Hilton looks to take lifestyle 'out of dark ages'

Hilton Worldwide is looking to take the lifestyle hotel segment ‘out of the dark ages’ with the introduction of its new brand, Canopy by Hilton, the operator’s CEO has said.

The company unveiled the new brand last month and, while the initial slate of properties is limited to the US and London, plans are afoot to take it around the world, including to the Middle East.

Speaking during an earnings call following the release of Hilton’s results for the third quarter, CEO and president Chris Nassetta provided investors and analysts with some more details about the company’s ambition for the new brand.

“We believe this brand will be a game-changer because it appeals to a much wider audience than the traditional lifestyle concepts,” he said, according to a transcript of the call by Seeking Alpha. “Instead of a small sliver of the luxury segment, accessible lifestyle opens up demand more broadly, thus giving us the ability to serve more customers and add meaningfully to our growth over time.

“Canopy takes lifestyle out of the dark ages with a light, organic and contemporary look and feel. It's designed to be welcoming and also reflect the local neighbourhood flavour and culture where each hotel is located. And we've designed it in such a way that Canopy will be efficient to build or convert, driving a very compelling return on investment for our owners.”

In addition to the 11 signed deals, announced when the brand was unveiled last month, Nassetta said the company was working on deals for 15 more properties.

Hilton Worldwide has previously told Hotelier Middle East that it is considering bringing the Canopy by Hilton brand to major cities across the Middle East, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Bahrain.