Big dogs barking at ALIS

NATIONAL REPORT – Three big dogs, Marriott International, Hilton and Hyatt Hotels Corp. are making splashes at the start of ALIS 2026 by announcing some big numbers to support their growth stories.

Marriott is hosting a breakfast briefing for the press on Monday morning with CEO Tony Capuano holding court, while Hilton is hosting a party Monday night to further trumpet the rollout of their Outset Collection.

Hilton update

Hilton has reported some year-end 2025 development numbers, highlighted by 6.7% net unit growth, adding nearly 800 hotels and 100,000 rooms with conversions accounting for nearly 40% of openings. It also signed more than 1,000 new hotels in 2025, or almost 140,000 rooms, and now has more than 3,700 hotels under development, totaling more than 520,000 rooms.

Hilton said it has more rooms under construction than any other hotel company with approximately one in five rooms under construction globally slated to join the company's portfolio. It said outsized demand for luxury and lifestyle products continued to drive strong growth for the company’s development pipeline.

We continue to strengthen our network effect and strategically expand into destinations around the world. We’re also adding new brands, with more to come in 2026... We expect net unit growth of 6–7% in 2026.

Chris Nassetta

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By adding markets such as Rwanda and Pakistan in 2025, Hilton now operates in 143 countries and territories worldwide.

Hilton welcomed more than 233 million guests to its properties last year, more than any year in its history, and surpassed the milestone of serving 4 billion guests worldwide since its founding.

“We continue to strengthen our network effect and strategically expand into destinations around the world,” said Hilton President and CEO Chris Nassetta. “We’re also adding new brands, with more to come in 2026... We expect net unit growth of 6–7% in 2026.”

Recent milestones: the launch of Apartment Collection by Hilton and Outset Collection by Hilton.

Apartment Collection by Hilton will offer furnished apartments, which will become available for booking through Hilton channels in the first half of 2026. The launch builds on Hilton’s existing global inventory of approximately 10,000 apartment-style units, adding as many as 3,000 new units through its partnership with Placemakr. Hilton expects to significantly grow its apartment-style inventory over the next few years through this new partnership and through additional franchise agreements with new owners in the multi-family segment.

In October, the company launched Outset Collection, a conversion-focused brand designed for independent hotels, which has more than 60 hotels already under development and long-term growth potential of more than 500 hotels across the United States and Canada alone.

Momentum in the luxury and lifestyle segment included the grand reopening of Waldorf Astoria New York, the first Waldorf Astoria hotels in Finland, Japan and Costa Rica, and major signings such as NoMad Hotels in Detroit and Singapore.

Hilton’s lifestyle hotels also launched in several new countries, including the first Canopy by Hilton hotel in South Africa and the first Curio Collection by Hilton hotel in Thailand.

More than 1,000 luxury and lifestyle hotels now operate in Hilton’s portfolio globally, with more than 200 new properties added in 2025.

ACME Hotel Chicago is joining Outset Collection by Hilton.

Marriott update

Marriott International said it grew net rooms over 4.3% in 2025, adding more than 700 properties and nearly 100,000 rooms. This included over 630 properties added through organic deals, representing more than 89,000 rooms.

Ending the year with approximately 610,000 rooms in the pipeline, a 5.7% year-over-year increase, Marriott signed nearly 1,200 organic deals (163,000 rooms) globally in 2025.

Marriott opened in 2025 the Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Costa Rica.

In the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) region, Marriott signed a record 94 deals; its Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) region saw an all-time high of 187 deals; and in Greater China (GC), the company signed a record 201 deals.

With nearly 400 deals in 2025 encompassing more than 50,800 rooms, conversions represented over 30% of annual organic rooms signing. Around 75% of conversion openings in 2025 occurred within 12 months of signing.

In July, the company completed its acquisition of the citizenM brand, and the portfolio was integrated on Marriott’s platforms in the fourth quarter, adding more than 35 hotels and nearly 9,000 rooms.

In May, Marriott introduced Series by Marriott, a global collection brand for the midscale and upscale lodging segments. Anchored by a founding multi-unit deal in India, the brand opened 37 properties (approximately 2,600 rooms) in 23 cities across that country by year-end 2025. Scaling the brand for global growth, the company also signed 13 agreements in 2025 to bring Series by Marriott to the U.S. and Canada and opened two of those hotels in the fourth quarter.

Marriott also celebrated the official launch of Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy, which closed the year with over 30 open properties.

Midscale brand City Express by Marriott, StudioRes and Four Points Flex by Sheraton closed the year with 216 open properties (approximately 27,000 rooms) and over 250 properties in the pipeline, representing over 50% year-over-year growth for the segment’s open and pipeline portfolio.

City Express by Marriott, which saw the third highest global signings in the company’s portfolio in 2025, ended the year with 158 open properties and 150 in the pipeline. The brand also reached more than 100 total agreements in U.S. and Canada since its introduction to the region in 2024.

StudioRes, the company’s extended-stay midscale brand, celebrated its first opening in Fort Myers, Florida, only about 18 months after groundbreaking. At year-end, the had four open properties with 85 in the pipeline.

Four Points Flex by Sheraton, a conversion-friendly midscale brand offered in APEC and EMEA, represented the company’s fastest‑growing brand in Europe, and closed the year with 54 open properties and 22 in the pipeline.

Marriott signed a record-breaking 114 luxury deals (15,301 rooms), representing nearly 10% of the company’s organic signings in the year. The company closed the year with 296 hotels and resorts (approximately 60,000 rooms) in the luxury pipeline.

EMEA represented the company’s highest growth region for luxury with a record 40 signed deals. JW Marriott saw the highest number of signed agreements with 27 deals (representing nearly 7,000 rooms).

Marriott also opened 10 luxury resorts, representing 1,400 rooms and 25% of 2025 luxury room openings.

Finally, Marriott signed a record-breaking 55 residential deals, a 50% year over year increase, and closed the year with 149 open locations and 175 in the pipeline.

Hyatt news

Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced a new record pipeline of approximately 148,000 rooms as of year-end 2025, contributing to a 7% increase in Hyatt’s pipeline compared to 2024.

Hotel Daphne in Houston is the latest boutique property in Hyatt’s Bunkhouse Hotels brand.

Hyatt saw particularly strong signings activity in the United States and Asia Pacific. In the U.S., Hyatt secured its highest number of signings in five years, increasing signings by 30% compared to 2024, with 50% of these deals representing new markets for Hyatt. Of Hyatt’s pipeline in the U.S., more than 80% represent new builds. With the recent introduction of conversion-friendly brands like Hyatt Select and collection-style brands like Unscripted by Hyatt, Hyatt expects to see a greater number of conversions in the years ahead.

Hyatt grew its Essentials portfolio pipeline in Greater China by more than 50% compared to 2024. Hyatt room signings increased by nearly 90% in India and by 46% in Indonesia. In Vietnam, Hyatt added more stay opportunities for guests and members with the addition of six Wink hotels to the Unscripted by Hyatt brand, and a seventh Wink hotel planned to open and join the Unscripted by Hyatt brand in 2027.

The Luxury pipeline includes more than 10,000 rooms. Hyatt also highlighted Lifestyle growth, mentioning the 170-room Andaz Lisbon (expected to open in March 2026) that will mark the brand’s debut in Portugal.

Following the acquisition of Playa Hotels & Resorts and the subsequent sale of its real estate portfolio, Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection plans to expand its presence in the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe.

In 2025, Hyatt’s Classics portfolio saw signings for hotels in 12 new global markets. In Asia Pacific, the Classics portfolio signed nearly 6,000 new rooms.

Hyatt’s newest brands – Unscripted by Hyatt, Hyatt Select, and Hyatt Studios – made up more than 65% of all new U.S. deals in 2025.