{"id":265221,"date":"2026-06-04T20:00:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T20:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=265221\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T14:53:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T14:53:44","slug":"undergraduate-by-hilton-is-joining-hiltons-portfolio-and-the-first-property-is-opening-in-2027","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/hotels\/hilton-honors\/undergraduate-by-hilton\/","title":{"rendered":"Undergraduate by Hilton Is Joining Hilton\u2019s Portfolio \u2014 and the First Property Is Opening in 2027"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year has already been packed with new hotel brand announcements, and Hilton is getting in on the action with Undergraduate by Hilton. The new brand is focused on college towns and university communities, creating hotels that feel a little more connected to campus life than your typical chain hotel.<\/p>\n

Think of it as the younger, slightly less polished sibling of Graduate Hotels. It's still stylish and full of personality, but without taking itself quite so seriously. Undergraduate by Hilton looks like it could bring something fun and different to a part of the hotel market that's often pretty forgettable.<\/p>\n

Undergraduate by Hilton to Open First Property In 2027<\/span><\/h2>\n

Hilton announced its newest addition to their growing portfolio, Undergraduate by Hilton, with its first property planned to open in 2027. The new brand builds on the success of its big sister brand Graduate by Hilton, after Hilton smartly identified slightly different market needs around college campuses that required a slightly different flavor of college town hospitality.<\/p>\n

\"Undergraduate
Credit: Hilton<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n

Hilton sees the brand expanding with 400 to 500 properties under this new brand once the Undergraduate properties start rolling out their welcome mats. The fabulous news for all of us Hilton Honors<\/a> members is that, as with all other Hilton brands, Undergraduate hotels will participate in the loyalty program, allowing members to both earn and redeem points<\/a> for award stays.<\/p>\n

Hilton's new Undergraduate by Hilton brand is geared towards travelers who want all of the personality and college-town atmosphere of the existing Graduate Hotels brand, but at a more approachable price point. The core audience will include prospective students and their families visiting campuses for tours and admissions events, current students' parents and relatives coming into town for move-in weekends, graduations, family weekends, and special events.<\/p>\n

On top of that, the list of prospective guests could include alumni returning for reunions, homecoming celebrations, and other university-related gatherings, college sports fans attending football games, basketball tournaments, and other collegiate athletic events as well as conference attendees, visiting faculty, and business travelers whose work brings them to university communities.<\/p>\n

Needless to say, this is big business Hilton is trying to capture a bigger slice of the pie around campuses.<\/p>\n

\"Undergraduate
Credit: Hilton<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n

Unlike the more upscale and higher-end Graduate Hotels properties, Undergraduate by Hilton is positioned as an upper-midscale brand. Hilton is targeting smaller college towns and secondary markets that may not support a full Graduate hotel but that still have strong, year-round travel demand generated by their local universities. Hilton has described the hotels as “off-campus social hubs” that reflect the energy and culture of college communities while maintaining the consistency and value travelers expect from Hilton.<\/p>\n

\"Undergraduate
Credit: Hilton<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n

Chris Nassetta, Hilton president and CEO, says of this new brand:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe 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\u2011town hospitality, expanding how we show up for campus-connected travelers \u2013 offering more stay options while supporting disciplined, long\u2011term growth across our portfolio. 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.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What Will Undergraduate Hotels Look Like?<\/span><\/h2>\n

From a traveler perspective, the brand is likely to appeal to guests who appreciate local character but don't necessarily want to pay boutique hotel prices. Hilton is betting that these travelers want a hotel that feels connected to the university community without the higher rates and elaborate design investment typically associated with Graduate Hotels.<\/p>\n

\"Undergraduate
Credit: Hilton<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n

Key design highlights for this new brand will include:<\/p>\n