YOTEL Joins New Select by Hilton Portfolio

YOTEL, a tech-forward lifestyle hotel operator, has joined the new Select by Hilton portfolio. 

Hilton and YOTEL have signed an exclusive franchise agreement that allows YOTEL to retain management of its hotels while joining the Hilton Honors loyalty program and reaping other benefits. YOTEL properties will be available to book through Hilton platforms beginning later this year. 

“Hilton brings unmatched global distribution and loyalty scale to our brand and business,” said Phil Andreopoulos, CEO of YOTEL. “YOTEL’s relationship with Hilton allows us to expand our reach while staying true to who we are. What changes for YOTEL is access – not identity – in a capital-light, and scalable way.”   

YOTEL has 23 hotels in 10 countries, with more in the pipeline and a goal of tripling its property count in the coming years. Hotels are currently operating in many big cities worldwide, including New York, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Glasgow, and Singapore. 

The brand is known for smart room design and tech-enabled features, such as the YOTEL SmartBed that transforms a sofa to a flatbed with the touch of a button or its automated luggage storage. 

With this agreement, YOTEL becomes the first brand in Hilton’s newly created Select by Hilton portfolio. The company will continue to add established brands to Select by Hilton that will also retain their brand identity and management while being integrated into Hilton’s loyalty and booking systems. 

Christian Charnaux, executive vice president and chief development officer of Hilton, said the partnership “is both complementary to our existing brand portfolio and offers guests thoughtfully designed, sleek new ways to stay with Hilton in key urban locations around the world.”  

 “This agreement further strengthens our network effect by connecting a beloved independent brand like YOTEL into the powerful Hilton Honors network and commercial distribution system,” he added, “while preserving what makes the brand unique.”