Hampton by Hilton Now Has Over 3,000 Hotels Worldwide. What's the Brand Doing to Stay On Top? From collaborating with Paris Hilton on limited time waffles to sponsoring football and rolling out cost-effective renovations, Hampton by Hilton isn't slowing down.

By Kim Kavin

This story appears in the January 2025 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »

Courtesy of Hampton by Hilton

Steady expansion is the name of the game for Hampton by Hilton. This past year was the brand's 40th anniversary, and the company opened its 3,000th hotel worldwide. It also celebrated its 400th hotel opening in China, and its 150th across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa with the Hampton by Hilton Sandton Grayston in Johannesburg,

South Africa. That site gave Hampton an established pre-sence on five continents.

But Hampton by Hilton's international ambition hasn't changed its focus here at home. "We introduced new, more efficient North American build prototypes and cost-effective renovation solutions for existing assets, to ensure our hotels are updated and refreshed," says Shruti Gandhi Buckley, senior vice president and brand leader. "Our focus remains on delivering a strong return on investment and margin performance. This strategic approach ensures franchisees benefit from the brand's commitment to superior service, positioning Hampton as a leading choice in upper-midscale hospitality."

This approach helps explain how Hampton by Hilton has made the Franchise 500 for 10 years overall — including landing in the Top 10 for the past three years in a row.

Related: This One Thing Is the Secret to Hampton by Hilton's 40-Year Reign In the Hotel Industry

Parent company Hilton has also continued with smart partnerships, like being the official hotel partner of the Big Ten Conference. With hotels in effectively every college town, Hampton completed its third season as the presenting sponsor of College Football with Fox Sports and the Big Ten Network.

"It's proven to be an ideal way to reach our customers while they support their team — with Hampton showing up during the live broadcast, aligning with iconic college sportscasters, and unlocking exclusive college football experiences for fans," Gandhi Buckley says.

During summer 2024, as part of an ongoing campaign to celebrate the free hot breakfast that Hampton pioneered, the brand selected three real Hampton team members from the U.S., the U.K., and the Caribbean to become its "Waffle Bosses."

"The Waffle Bosses encourage guests to stay with Hampton to try the Sparkling Strawberry Hampton Waffle, in collaboration with Paris Hilton," Gandhi Buckley says.

Going forward, Hampton is actively seeking franchisees, especially in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

"With a 20% revenue-per-available-room premium over our [competitive] set and some of the strongest profit margins in the category, Hampton offers franchisees a proven path to success backed by robust brand support, an established guest base, and a reputation for reliability," Gandhi Buckley says.

Related: What You Really Need to Look for When Considering a Franchise

Kim Kavin was an editorial staffer at newspapers and magazines for a decade before going full-time freelance in 2003. She has written for The Washington Post, NBC’s ThinkThe Hill and more about the need to protect independent contractor careers. She co-founded the grassroots, nonpartisan, self-funded group Fight For Freelancers.

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