Hilton Worldwide has launched a new upscale brand, Tapestry
Collection, which will bring existing independent hotels into the company's
portfolio. If the scheme sounds familiar for Hilton, it's because its
Curio brand, launched in 2014, does the same thing, but in the upper-upscale
segment.
Mark Nogal, global head of Curio and Tapestry, said Curio
called for four- to five-star properties and Hilton had found itself turning
away hotels that existed more in the upscale segment. According to STR, there
are 15,000 independent upscale properties around the globe, and that, Nogal
said, represents a worthwhile opportunity to fill a "white space" in
Hilton's brand portfolio, which now features 14 total brands.
Tapestry will start with seven properties in the U.S.: one
each in Syracuse, N.Y.; Chicago; Nashville; Warren, N.J.; and Hampton, Va., and
two in Indianapolis. The first Tapestry conversion is expected to launch
sometime during the third quarter.
An additional 35 deals are in progress, all in the Americas.
While Hilton has its sights set on urban and suburban markets, Nogal said, it's
looking at a range of properties, including resorts.
Now, there are more than 30 upper-upscale hotels
in seven countries and another 45 are in the development pipeline. When Curio
brand first launched, Nogal said, the focus had been on the leisure traveler,
but the industry has seen more business travelers looking for unique,
independent experiences. He expects the Tapestry brand similarly will play well
with both segments.