Hilton Gets Into the Lifestyle Hotel Game With Its New Canopy Brand

Hilton Worldwide CEO Christopher Nassetta today announced the launch of a new lifestyle brand Canopy at Hilton Worldwide’s Global Partnership Conference in Orlando, Florida.

The brand is built to cater to business and leisure travelers that care about design, make decisions based on value (read: free Wi-Fi and breakfast), and appreciate a truly hospitable staff (also known as: everyone).

Similar to Starwood’s Aloft brand, individual properties will change based on their location by integrating local design and culture into rooms and public spaces.

"We saw an opportunity to not only enter the lifestyle space by developing a new brand, but also to redefine this category by creating a more accessible lifestyle brand," Nassetta said in a statement.

"We identified the need to take the emphasis off of capital-intensive design and deliver exactly what the target consumer desires: an energizing, comfortable stay with more included value.”

Properties expected to start opening in 2015 in key urban and secondary markets. It has already signed letters of intent to open in 11 neighborhoods including the Brickell neighborhood of Miami, the historic district of Savannah, and downtown Nashville.