Hampton Turns Hairdo into Blissful Bed Promotion; ``Be a Bed Head'' Tour Showcases the Slumber-Inducing Bed

MEMPHIS, Tenn. | What's with that hair?! That's what consumers nationwide will be asking when the Hampton "Be a Bed Head" tour launches today. Hampton will be showing off wild, "bed"-dressed and out-right quirky morning hair to curious onlookers as part of its new mission – spreading the joy of its new bed through crazy-haired "Bed Head" fans nationwide.

A Bed Head is anyone who sleeps so soundly that during the night their hair becomes matted into a hair-raising style commonly known as "Bed Head." To illustrate the overwhelming "sleepability" of its beds, Hampton auditioned endless Bed Heads to identify some of the most profound and sound sleepers of our time. They now serve as Hampton's Czars of Zs, the Sultans of Sleep and the Duchesses of Dreams.

"We want to turn our travelers into Bed Heads who can get a great night of sleep while away from home and the gleeful, rumpled look of sleeping soundly," said Judy Christa-Cathey, vice president, Hampton brand marketing.

The Bed Head team will travel via their famous "BedMobile" featuring art of their mussed tresses and sure to attract the attention of curious onlookers. It won't be hard to find out where the Bed Heads will be appearing each day. Creative sleep-inspired 3-D chalk art designed by master street painter Kurt Wenner will be splashed across sidewalks in prime foot-traffic areas (for exact locations of the chalk art, please visit www.hamptonbedheads.com).

These eight knights and fair maidens serve as modern-day Sir Sleep-a-Lots, crisscrossing the country and spreading their noble sleep-induced euphoria in the form of complimentary prizes, including coffee gift cards, t-shirts in four different styles, head and back massages, and 20 percent discounts on sleepyhead.com pajamas and more. Additionally, the Bed Heads will be on the lookout for those chronic non-sleepers who might need a little extra care during the day, offering unexpected random acts of kindness, such as opening doors, handing out umbrellas on rainy days, providing Hampton's On the Run(TM) breakfast bags and other hospitable gestures.

"Auditioning was tough work that really required a great night's sleep on the new Hampton bed," Christa-Cathey commented. "They gloried in the white crisp duvet, grabbed their pillow as a snuggle buddy and went into a blissful night's sleep for the audition. Thankfully, that great night of sleep leaves them prepared for the busy road ahead."

Bed Heads can be seen touring 10 different cities from June 1 to July 13, 2006. The tour will hit major markets nationwide:

    June 1-11: Los Angeles              June 22-26: Houston
    June 2-6: Minneapolis               June 29-July 4: Atlanta
    June 9-18: Chicago                  June 30-July 9: New York
    June 14-19: Dallas                  July 7-12: Orlando
    June 20-26: Washington, D.C.        July 10-13: Toronto

The new Hampton bed does away with the old-fashioned bedspread, featuring instead a crisp, white duvet cover, enveloping a lofty, plush down-like comforter. The white sheets are 200-thread count with a fitted bottom sheet. The bed features three or four pillows providing consumers a choice in firmness, a lumbar pillow in a soothing color that provides guests back support if they choose to read, watch television or enjoy the Hampton lap desk and work while resting in bed. The super-comfortable new bedding package will be available in all of its more than 1,300 hotels by December 1, 2006.

The bed represents the next phase of the Make It Hampton initiative, which since January 2004 has introduced new products and services ranging from a new complimentary On the House(R) hot breakfast and On the Run(TM) breakfast bags to Purity Basics(R) bath products and a curved shower rod, complimentary high-speed Internet access and the industry's easiest-to-set alarm clock/radio. Make It Hampton is the single largest and fastest transformation ever undertaken by a hotel brand to dramatically enhance the guest experience at each of its hotels. Make It Hampton will be responsible for more than nine million individual upgrades at Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites hotels designed to meet the needs of busy business and leisure travelers today.

The complete schedule, photos and contact information – including photo submissions from unofficial bed heads around the country and video shorts – can all be found at .

About Hampton Hotels | Hampton, which includes Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites hotels, is a mid-priced leader in the lodging segment. Hampton is part of Hilton Hotels Corporation, a leading global hospitality company with nearly 2,800 hotels and 475,000 rooms in more than 80 countries, including 150,000 team members worldwide. The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and most highly regarded hotel brands, including Hilton(R), Conrad(R), Coral by Hilton(R), Doubletree(R), Embassy Suites Hotels(R), Hampton Inn(R), Hampton Inn & Suites(R), Hilton Garden Inn(R), Hilton Grand Vacations(TM), Homewood Suites by Hilton(R), Scandic and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection(TM). For more information, please visit .

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