Is Hilton Part of Marriott?

No, Hilton is not part of Marriott. Hilton and Marriott are two separate and competing hotel chains.

When you think of major hotel chains, Hilton and Marriott likely come to mind. But is there any relationship between these two hospitality giants? Are they owned by the same parent company or part of the same hotel group?

The short answer is no – Hilton and Marriott operate as completely separate, independent companies and competitors in the hotel industry.

However, it’s easy to understand why consumers might be confused about whether Hilton is under the Marriott brand umbrella.

In this article, we’ll compare Hilton and Marriott’s ownership, history, hotel brands, loyalty programs, and market positioning to clarify that they are distinct hotel chains.

Separate Ownership and Corporate Structures

Hilton and Marriott have zero common ownership ties. To clear up any misconception:

• Hilton is an independent publicly traded company (NYSE: HLT) headquartered in McLean, Virginia.
• Marriott is also an independent publicly traded company (NASDAQ: MAR) headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.

They have entirely separate corporate structures, executives, and company boards. No shared ownership or parent organization controls both hotel groups.

Founding and Growth of Hilton and Marriott

Hilton and Marriott also have distinct histories and origins:

• Hilton was founded in 1919 by Conrad Hilton with the acquisition of his first hotel in Texas. It expanded nationwide over several decades.
• Marriott was founded in 1927 by J. Willard Marriott with the opening of a root beer stand that grew into a chain of restaurants and hotels.
• Both companies steadily grew via new construction, franchising, and acquisitions of existing hotels.
• They remained competitors taking different strategic approaches to expansion into multi-national hospitality empires.
• Neither Hilton nor Marriott have ever acquired or owned the other brand.

So while both chains share a long history as major American hotel operators, their journeys have never intersected via any shared ownership.

Hilton and Marriott Hotel Brands

Hilton and Marriott take distinct brand approaches:

1. Hilton Brands

• Hilton Hotels & Resorts (luxury)
• Conrad Hotels & Resorts (luxury)
• Waldorf Astoria (luxury)
• DoubleTree (upscale)
• Embassy Suites (upscale)
• Hilton Garden Inn (upscale)
• Hampton Inn (midscale)
• Homewood Suites (midscale)
• Home2 Suites (midscale)
• Tru by Hilton (budget)

2. Marriott Brands

• Marriott Hotels (luxury)
• JW Marriott (luxury)
• W Hotels (luxury)
• Renaissance Hotels (upscale)
• Marriott Executive Apartments (upscale)
• Autograph Collection (boutique)
• Delta Hotels (midscale)
• Courtyard by Marriott (midscale)
• Fairfield Inn & Suites (midscale)
• Residence Inn (midscale)
• SpringHill Suites (midscale)
• Four Points by Sheraton (budget)

While both groups have brands spanning luxury to budget categories, they position and market them distinctly. Hilton and Marriott do not share any sub-brands.

Separate Loyalty Programs

Hilton and Marriott also operate completely independent loyalty programs:

• Hilton Honors is the guest reward program for the Hilton portfolio. Members earn points on eligible stays.
• Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott’s unified loyalty platform. It replaces past programs like Marriott Rewards, SPG, and Ritz-Carlson Rewards.

These programs are not connected or interchangeable. You can’t earn Hilton Honors points by staying at Marriott hotels, or vice versa.

The brands maintain loyalty programs restricted to their own properties.

Market Position and Competition

How do Hilton and Marriott stack up in the hospitality market?

• Hilton has over 6,500 properties globally with around 1 million rooms. Marriott has about 8,000 properties with 1.4 million rooms.
• Both groups compete fiercely as two of the largest hotel chains worldwide based on properties, rooms, and revenue.
• In terms of valuation, Hilton is worth around $40 billion while Marriott sits at around $55 billion. However, metrics shift annually.
• Marriott typically leads in high-end luxury and upper upscale segments. Hilton competes strongly in the midscale and limited-service tier.
• Hilton has a larger global footprint overall, with more international brand awareness.

The bottom line is Hilton and Marriott remain strategic competitors in the hotel market across all segments from luxury to budget.

Are Mergers Between the Brands Possible in the Future?

Given the scale and resources of Hilton and Marriott, plus trends toward consolidation in the hotel industry, could the brands ever merge one day?

While anything is possible down the road, a few factors make a Hilton-Marriott merger unlikely for the foreseeable future:

• Both have strong independent growth trajectories without obvious need for each other’s portfolio.
• Major mergers face intense scrutiny from fair trade and anti-competition regulators. A combined mega-chain would drive concerns.
• Brand integration would be enormously complex and risky given their independent loyalty programs and branding.
• Current valuations would make a buyout or merger extremely expensive with uncertain ROI.

Barring a dramatic change in strategy, Hilton and Marriott appear poised to continue on as friendly competitors at the top of the hotel industry.

Can You Transfer Points or Status Between Hilton and Marriott?

Since Hilton and Marriott are completely separate companies, you cannot transfer points or status between the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy programs.

Any elite status levels, point balances, or perks you earn with one chain have no standing if you switch to hotels within the other brand. You must earn loyalty benefits independently.

Which Hotel Chain is Better for Travelers?

Should you focus your hotel stays on Hilton or Marriott properties? There is no simple answer, as both are leading global hotel chains. Some factors to weigh:

1. Hilton Pros

• Strong international presence, especially in Asia and Europe
• Very fast-growing midscale category with Hampton Inn and others
• Popular resort and leisure portfolio with brands like DoubleTree

2. Marriott Pros

• Dominance in luxury and upper upscale tiers
• Larger program with more total hotels worldwide
• More inclusive loyalty program with credit card free night rewards

Evaluate your own travel preferences in terms of locations, hotel types and benefits sought.

Try staying across both chains to see which you prefer before committing long-term to either loyalty program.

Conclusion

While Hilton and Marriott are undoubtedly two of the powerhouse chains in the hotel industry, they operate as distinct, unrelated companies. Hilton is not owned by, nor part of, Marriott in any way.

They have separate histories from their founders to current status as competitors across all hotel segments. The only cooperation comes through travel agent programs or joint lobbying on broader hospitality industry issues.

So rest assured when you check into a Hilton property that you are not supporting rival Marriott with your stay, and vice versa! The friendly rivalry between these two giants continues driving innovation and giving travelers more choice.