Hilton has launched a new hotel brand aimed at bringing affordable lifestyle accommodation to more college and university towns as the company accelerates growth across its global portfolio.
The new brand, Undergraduate by Hilton, targets travelers visiting campus destinations for student tours, sports events, conferences and alumni gatherings. Hilton said the upper-midscale brand expands its collegiate hospitality strategy beyond the existing Graduate by Hilton portfolio and is designed to support both new-build and conversion projects.
The company said Undergraduate by Hilton has long-term expansion potential of 400 to 500 hotels worldwide, with the first property expected to open in 2027.
Hilton said the new brand responds to growing year-round demand in university markets, where travelers often face limited hotel options that balance price, character and quality.
Undergraduate by Hilton hotels are designed as off-campus social hubs, combining community-focused spaces with Hilton’s standardised guest experience.
The properties will include lounge-style gathering areas, library-inspired public spaces, dedicated study corners in guest rooms and barista-led all-day markets serving grab-and-go food and drinks.
The company said the brand will also offer optional cocktail programmes developed with Authentic Hospitality, the hospitality group behind New York City venues including Ray’s and Pebble Bar.
Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton said: “We saw a clear opportunity to bring the energy, design and experiences people love about campus communities to more university towns with this new brand. Undergraduate by Hilton unveils an exciting new era of college-town hospitality, expanding how we show up for campus-connected travelers – offering more stay options while supporting disciplined, long-term growth across our portfolio.”
Hilton said Undergraduate by Hilton uses a flexible development model intended to help owners reduce costs and scale projects more efficiently across different university markets.
The company added that hotels under the brand will feature local touches inspired by nearby campuses while maintaining a consistent Hilton identity.
The launch forms part of Hilton’s wider lifestyle expansion strategy. The company said it plans to grow its Lifestyle portfolio to 700 hotels globally by 2028, with 60 lifestyle hotels expected to open this year alone.
Graduate by Hilton, Hilton’s existing university-focused lifestyle brand, currently has nearly 60 hotels in various stages of development across destinations including Tuscaloosa, Manhattan in Kansas, Syracuse, Savannah, Laramie, Flagstaff and Boulder.
Hilton is also expanding several other lifestyle brands internationally. Motto by Hilton plans growth in Shanghai, Sydney and Paris, while Canopy by Hilton is preparing openings in Bangkok, Milan, Deer Valley and New York City.
Chris Silcock, president, global brands and commercial services, Hilton said: “We’re continuously evolving how we connect with the next generation of travelers by creating new ways to stay within the places that matter most to them.”
He added: “With Undergraduate by Hilton, we’re broadening the stay experiences we offer, pairing community-led experiences with the scale of Hilton’s global platform to expand choice and deliver long-term value for owners.”
Key Facts
- Hilton launched Undergraduate by Hilton, a new upper-midscale hotel brand focused on college and university towns.
- The brand expands Hilton’s collegiate hospitality strategy beyond Graduate by Hilton.
- Hilton said Undergraduate by Hilton has long-term potential for 400 to 500 hotels globally.
- The first Undergraduate by Hilton property is expected to open in 2027.
- The brand targets students, families, alumni, sports fans, conference attendees and business travelers.
- Hotels will feature lounge-style social spaces, study-focused guest rooms and all-day food and beverage markets.
- Hilton said the flexible model supports both new-build and hotel conversion projects.
- The company plans to grow its Lifestyle portfolio to 700 hotels worldwide by 2028.
- Graduate by Hilton currently has nearly 60 hotels in development across multiple university destinations.
- Undergraduate by Hilton properties will participate in the Hilton Honors loyalty programme, which has more than 250 million members.
Undergraduate by Hilton will participate in Hilton Honors, Hilton’s loyalty programme, which has more than 250 million members worldwide.
Photo © 2026 Hilton
