MCLEAN, Va.—Hilton’s midscale hotel brand, Tru by Hilton, is rolling out an enhanced prototype. Guided by strategic partnerships with key stakeholders including owners, guests, property team members, general contractors, and architects, Tru by Hilton is elevating the guest experience through several design refinements to guestrooms and public spaces, and the addition of hot breakfast offerings.
“Every great brand continually evolves,” Alexandra Jaritz, global head of Tru by Hilton, explains. “And, as a new brand with a ‘disruptive’ strategy, we felt the need to evolve faster and better than most. We heard from owners and guests that we had nearly all things right with the Tru by Hilton concept. But, as with any new product, we needed to make a few adjustments, which have proven during beta tests to be overwhelmingly popular with our guests and owners. Fortunately, we are at a point in our growth as a brand in which we’re able to quickly and nimbly incorporate learnings from our 24 open properties, and further refine, value-engineer, and generally improve the overall prototype concept.”
Tru by Hilton’s Guestroom Upgrades
Tru by Hilton has enhanced the guestrooms by adding bedside and workspace lighting (with the convenience of bedside control), as well as increasing storage and hanging capacity. To optimize even further for both work and play, guestrooms have a completely new mobile desk and media area, creating a larger and more flexible in-room work surface, complete with a TV wall unit with sound absorption qualities. In partnership with the brand, all existing properties are in the process of being retrofitted with a movable desk solution.
Lobby Design Updates
Tru by Hilton’s 2,880-square-foot lobby, with its four signature brand areas, continues to be one of the brand’s key differentiators. The “Eat, Work, Lounge, and Play” areas are designed for socializing and revenue generation, with a seamless flow between social areas. The lobby gives guests the option to be alone or engage with others. The brand also replaced the stadium-style seating with a large sectional sofa, which creates a clear delineation between table games and board games and improves the TV-watching experience to add greater comfort and flexibility.
Elevated Breakfast
Tru by Hilton’s signature “Top It” breakfast, which offers more than 35 sweet and savory toppings, features a few new hot additions. Guest feedback indicated an appetite for a greater selection of protein and hot breakfast items, so the brand made targeted changes. In addition, simplified graphics, streamlined presentation, heightened team member engagement, and an updated consumer messaging campaign will keep the spirit of the brand front and center.
