It is the second consecutive year for the company to receive the recognition
Great Place to Work certification program and Fortune magazine recently named Hilton as the “No. 1 Best Company to Work For in the U.S.” for the second consecutive year.
Ed Brock is an award-winning journalist who has worked for various U.S. newspapers and magazines, including with American City & County magazine, a national publication based in Atlanta focused on city and county government issues. He is currently assistant editor at Asian Hospitality magazine, the top U.S. publication for Asian American hoteliers. Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Ed began his career in journalism in the early 1990s as a reporter for a chain of weekly newspapers in Baldwin County, Alabama. After a stint teaching English in Japan, Ed returned to the U.S. and moved to the Atlanta area where he returned to journalism, coming to work at Asian Hospitality in 2016.
Hilton Secures No. 1 Spot as Best Company to Work For in U.S. 2025
GREAT PLACE TO Work certification program and Fortune magazine recently named Hilton as the “No. 1 Best Company to Work For in the U.S.” for the second consecutive year. It was the company’s 10th appearance on the list and fourth overall ranking in the No. 1 spot.
According to Hilton, its workplace culture is designed to support inclusion, wellness, growth and purpose for its team members around the world. The company offers benefits to both hourly and salaried employees in the U.S. including wellness offerings designed to help team members care for themselves as well as their children, parents, siblings, pets or others who need care. That includes mental wellbeing benefits, $5 co-pays for behavioral health visits and free access to caregiving concierge benefits through Hilton's partnership with caregiving concierge service, Wellthy.
"At Hilton, our business is fundamentally about people serving people, and our team members are the heart and soul of our hospitality, making Hilton a truly exceptional place to stay and to work,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton. “Today, I'm honored and thrilled that we've been named the No. 1 Best Company to Work For in the U.S. for the fourth time by Great Place to Work and Fortune. This achievement is a testament to our decades-long dedication to building an award-winning culture.”
Hilton also gives employees additional training opportunities to increase their skills through Hilton University. It also provides education programs through a partnership with Guild and a mentorship program with MentorcliQ.
Employees also receive discounted room rates and travel benefits through Hilton’s Go Hilton team member travel program. Hilton has nearly half a million team members around the world in roles from front desk, F&B, technology, engineering and finance and sales.
“We are truly honored to be recognized as the No. 1 Best Company to Work For in the U.S. for the second year in a row. This amazing recognition reinforces what we’ve always known – that our team members are what makes our hospitality so unique,” said Laura Fuentes, Hilton’s chief human resources officer and head of Hilton Supply Management. “Their passion and dedication create a culture that makes Hilton not only an exceptional place to stay but also a best place to work, learn, grow and thrive.”
In March, former Yahoo! President and CEO Marissa Mayer, currently CEO of Sunshine Products, was nominated to Hilton Worldwide Holdings' board. If elected, she will succeed longtime director Judith McHale, who plans to retire at this year’s annual meeting in May.
Global hotel rates are expected to remain stable through 2026, according to AMEX GBT.
New York is a key business travel and meetings destination.
India is likely to be a focus for travel programs during 2026 negotiations.
GLOBAL HOTEL RATES are expected to remain stable through 2026, as geopolitical tensions and potential U.S. tariffs limit demand and constrain price increases, according to American Express Global Business Travel. New York remains a popular destination for business travel and meetings.
AMEX GBT’s Hotel Monitor 2026, an annual forecast of global hotel rates in business travel destinations, identified India as a key market, with hotel rates and occupancy set to rise.
“This year’s forecast reveals a global environment where geopolitical uncertainties are tempering hotel rate increases,” said Dan Beauchamp, Amex GBT’s vice president for consulting. “These insights allow businesses to make more informed travel decisions. Understanding local market conditions will help companies optimize travel budgets and strategies.”
The report also projects continued rate increases for high-end accommodation based on demand.
New York hotel rates are projected to rise 4 percent in 2026. Despite expected softening in inbound U.S. travel from tariff uncertainty, New York remains a leading destination for business travel and meetings. The forecast is based on company data and IMF inflation and GDP projections.
India is expected to see rising hotel rates and occupancy in 2026. Rate growth will be below last year’s levels but above regional and global averages. India is likely to be a focus for many travel programs during 2026 negotiations. Bengaluru, a major technology and AI hub, recorded the country’s highest occupancy and ADR in the first quarter of 2025.
Simon Fishman, Amex GBT’s vice president for global hotels, said data shows news cycles can affect hotel prices in unpredictable ways.
“Amex GBT’s hotel marketplace gives companies access to over two million properties across 180 countries, including more than 45,000 hotels with pre-negotiated discounts and amenities via the Preferred Extras Hotel Program,” he said. “It enables companies of all sizes to adapt to changing business needs while accessing the best rates and traveler experiences.”
A May report by commerce media firm Criteo found that hotel booking values in Asia-Pacific rose 23 percent in early 2025, compared with 2 percent growth in the Americas.
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Spark acquired the 120-key Home2 Suites by Hilton Wayne in Wayne, New Jersey.
Hunter Hotel Advisors facilitated the transaction with DC Hospitality Group affiliates.
The 2020-built hotel is near William Paterson University and less than 20 miles from Manhattan.
SPARK GHC RECENTLY acquired the 120-key Home2 Suites by Hilton Wayne in Wayne, New Jersey, from affiliates of DC Hospitality Group. Hunter Hotel Advisors facilitated the deal for an undisclosed amount.
The 2020-built hotel is less than 20 miles from Manhattan in a commercial corridor with major employers including Driscoll Foods, FedEx Group, Advanced Biotech, St. Joseph’s Wayne Hospital, and the Passaic County Administration, Hunter said in a statement. William Paterson University, Willowbrook Mall, and MetLife Stadium are also nearby.
It features an on-site fitness center, business center and indoor pool.
“The Home2 Suites by Hilton Wayne represents the type of asset we target,” said Patel. “Its proximity to major corporate demand generators, higher education institutions, and retail and entertainment venues supports strong performance.”
Hunter’s senior vice presidents, David Perrin and Spencer Davidson, brokered the transaction.
Patel said this is their second transaction with Hunter and praised the process and partnership.
“We look forward to building on the hotel’s recent performance and continuing to deliver guest experiences in the Greater New York City community,” he said.
Northstar Hotels Management recently acquired a 78-key Residence Inn and an 81-key Courtyard near the Jacksonville, Florida, airport.
Global pipeline hit a record 15,871 projects with 2.4 million rooms in Q2.
The U.S. leads with 6,280 projects; Dallas tops cities with 199.
Nearly 2,900 hotels are expected to open worldwide by the end of 2025.
THE GLOBAL HOTEL pipeline reached 15,871 projects, up 3 percent year-over-year, and 2,436,225 rooms, up 2 percent, according to Lodging Econometrics. Most were upper midscale and upscale, LE reported.
The U.S. leads with 6,280 projects and 737,036 rooms, 40 percent of the global total. Dallas leads cities with 199 projects and 24,497 rooms, the highest on record.
LE’s Q2 2025 Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report showed 6,257 projects with 1,086,245 rooms under construction worldwide, unchanged in project count and down 3 percent in rooms from last year. Projects scheduled to start in the next 12 months totaled 3,870 with 551,188 rooms, down 3 percent in projects but up 1 percent in rooms. Early planning reached 5,744 projects and 798,792 rooms, up 10 percent in projects and 9 percent in rooms year-over-year.
Upper midscale and upscale hotels accounted for 52 percent of the global pipeline, LE said. Upper midscale stood at 4,463 projects and 567,396 rooms, while upscale reached 3,852 projects and 655,674 rooms. Upper upscale totaled 1,807 projects and 385,396 rooms, and luxury totaled 1,267 projects and 245,665 rooms, up 11 percent year-over-year.
In the first half of 2025, 970 hotels with 138,168 rooms opened worldwide. Another 1,884 hotels with 280,079 rooms are scheduled to open before year-end, for a 2025 total of 2,854 hotels and 418,247 rooms. LE projects 2,531 hotels with 382,942 rooms to open in 2026 and 2,554 hotels with 382,282 rooms to open globally in 2027, the first time a forecast has been issued for that year.
HAMA is accepting submissions for its 20th annual student case competition.
The cases reflect a scenario HAMA members faced as owner representatives.
Teams must submit a financial analysis, solution and executive summary.
THE HOSPITALITY ASSET Managers Association is accepting submissions for the 20th Annual HAMA Student Case Competition, in which more than 60 students analyze a management company change scenario and provide recommendations. HAMA, HotStats and Lodging Analytics Research & Consulting are providing the case, based on a scenario HAMA members faced as owner representatives.
Student teams must prepare a financial analysis, a recommended solution and an executive summary for board review, HAMA said in a statement.
“Each year, the education committee looks forward to the solutions that the next generation of hotel asset managers bring, applying their own experiences to issues in ways that reveal new directions,” said Adam Tegge, HAMA Education Committee chair. “This competition demonstrates that the future of hotel asset management is in good hands.”
The two winning teams will each receive a $5,000 prize and an invitation to the spring 2026 HAMA conference in Washington, D.C. HAMA will cover travel and lodging.
Twenty industry executives on the HAMA education committee will evaluate submissions based on presentation quality, the statement said. HAMA mentors volunteer from September through November to assist teams seeking feedback and additional information. Schools will select finalists by Jan. 15, with graduate and undergraduate teams reviewed separately.
The competition has addressed topics in operating and owning hospitality assets and HAMA consulted university professors to update the format for situations students may encounter after graduation, the statement said.
This year’s participants include University of Denver, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Boston University, Florida International University, Michigan State University, Columbia University, Morgan State University, Howard University, New York University and Penn State University.
Stonebridge Cos. added the Statler Dallas, Curio Collection by Hilton, to its managed portfolio.
The hotel, opened in 1956 and relaunched in 2017, is owned by Centurion American Development Group.
The property is near Main Street Garden Park, the Arts District and the Dallas World Aquarium.
STONEBRIDGE COS. HAS contracted to manage the Statler Dallas, Curio Collection by Hilton in Dallas to its managed portfolio. The hotel, opened in 1956 and relaunched in 2017, is owned by Centurion American Development Group, led by Mehrdad Moayedi.
It has an outdoor pool and more than 26,000 square feet of meeting space, Stonebridge said in a statement. The downtown Dallas property is near Main Street Garden Park, the Arts District, the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Deep Ellum, Klyde Warren Park, and the Dallas World Aquarium.
“The Statler is an extraordinary asset with a storied history in Dallas, and we are thrilled to welcome it to our managed portfolio,” said Rob Smith, Stonebridge’s president and CEO. “Its blend of modern hospitality with timeless character makes it a natural fit within our lifestyle collection. We look forward to honoring the property’s legacy while enhancing performance and delivering an elevated guest experience.”
Stonebridge, based in Denver, is a privately held hotel management company founded by Chairman Navin Dimond and led by Smith. The company recently added the 244-room Marriott Saddle Brook in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, to its full-service portfolio.