The Conrad Washington , D . C . is downtown , next to City Center .
DEVELOPMENT
Hilton ’ s Conrad brand is having its renaissance moment
THE BRAND ’ S TOP BRASS IS LEADING THE CHARGE TO MAKE IT A DARLING OF GUESTS AND INVESTORS , ALIKE .
By JULIANA SHALLCROSS
Conrad Hotels and Resorts may have started out as a loophole , but its recent growth trajectory , combined with a deeper focus on guest experiences , is cementing the brand ’ s position in the luxury marketplace .
Though the brand still totters between urban business travel hotel and bucket-list luxury resort , the brand is finessing what it stands for , who it ’ s right for , why owners should want it and why developers should build it — even as uncertain times may lay ahead . “ We are going from strength to strength ,” Dino Michael , SVP and global category head of Hilton ’ s luxury brands , said of Conrad ’ s expansion push .
Conrad currently has 44 properties operating globally , six of which opened in 2022 , including the brand ’ s first entry into California with Conrad Los Angeles , and two resorts in Mexico . Since 2015 , the brand has grown more than 100 percent . Twenty new hotels and resorts are expected in the coming years in a diverse mix of destinations , such as Orlando , Morocco , Kuala Lumpur and Athens , Greece .
“ It ’ s a really good growth story ,” Michael said . “ We ’ re really happy with where we are and what ’ s coming in the pipeline .”
STRETCHING BACK The Conrad brand has evolved since its launch in 1982 , when
48 hotelsmag . com Mar / Apr 2023