MCLEAN, VA—Hilton Garden Inn introduced 48 new properties to the portfolio in 2019. With a global presence in nearly 50 countries and territories, Hilton Garden Inn entered nine new countries last year—the most growth to new regions during a single calendar year in the brand’s 30-year history. Hilton Garden Inn became the first of any Hilton brand to open in five of these nine locations: Botswana, Latvia, Lithuania, Eswatini and Uganda.
“Of the nearly 50 new properties Hilton Garden Inn opened in 2019, close to 20% debuted in countries and territories where the brand previously did not have a presence,” said John Greenleaf, global head, Hilton Garden Inn. “As we rapidly expand our global footprint, we are building on our commitment to increase development opportunities for owners everywhere, while upholding Hilton’s mission to serve more guests in more locations around the world.”
This growth in new and emerging markets was fueled by marquee openings across Africa and Eastern Europe, including the following:
- Hilton Garden Inn Kampala Kira Road: Hilton’s first hotel in Uganda is near the Uganda Museum, the oldest and largest in the country, the Acacia Shopping Mall, Uganda Golf Club and Independence Park.
- Hilton Garden Inn Mbabane: The hotel is the first Hilton property to open in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The futuristic Hilton Garden Inn Mbabane occupies one of the country’s most iconic buildings, known as the “Ship Out of the Ocean” in homage to its grand design and distinctive curved features.
- Hilton Garden Inn Zagreb – Radnicka: The brand’s first property in Croatia is located in the heart of one of the country’s main cultural hubs. The hotel is within walking distance of major area attractions such as the Croatian National Theatre, the Botanical Gardens and the Art Pavilion.
- Hilton Garden Inn Riga Old Town: The first of the Hilton brands to debut in Latvia, this hotel is located in Riga’s Old Town and steps away from sites such as Riga Cathedral and House of the Blackheads. The property is also located less than seven miles from Riga International Airport.
In addition to international growth, Hilton Garden Inn continued steady expansion in the U.S., where more than half of its new property openings in 2019 occurred. As the brand’s presence grew in the U.S., so did its on-property Garden Grille & Bar concept—a full-service restaurant and bar that serves cooked-to-order dishes, sharable small plates, handcrafted cocktails and craft beers—now with nearly 600 locations across America.
As part of its food and beverage program, Hilton Garden Inn partnered with Judy Greer, award-winning actress, director, author and star of Hilton Garden Inn’s ad campaign, to shake up its cocktail menu with an on-trend specialty drink: Judy’s Garden Gin. The cocktail is available on Garden Grille & Bar menus nationwide.
Looking Ahead
As Hilton Garden Inn looks ahead to 2020 and beyond, it remains focused on continuing its global growth. Some of the highly anticipated openings in the brand’s pipeline of more than 300 hotels include the following:
- Hilton Garden Inn Faroe Islands: the first international hotel brand to open in the North Atlantic archipelago located between Norway and Iceland
- Hilton Garden Inn Suva in Fiji, Hilton Garden Inn Albany in Australia and Hilton Garden Inn Phuket Bang Taoin Thailand: all properties opening in countries throughout Asia-Pacific where the brand currently does not have a presence
- Hilton Garden Inn Fremont in California: the brand’s first modular build
- Hilton Garden Inn Camden Waterfront in New Jersey: part of the city’s revitalization efforts and one of the first new hotels to debut in this market in more than 50 years