Hilton’s luxury story is no longer defined solely by Waldorf Astoria (though, there’s plenty to brag about on that front), Conrad or LXR Hotels & Resorts. One year into its exclusive partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Hilton has quickly reshaped its high-end portfolio by adding hundreds of boutique properties and opening doors to destinations where the company previously had little or no presence.
What began with nearly 400 SLH properties in 2024 has now grown to more than 450, with Hilton and SLH bringing on board, on average, more than one new hotel each week. The partnership has extended Hilton’s luxury footprint from 35 to 90 countries and expanded its global reach from 124 to 136, including debuts in Andorra, Cambodia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, São Tomé and Principe, and Slovenia.
“Hilton’s luxury portfolio is a priority growth category for us, meeting the needs of guests worldwide who are looking for incredible hotel stays in some of the world’s most exclusive destinations,” John Rogers, Hilton’s senior vice president, brand management for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, said in a statement. “Our partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World is key to that growth, helping hotel owners benefit from Hilton’s strong commercial engine by connecting them to more than 226 million Hilton Honors members.”
(The Liming Bequia, an SLH Hotel)
What Advisors Should Know
For luxury advisors, the Hilton–SLH tie-up means access to more inventory in boutique-style properties that deliver unique, high-touch experiences. Hilton Honors members have redeemed more than 10 billion Points on SLH bookings in the past year, and the participating hotels remain fully commissionable through traditional booking channels. For clients, the appeal is aspirational: elite benefits, loyalty perks, and the ability to earn and burn points.
The commercial upside is evident. According to Hilton, traffic to SLH properties via Hilton’s booking platforms was up 78 percent year-over-year in July. Richard Hyde, chief operating officer of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, called it “our strongest collaboration, driving significant bookings for our participating member hotels and attracting even more properties to our portfolio.” That’s notable given SLH’s previous partnership with Hyatt, which ended in 2023 after several years. The Hilton alliance appears to be resonating in a way Hyatt’s did not.
Owners are quick to echo that sentiment.
At The George Christchurch in New Zealand, Managing Director Bruce Garrett said Hilton Honors members have been “a pleasure to look after and are a good fit for our property.” In Charleston, Richard Widman, chairman and owner of the 21-room Wentworth Mansion, credited Hilton with generating 20 percent of the hotel’s revenue year to date, noting that the partnership “has exceeded our expectations.” And in Rome, Andra Spalletti of Villa Spalletti Trivelli said the Hilton alliance has “opened up so many new possibilities” by drawing international guests who had never encountered the property before.
(Sundy Praia, an SLH Hotel)
Boutique Meets Brand Scale
The partnership broadens Hilton’s luxury narrative. Traditionally, the company’s high-end portfolio leaned on globally recognized brands like Waldorf Astoria, Conrad and LXR. The addition of SLH infuses a different kind of luxury, smaller-scale hotels rooted in local culture and individuality, that appeals to travelers who want the boutique experience with the loyalty program backing of a global powerhouse.
Consider the new additions: Angkor Village Hotel in Cambodia, where Khmer architecture meets lotus pond views; The Liming Bequia in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with just 11 villas and private infinity pools; Vila Planinka in Slovenia, a wood-and-stone Alpine retreat with sustainable vintages; and Sundy Praia in São Tomé and Principe, an eco-lodge that immerses guests in rainforest surroundings with plunge pools and stone-carved baths.
For Hilton Honors members, these are dream-worthy redemptions well beyond Hilton’s countless business-oriented hotels—though, those are nice, too. For advisors, they represent an expanded slate of luxury options that can be packaged for clients looking for something outside the conventional big-brand mold. And for SLH, the partnership with Hilton is delivering the commercial lift that eluded it in its Hyatt days.
One year in, the verdict is clear: Boutique luxury has found a powerful distribution partner, and Hilton Honors members, along with the advisors who book them, have a new world of opportunities to explore.
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