Hilton to add Graduate Hotels brand to its portfolio

Hilton today announced an agreement with AJ Capital to acquire the Graduate Hotels brand. The hotel giant will pay $210 million to acquire all rights to the Graduate brand and operate the hotels as franchises.

The acquisition, scheduled for the second quarter of 2024, is a step forward for Hilton in the fast-growing lifestyle hotel sector.

Adding Graduate Hotels to our portfolio of award-winning brands accelerates our expansion in the lifestyle space by pairing an existing much-loved brand with the power of Hilton’s strong commercial engine to drive growth. […] With thousands of colleges and universities around the world, we believe the addressable market for the Graduate brand is 400-500 hotels globally.

Chris Nassetta, President and CEO, Hilton

Graduate Hotels is a collection of hotels located in major college towns, mainly in the United States. Each property embodies the distinctive culture and charm of the local college and offers a unique experience in popular student destinations.

Their portfolio comprises 33 properties: 31 in the United States and two in the United Kingdom. They can be found in cities such as Oxford, Cambridge, New York, Nashville, Princeton, Berkeley, Dallas and many others.

The addition of Graduate Hotels to Hilton’s global portfolio will offer millions of travelers access to unparalleled hospitality in their favorite college towns.

Each Graduate hotel, steeped in local history, charm and nostalgia, is carefully designed to reflect the unique character of its local college. This makes them the ideal setting for match days, reunions, graduations and campus visits.

In the words of Hilton’s CEO, the brand could expand into several countries, with hundreds of potential properties worldwide.

The Graduate hotels are expected to be available for booking later this year and will participate in the Hilton Honors loyalty program. Nights can therefore be paid for with points from this program. It will be interesting to follow developments and find out about pricing.

In Canada, unlike the Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty program, there is no credit card that allows you to earn Hilton Honors points directly.

However, American Express Membership Rewards cards offer the option of transferring Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors points at a one-for-one rate.

You can also earn points by booking nights at Hilton Group hotels.

After Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the Graduate Hotels brand will be a fine addition to the Hilton Group’s ever-growing collection. These charming and unique establishments are a great option for your next family trip to an American college town. The unusual design is sure to appeal to young and old alike!