well as additional articles related to travel.
We understand your concern and respect your opinion! However, in order to reach Hilton, we suggest you bring this up via a social media platform like Twitter or Facebook and tag/include Hilton in your comment (or mention on one of their pages). This will ensure your issue is received by the appropriate party so they can address your concerns.
Phillip
July 28, 2019
You have LXR Resorts listed twice in the grid at the top. LXR is considered luxury tier by Hilton, not upper upscale. LXR is also not just resort properties – they have a city one in London coming soon. Curio is also independent hotels if you’re keeping track. The 3 “soft” brands of Hilton are LXR, Curio, and Tapestry where they are independent properties.
Jarrod West
August 01, 2019
Hi Phillip,
Thanks for pointing this out! We’ve updated the post to reflect the change.
Thanks for reading!
pete jordan
September 15, 2019
Hilton hotels are the best in the world.
Amber
June 22, 2020
Haven’t stayed at a good homewood suites yet! True is listed as mid-scale and Homewood as upper, but the true’s I have stayed at have always been nicer than the Homewoods. I will not stay at another Homewood!
Darcy Keene
November 23, 2021
Has anyone else booked a room through a 3rd party such as Priceline for any and all Hilton hotels and when you got to the hotel they told you, you can’t stay because you don’t have a major credit card? But the 3rd party already charged your card when you made the reservation and even though the hotel refused to let you stay there and told you they were canceling your reservation the hotel and 3rd party refuse to credit you back because of their cancellation policy?? I am sure there are thousands of other people out there that have experienced this also. Well, this is called unethical and criminal practices both parties are working together to rip off all of us. I am going to start a lawsuit and would like for others to join me to make it a class-action lawsuit and make all these companies that are bullying and taking advantage of the consumers pay back the monies owed to each and every one of us. I am sure that they have received billions of dollars by this scam that they work together to rip us off. Please reply to this post and we as a team will stop this criminal activity these businesses are doing. I am also contacting the local news that investigates stuff like this. Thank you and hope we can start making these companies conduct business with integrity and ethics.
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