Dive Brief:
- Hampton by Hilton unveiled a new North American prototype and refreshed global brand identity Wednesday.
- The new prototype, inspired by guest and owner feedback, was designed to optimize revenue-generation opportunities and drive cost savings. The updated brand identity, meanwhile, features new visual elements to roll out throughout the year.
- The revamp is intended to better position Hampton for “the next era of travel,” in addition to portraying the hotel as “the most guest-centric brand in the hospitality industry,” Hilton shared in a release.
Dive Insight:
The first hotel to feature the new North American prototype is slated to open in early 2025, according to Hilton.
Updates to the prototype include modern design elements intended to improve functionality and comfort for guests, but also cost to build, operate and renovate for owners, the company said.
For owners, the prototype increases the hotel’s key count within the same footprint, as well as lays out suites for better site efficiency — a bid to optimize revenue. Developers can save up to 6% on the prototype's new furniture, fixtures and equipment packages, according to Hilton.
Design changes include color tweaks to an updated exterior, which will feature a simplified entrance canopy and an added patio for guests. Hilton has also reimagined the welcome area by adding a flexible multiuse space and placing the retail shop more prominently within the lobby, a move to drive increased revenue.
Guest rooms, meanwhile, will feature an added multifunctional task table, updated bathroom design, enlarged windows and optimized storage solutions. Hoteliers can choose between two modern decor packages, which Hilton says are “inspired by the beauty of America’s landscapes and the vibrancy of its cities.”
Hilton also tapped global agency Jones Knowles Ritchie to create a refreshed visual identity for Hampton. The new identity, Hilton said, “draws inspiration from Hampton's pioneering spirit and hospitality heritage, while also being tailored for future global expansion” and is intended to “convey the brand’s human touch.”
The visual identity features illustrations that celebrate traveler diversity, a refined script, an updated color palette and custom typography. Hilton will roll out the updated identity across the Hampton brand’s activities, marketing and communications throughout 2024.
Chris Silcock, Hilton’s president of global brands and commercial services, called Hampton “the heartbeat of our business.”
“Hampton has consistently maintained its position as a true industry leader, rooted in a strong commitment to service and quality,” he said in a statement. “As we navigate the ever-changing hospitality landscape, Hampton has once again evolved to adapt to the changing development landscape and evolving guests’ needs.”
JKR identified two key Hampton features when sourcing inspiration for the brand evolution: the sleep experience and the Hampton Waffle, available at breakfast. Hampton plans to debut new seasonal waffle flavors.
Last summer, Hampton promoted its waffles in Hilton’s “Summer of Sliving” campaign, in which Regina Triche, a Hampton Inn & Suites Jacksonville employee dubbed “The Waffle Lady” prepared the breakfast food alongside Paris Hilton in an online video.
The spot was part of Hilton’s “For the Stay” global marketing platform, which kicked off in 2022.
The upper-midscale Hampton by Hilton has nearly 3,000 properties across 38 countries and territories. The brand has expanded internationally in recent years, with recent debuts in Hungary and Portugal.
