Can Hilton’s New Canopy Brand Help Redefine Lifestyle Hotels?
Photo Credit: Promotional photo depicting Canopy's emphasis on casual upscale comfort/ Canopy by Hilton
Skift Take
The Canopy by Hilton brand is designed around the "local authentic travel experience," but just how local and authentic will be a central challange for the design collaboration between Hilton and the owners.
Hilton Worldwide launched the lifestyle-oriented Canopy by Hilton brand last week, announcing signed letters of intent from owners to build or convert 11 hotels in the U.S. and London, scheduled to begin opening in late 2015.
The facade of each Canopy is being decreed as a “streetlamp” illuminating the way for leisure and business travelers to discover the hotels’ immediate local neighborhoods. The brand promise combines an authentic destination-specific experience, the service and operational standards of a global flag, and many of today’s lifestyle hospitality trends ranging from mobile check-in to free Wi-Fi.
On paper, Canopy is compelling. For a growing percentage of business travelers seeking hotels with a strong character and local identity, the primary focus on destination context at each of the hotels provides a fresh, untapped alternative in the marketplace. For the leisure guest, hotel design plays a primary role in the overall user experience, but it emphasiz
