MEMPHIS, Tenn. / May 8, 2001-- Hilton Hotels Corp. today announced that Hampton(TM), the national brand of midpriced Hampton Inn® and Hampton Inn & Suites® hotels, opened 19 properties for the quarter ended March 31, 2001, representing an additional 1,844 guest rooms.

This brought the brand's total numbers to 1,090 hotels and 112,796 rooms systemwide as of March 31, 2001, compared with 999 hotels and 104,419 rooms as of March 31, 2000, representing an 8 percent increase in the total number of guest rooms year over year.

Reflecting additional activity during the first quarter (not included in the official first-quarter figures because the hotels were considered part of the system previously) was the reopening of the 101-room Hampton Inn Oklahoma City, Okla. (temporarily closed after the 1999 tornado); the conversion of the 174-room Hampton Inn Clearwater Beach, Fla., to a Hampton Inn & Suites; and the expansion of the 161-room Hampton Inn & Suites in Boynton Beach, Fla., from 107 rooms.

In addition to strong development growth, the Hampton brand experienced a 3.9 point increase in occupancy and a 10.6 percent increase in RevPAR in the first quarter, well in excess of its competitive set as reflected by industry data.

Not only has our focus been to grow the brand's size, but to grow market share for our existing hotels. In the first quarter, Hampton hotels gained more than seven points in market share compared to first quarter of last year, said Phil Cordell, senior vice president, Hampton brand management.

We continue to be well positioned to compete in today's environment, bolstered by our participation since April 2000 in the Hilton HHonors® guest reward program, the launch in mid-2000 of a new advertising campaign, a marketing agreement with American Automobile Association, and the power of the Hilton Reservations Worldwide system, all reinforcing our brand's strong value proposition to guests.

We view the months ahead as a huge opportunity for the brand to encourage trial and return, said Cordell. Hotel guests today seek value, particularly in challenging economic conditions.

With our history of customer-focused programs like 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, the ability of our guests to earn Points & Miles(TM) as members of Hilton HHonors, and our improved free continental breakfast rolling out this summer, we are poised to attract new and return leisure and business travelers in the months ahead.

Hampton is part of Hilton Hotels Corp., recognized internationally as a pre-eminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises approximately 1,900 hotels, resorts and vacation-ownership properties. Its portfolio includes many of the world's best-known and most highly regarded hotel brands, including Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Harrison Conference Centers, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations Company, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Red Lion Hotels & Inns.

                 HAMPTON FIRST-QUARTER 2001 OPENINGS
                    (Jan. 1, 2001-March 31, 2001)


HAMPTON INN HOTELS                         OPEN DATE   NO. OF ROOMS

Columbia, Md.                                 3/26           83
Myrtle Beach-West, S.C.                       3/22           81
Oklahoma City I-40 East (Tinker AFB)(a)       3/21          101
Eugene, Ore.                                  3/20           61
Ottawa (Starved Rock Area), Ill.              3/17           65
Columbia-Downtown Historic District, S.C.     3/14          123
Moultrie, Ga.                                 3/8            73
Gallatin, Tenn.                               3/6            64
Boston-Logan Airport, Mass.                   3/1           227
Council Bluffs, Iowa                          3/2            98
LaPlace, La.                                  2/20           80
Wilmington-Medical Park, N.C.                 2/15           85
Seaford, Del.                                 2/3            67
Clearwater, Fla. (b)                          1/24     16 additional
                                                            rooms
                                                         Total 174
                                                         (from 158)
St. Louis/Sunset Hills, Mo.                   1/17           84
Tampa-Veterans Expwy./Waters Ave., Fla.       1/12           86
Charlotte-Uptown, N.C.                        1/8           149
Milpitas, Calif.                              1/5            93
Boston/Braintree, Mass.                       1/4           103

(a) Reopening
(b) Hotel expansion of 16 new guest rooms


HAMPTON INN & SUITES HOTELS                OPEN DATE   NO. OF ROOMS

Austin/Airport, Texas                         3/9           102
Ft. Myers Beach/Summerlin Rd., Fla.           2/3           120
Boynton Beach, Fla. (c)                       1/10     54 additional
                                                           rooms
                                                         Total 161
                                                         (from 107)

(c) Hotel conversion from Hampton Inn to Hampton Inn & Suites

Note to Editors: The following service marks are owned by Hilton Hospitality Inc.: Hilton®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Homewood Suites® by Hilton, Red Lion Hotels & Inns®, Hilton Grand Vacations Company® and Conrad(TM). HHonors®, Double Dip®, Double Dipping® and Points & Miles(TM) are trademarks owned by Hilton HHonors Worldwide LLC.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities law, including statements concerning business strategies and their intended results, and similar statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this news release are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the effects of economic conditions; supply and demand changes for hotel rooms; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; relationships with clients and property owners; the impact of government regulations; and the availability of capital to finance growth, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the statements herein.

Kendra Walker
Hilton Hotels Corporation Brand Communications
310/205-4545
Hilton