Hilton has announced the launch of Undergraduate by Hilton, a new upper-midscale hotel brand designed to serve a broader range of college and university markets. The brand builds on the success of Graduate by Hilton and supports both new-build and conversion development. The first property is anticipated to open in 2027, with long-term expansion potential of 400 to 500 hotels.
Undergraduate by Hilton targets travelers visiting college towns, including students, families, alumni, sports fans, business travelers and conference attendees. The brand offers a flexible, cost-efficient development model intended to unlock opportunities in campus-driven markets where demand is consistent year-round.
“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,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton. “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. 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.”
Each property is designed with social public spaces built as off-campus hangouts, library-inspired lounge areas, guest rooms described as “creative classrooms” with dedicated study corners and adaptable layouts and a barista-led all-day market offering grab-and-go retail and curated essentials. Properties may also feature a cocktail program developed by Authentic Hospitality, the group behind New York City venues Ray’s and Pebble Bar, with menus that “playfully elevate campus classics.”
“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,” said Chris Silcock, president of global brands and commercial services at Hilton.
Undergraduate joins Hilton’s Lifestyle portfolio alongside Graduate by Hilton, which has nearly 60 hotels in various stages of development in markets including Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Manhattan, Kan.; Syracuse, N.Y.; Savannah, Ga.; Laramie, Wyo.; Flagstaff, Ariz. and Boulder, Colo. Other active Lifestyle brands include Outset Collection by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Canopy by Hilton, Motto by Hilton and Tempo by Hilton, which has more than 70 hotels in development with openings this year in Nashville, Tenn.; Savannah, Ga. and Washington, D.C.
Undergraduate by Hilton properties are part of Hilton Honors, giving more than 250 million members additional opportunities to earn and redeem Points.