Hilton has signed its largest deal in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region this year with Olive by Embassy which will bring in 150 Spark by Hilton Hotels to India in the next ten years.
This also marks the the brand’s debut in Asia Pacific region. “India has a huge potential with 400 million mid segment customers in the country and 140 million to come in the next five years. Today our mid segment brand Spark has become our fastest to market brand in the world,” remarked Alan Watts, president, Asia Pacific at Hilton during a briefing in Bengaluru.
Interestingly, this deal has come in as a result of Hilton’s long-standing partnership with The Embassy Group, owners of Hilton Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park and Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park in the IT city. With this agreement, Hilton wants to target its premium economy brand Spark in the Indian market. The first Spark by Hilton hotels will open in Southern India with a focus on Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
“Spark by Hilton will address a gap in the Indian market, offering affordable stays without compromise, and capturing unmet demand for value and consistency across major and smaller cities. This partnership will position Hilton to achieve a commanding presence in one of the world’s largest lodging markets,” added Watts.
Spark by Hilton was launched in 2023 and has around 100 hotels at various stages of development. Spark by Hilton hotels in India will feature multi-functional seating from communal tables to rocking chairs, offering breakfast with localized items. The brand will also offer a 24-hour retail market for on-the-go travelers.
Hilton has opened Spark hotels in the United Kingdom and Canada. In India the starting price point in Bengaluru will be in the range of Rs 4,000 to 5,000 . The pricing will also depend on the micro markets and may vary from city to city. “Spark by Hilton is the ideal brand to capitalize on the country’s growing middle-class, its infrastructure investment push, and its burgeoning hospitality sector,” said Jitu Virwani, Chairman and Managing Director, Embassy Group.
Hilton is planning to start many new properties in the country that includes its luxury, full-service hotels. This include the introduction of Curio Collection in Bengaluru, Jaipur’s first Conrad, and the entry of the Hilton flagship brand into Udaipur and Lucknow. Waldorf Astoria in Jaipur is anticipated to open by 2027. This year Hilton has made inroads into the South Asia market and made its debut in Nepal with the opening of Hilton Kathmandu and expanded its full-service portfolio with the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Whitefield in Bengaluru. Hilton Gurugram Baani City Centre, Hilton Garden Inn Surat, and Hilton Garden Inn Jabalpur are also on track to open by the end of the year.
Hilton has a portfolio of 24 brands comprising more than 8,300 properties and over 1.25 million rooms, in 138 countries and territories. Spark by Hilton is a premium economy hotel brand which was launched in 2023. Olive by Embassy on the other hand was introduced in 2019 and is the hospitality and co-living wing of the Bengaluru headquartered real estate developer Embassy Group.