Dive Brief:
- The 130-room Tempo by Hilton Louisville Downtown NuLu opened in Louisville, Kentucky, Hilton announced Friday.
- Chicago-based hospitality real estate company First Investors and Louisville development firm Weyland Ventures opened the property days before the Kentucky Derby, which is being held a short drive away. First Hospitality will manage and operate the hotel.
- The hotel is the third Tempo by Hilton to open, as Hilton expands its homegrown lifestyle brand amid a broader lifestyle segment push.
Dive Insight:
Tempo by Hilton Louisville Downtown NuLu’s design pays homage to Kentucky, with “bourbon-inspired textures” and artwork designed to look like whiskey “pouring into the lobby.”
The property features hallmarks of the newly launched Tempo brand: Hilton’s “Power Up” and “Power Down” amenities, which are designed to encourage healthy sleep; a Bluetooth speaker mirror and oversized, well-lit “Get Ready Zones”; and wellness rooms with in-room Peloton bikes.
Guests can dine at all-day cafe Moonsong Bar + Café, which Hilton designed in partnership with Australian-inspired coffee roaster Bluestone Lane. The rooftop restaurant, High Stakes Grill, which will open this summer, will feature American fare with local ingredients and plant-focused options.
The property includes a 1,200-square-foot meeting space and a 676-square-foot flexible event space for smaller groups.
Weyland Ventures CEO Mariah Gratz said Louisville’s NuLu neighborhood is “thriving with numerous developments underway,” according to the announcement.
Tempo by Hilton Louisville Downtown NuLu is the third Tempo by Hilton property to open, following openings in New York City and Nashville. As of August, the Tempo by Hilton brand had 35 properties under development, including soon-to-open locations in Raleigh, North Carolina, and San Diego.
Alongside Canopy and Motto, Tempo by Hilton is one of three non-collection lifestyle brands developed by Hilton. Hilton has said it expects its lifestyle pipeline to “more than double” between 2022 and 2032.
Recently, however, Hilton has expanded in the quickly growing segment through acquisitions. Hilton entered the luxury lifestyle market by acquiring a majority controlling interest in Sydell Group, creator of the NoMad hotel brand, last month.
And in March, the company bought the college town-focused Graduate Hotels lifestyle brand for $210 million.
