Hilton officials have announced their 25th brand, a lifestyle-focused upper-midscale and upscale soft brand called Outset Collection by Hilton.
President of Global Brands and Commercial Services Chris Silcock said the impetus of the brand grew from owners' interest in the company's other collection brands.
Owners "recognize the strength of the Hilton engine," he said in an interview. "We've achieved the highest market shares across our estate by a long shot compared to our competitors. So there's a thirst from owners to get access to that. We have Curio [Collection] at the upper end of upper-upscale as a full-service collection, allowing some of those real destination hotels to join. We have Tapestry [Collection by Hilton] below that with, again, good quality finish but slightly lower service level — but still a full-service hotel with room services, gyms and food and beverage. Then we had lots of owners coming to us with hotels that don't quite meet those standards in terms of the services they offer, and that was the opportunity."
Silcock noted Tapestry is expected to hit 200 hotels in 2026, and that's given the company insights into the segment and how there's a lot of high-quality hotels that could benefit from Hilton's distribution and booking platform that don't fit the current mold.
Outset Collection is described as Hilton's eighth lifestyle brand and will focus on "a range of hotels, with upscale finishes and story-driven designs."
"The format is flexible so that each location's identity can run deep," the news release announcing the brand launch states. "Whether it is hidden gems, revived landmarks or urban boutiques, each stay is layered with narrative and purpose."
Silcock elaborated that he doesn't view Outset as a catch-all for brands that don't fit into Hilton's other collections but independently focused properties with a lower price point and corresponding service levels.
"It has to be quality fit and finish," he said. "It is going to be more flexible based on the location around what [food and beverage] it needs. Every hotel will have free tea and coffee in the lobby, but if you're in an urban center city surrounded by F&B outlets, then we're not going to require you have a full-service restaurant. If you're in the middle of nowhere, you may have a coffee shop or a cafe. So, it is going to be more flexible."
The brand will largely be driven by conversions, Silcock said, but they won't rule out new-build properties when given the opportunity.
"The majority will be conversions because we want the owners' own character and design and individuality," he said. "That's part of the attraction to our customers, to find those little gems where somebody's own personality has been put on it but with the Hilton stamp of approval of quality and service."
He said the conversion opportunity should be relatively quick and seamless, with the first signings expected in November and the first openings later that same month.
"This will move pretty fast," he said. "We're in 60 discussions with owners about specific hotels, many of them a fair way down the path, so we'll have several open and operating this year."
Company officials foresee growth up to 500 properties in the U.S. and Canada. The initial Outset properties are expected to include "a basecamp for exploration at Moab and a boutique hotel in Chicago."
Hilton officials have recently touted their growth in the lifestyle space with luxury and lifestyle properties hitting 1,000 across their portfolio earlier this year. The company's other lifestyle brands include NoMad, Canopy, Curio, Graduate, Tapestry, Tempo and Motto.