On a recent trip to Nashville, we visited six Hilton properties across their collection of brands – luxury brands like Conrad Nashville to boutique brands from the Curio collection like Fraye Hotel.
We toured meeting spaces, hotel rooms and suites, lobbies, bars, restaurants, and gyms (stay tuned for the full rundown), but here are eight interesting trends we noticed and experienced during our on-site visit.
Hydration station. At Tempo by Hilton Nashville DowntownGuests can refill their water bottles with complimentary sparkling, still or alkaline water. In partnership with Planet Water, Tempo by Hilton sells refillable water bottles in its gift shop, with $2 from each bottle going to help build water towers for water-insecure communities around the world. Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown helped build a tower in Jalisco, Mexico.
Tailor-made experiences. At Conrad NashvilleHilton teams up with designer Olia Zavozina to offer a two-hour, personalized wedding dress experience that includes a minimum two-night stay in a premium suite with complimentary sparkling wine and a chef’s selection of charcuterie. Zavozina’s flagship boutique in Nashville has been a destination for brides for nearly two decades. Zavozina told us she dressed 13 members of the bridal party for country artist Sam Hunt’s nuptials.
A mocktail for every cocktail. For every specialty cocktail, Hilton properties offered a mocktail option. As demand for non-alcoholic beverages has increased, particularly among 18- to 34-year-olds, hoteliers like Hilton have responded by offering inclusive menus that include drinks like pomegranate cosmos and cucumber drinks made with Seedlip Garden’s non-alcoholic spirits. At a reception at Hilton Garden Inn Downtown/Convention CenterThe bar offered a wide selection of premium tequilas and whiskeys, as well as a variety of non-alcoholic selections like the Noughty Sparkling Rose.
Related: AHLI’s Michael Dominguez on Hotel Trends: 8 Takeaways
Double your points for planners. During a lunch with the Hilton Honors team at the Fraye Hotel, Devin K told us that the loyalty program has doubled the number of points event planners can earn on hotel rooms, meeting space rentals, food and beverage, and more. Starting April 15, planners earn two points for every dollar spent. Planners can use their points toward experiences like the Kelce Jam Music Festival on May 18 in Kansas City, Missouri. Hilton Honors members can redeem them for points 45,000 points toward two tickets to join NFL superstar Travis Kelce at his 2nd annual Kelce Jam music festival, featuring Lil Wayne, Diplo and 2 Chainz.
Digital tools. We were able to skip the lines at the front desk and check into the Embassy Suites hotel via the Hilton mobile app on the way to the hotel. Digital keys appeared in the app. Guests could walk up to the door, unlock, and access their room—all without ever interacting with hotel staff, if they chose. During the pandemic, guests embraced digital tools out of necessity, and many now appreciate the convenience of this do-it-yourself approach.
Rooftop experiments. If you’ve never been to a rooftop in Nashville, have you really experienced Music City? Every Nashville hotel we visited offered a rooftop pool, restaurant, bar, meeting space, and spectacular views for miles. Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal Opened in February, our group was able to enjoy breakfast on the rooftop overlooking the active runway. The rooftop of the 30-story Embassy Suites Nashville hotel provided our group with ample space to snack on appetizers, listen to live music, and watch the sunset. At the Conrad, groups can host dinner or a reception at the Secret Garden, which offers access to an outdoor rooftop space next to the pool.
Pet-friendly hotels. In 2021, Hilton launched a partnership with Mars Petcare to deliver exceptional stays for pets and their owners. The partnership expanded in 2022 with the launch of Mars PET On-Demand across all seven Hilton pet-friendly brands, available at more than 4,600 Hilton hotels in the U.S. and Canada. The online service provides pet owners with guidance from Mars’ team of pet experts during their stay. Please note: All Embassy Suites are pet-friendly.
The Hilton team worked with the Nashville Humane Association to bring puppies to play with on the roof Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville DowntownPuppy shows continue to be popular at meetings, providing not only fun for attendees, but also sponsorship opportunities for exhibitors.
Give back. In partnership with Mars Petcare and Greater Good Charities, Hilton is donating its used towels and terry products to local animal shelters in the U.S. and Canada. To date, more than 1,200 hotels and over 500 shelters have signed up, and Hilton will donate more than 140,000 pounds of towels and terry products.
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