Hampton by Hilton announced a new North American prototype and the unveiling of a refreshed global brand identity. These endeavors signify Hampton’s commitment to redefining the category that it pioneered. The next stage in Hampton’s brand evolution will position this brand for a bright future in the next era of travel.
“Hampton is more than a hotel brand; it’s the heartbeat of our business,” said Chris Silcock, president, Global Brands and Commercial Services, Hilton. “From its humble beginnings to becoming a global force, Hampton has consistently maintained its position as a true industry leader, rooted in a strong commitment to service and quality. As we navigate the ever-changing hospitality landscape, Hampton has once again evolved to adapt to the changing development landscape and evolving guests’ needs. Hilton’s continued investment in Hampton further cements its enduring success as a market leader and premium performing brand for both owners and guests.”
“With a legacy of leadership and performance spanning four decades, Hampton by Hilton continues to stand as a beacon of humanity, connecting people from around the globe and delivering a reliable and friendly stay in each one of our hotels,” said Shruti Gandhi Buckley, senior vice president and brand leader, Hampton by Hilton. “As we unveil our new North American prototype and refreshed visual identity, we embark on an exciting new chapter for Hampton. This is a celebration of our core values and signifies a renewed commitment to our owners, guests, and team members. While Hampton continues to evolve and innovate, our unwavering commitment to the 100 percent Hampton Guarantee of delivering an exceptional stay and genuine hospitality creates an experience guests are willing to pay a premium for.”
North American Prototypes and Renovations
The North American prototype, slated for its first hotel opening in early 2025, is poised to set benchmarks in hospitality design. As part of a broader initiative, the prototype refresh is designed for greater adaptability to various market conditions and site restrictions while creating an enhanced guest experience.
The prototype updates, informed by guest and owner insights as well as design trends, include modern designs with elements that not only provide improved guest functionality and comfort but also optimize the cost to build, operate, and renovate for owners. The cost-efficient North American prototypes are available for both Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites. Key updates will:
- Optimize revenue-generation opportunities for the Hampton Inn & Suites prototype by increasing the total key count within the same footprint and optimizing the suite room layout for better site efficiency.
- Drive Cost-Savings by up to 6 percent on new FF&E packages compared to previous packages for both new builds and renovations.
- Elevate the exterior to include an entrance canopy, adjustments to the color scheme, and an added exterior patio for social gatherings.
- Enhance the guest welcome by repositioning the front desk, adding a localized feature wall and multi-use space, and relocating the retail shop to a more prominent location within the lobby area.
- Balance function and comfort in guestrooms with the addition of a multi-functional task table, improved bathroom design, enlarged windows to increase natural light, and optimized in-room guest storage solutions.
- Introduce two modern, uplifting décor packages inspired by U.S. landscapes and its cities.
Refreshed Visual Identity
Hampton partnered with global branding agency Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR) to create a distinctive brand identity. The design draws inspiration from Hampton’s pioneering spirit and hospitality heritage, while also being tailored for future global expansion. The refreshed identity conveys the brand’s human touch, welcoming guests into travel through its visual language by featuring approachable illustrations that celebrate traveler diversity, refined script, color palette, and custom typography.
The brand also identified a set of signature experiences to drive brand distinctiveness. By understanding guests’ needs at crucial moments during their stay and recognizing Hampton’s strengths, two experiences were identified: Hampton’s sleep experience and the Hampton Waffle. The Hampton Sleep Happy experience includes everything needed for a night’s rest, and the Hampton Waffle will be elevated to show up in fresh and unexpected ways, including seasonal waffle flavors and integration into Hampton’s new team member wardrobe program.
To ensure that the refreshed brand identity resonated as modern and globally relevant while upholding its existing reputation, the brand conducted research with thousands of consumers across three continents. The updated visual identity honors the brand’s legacy of being a trusted, reliable, and friendly brand, retaining equity in the areas that Hampton is known for while modernizing to meet the travel needs of global consumers.
To ensure a brand experience for guests, the refreshed Hampton by Hilton visual identity will roll out across all brand activities, marketing, and communications, and be integrated globally at the property level, throughout 2024.
