MCLEAN, Va. - Hampton by Hilton, the largest brand in the Hilton (NYSE: HLT) portfolio, continues to lead the way in the upper-midscale segment, closing out the fourth quarter of 2018 with dozens of new openings around the world and the largest pipeline in brand history. Hampton was also recently recognized at the top of the "Hotels & Motels" category on the coveted Entrepreneurmagazine Franchise 500® list for the 10th year in a row.

"Building on our record of innovation and performance success, Hampton maintains strong momentum worldwide," said Shruti Gandhi Buckley, global head, Hampton by Hilton. "Our decade-long No. 1 ranking on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500®Hotels & Motels list underscores the brand's ability to empower our owners and franchise partners to continue to build and operate successful hotels that meet the evolving needs of travelers."

Hampton spans the globe with more than 2,430 properties in 25 countries and territories. In the fourth quarter of 2018 alone, the brand opened the doors to 24 new hotels, including 10 in China, and surpassed the milestone of more than 250,000 rooms open worldwide.

With more than 640 hotels in development, Hampton's pipeline is currently the largest in brand history and the largest within the Hilton enterprise. The brand will continue to expand in key global regions including South America, with four first-in-country locations slated to open in 2019: Chile, Peru, Argentina and Brazil. Hampton will also expand its footprint in China, where it is the fastest-growing international hospitality brand, with 59 open and nearly 200 signed hotels in the country.

As Hampton increases in size and scale, the brand continues to be a top choice for both guests and developers around the globe. For the 10th year in a row, Hampton has earned recognition as the leading hospitality brand on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500® list. The renowned Franchise 500® list features the world's best franchised companies, recognizing them for their outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power. Ranked the number one brand in the Hotels & Motels category and listed as the only hotel brand in the overall top 30 brands, Hampton has a proven track record of offering consistent, high-quality experiences to guests and competitive advantages to owners and franchisees.

Hampton continues to lead the category in guest satisfaction, with each hotel committed to the industry-leading 100 percent Hampton GuaranteeTM. Hampton guests enjoy the brand's signature free, hot breakfast with healthy options and complimentary WiFi at every hotel worldwide. Hampton is part of Hilton Honors®, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton's 17 distinct hotel brands, which offers members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows them to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can't be found anywhere else and free standard WiFi. Members also enjoy popular digital tools available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app, where Hilton Honors members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using a Digital Key.

Read more about Hampton by Hilton at hampton.com and newsroom.hilton.com/hampton.

*Release includes data as of 2018 Q4 Earnings.

About Hilton

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising more than 7,500 properties and nearly 1.2 million rooms, in 126 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World's Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for seven consecutive years. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 180 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. 

Rachel Kenon
Brand Public Relations, Hilton Garden Inn
+1 703 883 5333
Hilton