Hilton announced the launch of Undergraduate by Hilton, a new upper-midscale brand developed to serve a broader range of college and university markets. Building on the success of Graduate by Hilton, the brand introduces a complementary expression of college-town hospitality. Undergraduate will extend Hilton’s presence with a flexible model designed to unlock development opportunities at scale and a cost structure suited to the demand in more campus-driven markets.

The brand has long-term expansion potential of 400-500 hotels, with the first property anticipated to open in 2027. This is in addition to market opportunities identified for the Graduate brand.

Undergraduate by Hilton is designed for travelers visiting college towns, from students and families, to alumni, sports fans, business travelers and conference attendees. These destinations see consistent, year-round demand tied to tours, athletic weekends and campus gatherings, often placing pressure on hotel availability – particularly for options that balance character, quality and price point. Undergraduate responds to this dynamic with a campus-connected hotel concept that reflects the social rhythm of college life, paired with the consistency and reliability of a Hilton stay, offering a more flexible, accessible complement to the Graduate by Hilton experience.

“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,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton. “Undergraduate reflects the ongoing momentum of our Lifestyle portfolio, which is one of the most dynamic areas of expansion for our company as we plan to grow to offer 700 Lifestyle hotels globally by 2028, with 60 opening this year alone.”

Built for Flexible Growth in College Markets

Each Undergraduate by Hilton property is designed to balance development efficiency with a guest experience that feels energetic and rooted in the pace of college life. With a model that supports both new builds and conversions in close proximity to campus, the brand pairs a structured, scalable approach with thoughtful opportunities for owners to reflect the spirit of their local campus communities while delivering the consistency guests expect from Hilton. Key elements include:

• Social public spaces built to feel like an always-on, off-campus hangout, with a dynamic lounge and library-inspired areas to welcome guests, students and locals throughout the day.
• A prototypical approach that is cohesive yet flexible, allowing hotels to easily and enthusiastically tap into their local college culture through authentic customization, a robust art program and simple details described as “retro the right way.”
• Guest rooms are crafted as “creative classrooms” supporting a range of stay occasions, combining bold, purposeful design with adaptable layouts anchored by a dedicated study corner and functional storage.
• A barista-led all-day market and social space designed as an energetic off-campus hangout, featuring grab-and-go retail, curated essentials and cult-favorite items designed for on-the-go convenience from morning through late evening.
• A cocktail program powered by Authentic Hospitality, the group behind buzzy New York City venues like Ray’s and Pebble Bar, amps up the bar offering for properties seeking a more elevated experience. Channeling the spirit of a favorite college dive bar, menus playfully elevate campus classics.

“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,” said Chris Silcock, president, global brands and commercial services, Hilton. “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.”

Continued Momentum in Hilton’s Lifestyle Portfolio

Undergraduate joins Hilton’s rapidly growing Lifestyle portfolio, which is projected to grow to 700 hotels globally by 2028, driven by sustained demand for design-forward, culturally relevant and experience-led stays.

• Undergraduate complements Graduate by Hilton, the company’s fully bespoke, design-driven upper-upscale lifestyle brand in university destinations, which has nearly 60 hotels in various stages of development in new collegiate markets like Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Manhattan, Kan.; Syracuse, N.Y.; Savannah, Ga.; Laramie, Wyo.; Flagstaff, Ariz.; and Boulder, Colo.
• The recent launches of new brands, including Outset Collection by Hilton, which has recently opened properties in San Diego, Calif. and Richmond, Va., and Hilton’s exclusive agreement with lifestyle brand YOTEL, the first brand under Select by Hilton, have fueled one of Hilton’s fastest-growing categories.
• The growth of Collections brands like Curio Collection by Hilton and Tapestry Collection by Hilton has also reinforced Hilton’s commitment to Lifestyle growth as both brands have surpassed 200 trading properties globally.
• A new generation of Canopy Hotels - Hilton’s first Lifestyle brand, defined by elevated design, crafted food & beverage and local sensibility—is also driving the category’s expansion through its evolution with upcoming openings in top destinations like Bangkok, Milan, Deer Valley and New York City.
• Motto by Hilton is set to triple its portfolio through entry into new global markets like Shanghai; Sydney; and Paris.
• With more than 70 hotels in development, Tempo by Hilton continues to pick up pace, with openings this year in Nashville, Tenn.; Savannah, Ga.; and Washington, D.C., and additional properties coming soon in destinations including San Diego, Calif., and Mesa, Ariz.

Undergraduate by Hilton will participate in Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton’s world-class portfolio of brands and exclusive partners, including Explora Journeys, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, AutoCamp and more. The more than 250 million Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits and contactless technology exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app.

FAQ: Undergraduate by Hilton

What is Undergraduate by Hilton?

• Undergraduate by Hilton is an upper-midscale hotel brand designed for a broad range of college and university markets. The brand delivers campus-connected stays through a structured, scalable design framework tailored to local market needs, while maintaining the comfort, reliability and backing of Hilton’s commercial engine and loyalty platform.

How is Undergraduate by Hilton different from Graduate by Hilton?

• Building on the success of Graduate by Hilton, Undergraduate by Hilton introduces a distinct but complementary expression of college-town hospitality. Graduate by Hilton is an upper-upscale, fully bespoke, design-driven lifestyle brand with highly individualized design and robust, full-service food and beverage programming. Undergraduate by Hilton is positioned in the upper-midscale segment, built on a flexible, prototypical model that enables a more scalable and efficient approach to development. Together, the two brands allow Hilton to serve a wider range of college travel occasions with clear differentiation in design, experience and scale.

What type of traveler will stay at Undergraduate by Hilton?

• Undergraduate by Hilton is designed for travelers visiting college communities, including current and prospective students, parents and families, alumni, sports fans and conference guests. These travelers are drawn to campus destinations for academic events, sporting weekends, campus visits and regional gatherings and are seeking a stay experience that reflects local culture and community energy while delivering the consistency and reliability of Hilton.

Why is Hilton launching Undergraduate by Hilton?

• Hilton is launching Undergraduate by Hilton to expand its portfolio into additional college markets and stay occasions. The brand enables Hilton to serve communities that can support a lifestyle-forward hotel at an upper-midscale price point, while preserving the distinct positioning of its upper-upscale Graduate by Hilton brand. Undergraduate reinforces Hilton’s disciplined portfolio growth strategy by clearly differentiating scale, service model and design ethos across its college-oriented brands.

When can guests stay at Undergraduate by Hilton?

• The first Undergraduate by Hilton hotel is anticipated to open in 2027.

Is Undergraduate by Hilton a student housing concept?

• No. Undergraduate by Hilton is a hotel brand designed for college and university markets, not a student housing concept. Hotels will welcome a range of travelers, including students, locals, parents, alumni, sports fans and business or conference guests.