- Hyatt seeks to block Hilton’s Select trademark.
- Both use Select in different hotel concepts.
- Case paused for 60 days during negotiations.
Hyatt filed an opposition with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It cited its registered Hyatt Select trademark and two pending applications.
Hyatt Select is a single hotel brand. Hyatt announced it in February 2025 as an upper-midscale brand for transient travelers, initially targeting the Americas. It is part of Hyatt’s Essentials portfolio and is designed to offer hotel owners a lower-cost, conversion-friendly model.
Select by Hilton is a collection of established hotels, not a single hotel brand. Hilton introduced the concept in March, with YOTEL as its first member. Participating brands retain their own names and management while gaining access to Hilton Honors and Hilton’s distribution and technology platforms.
The dispute centers on whether the use of “Select” in both names could lead consumers to confuse the two offerings. Hyatt argues that consumers may overlook “by Hilton,” while Hilton’s name includes its own brand identifier. The board has yet to decide whether the names are likely to cause confusion.
Where the case stands
The timeline is central to the dispute. Hyatt announced Hyatt Select in February. Hilton filed its Select by Hilton trademark application in October that year and introduced the concept publicly in March.
Hyatt later asked the board to suspend the case while the companies negotiate a settlement. Hilton agreed to the request. On Oct. 26 the board granted a 60-day suspension.
Either company can ask for the case to resume before the suspension ends. If neither does, proceedings are scheduled to restart on Dec. 26 under the schedule set out in the motion.
Separately, Expedia Group faces a class-action lawsuit alleging that its hotel contract terms and search-ranking practices limit price competition and keep U.S. hotel rates high.
