Tru to Their Word: Hilton Launches New Brand

Tru Hilton

Millennials and bargain hunters will be the target audience for Hilton’s new hotel brand called Tru, featuring room rates in the $75 to $90 a night range.

The company already has 102 locations lined up and 30 more in the works for the largely new-build hotels in both small and large markets like Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Denver, Portland, Charlotte, San Antonio, and Nashville.

“That’s bigger than entire hotel companies,” Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta said in a statement to Yahoo Finance.

According to Hilton, Tru plans to compete with economy chains like Comfort Inn, Fairfield Inn, and La Quinta.

“Tru will provide guests with a high-quality, contemporary, consistent, and fresh experience at a great value for customers, while at the same time delivering strong returns to our owners,” Nassetta continues.

The company will be able to offer the lower price by cutting down on some of the amenities usually found in more expensive rooms. Instead of a closet, there will be an open space to hang clothes. Instead of a desk there will be a spot to work on a laptop, and the platform bed won’t have a box spring.

There is, however, a large lobby with several zones to hang out in, a “Play-Zone” with games and a large screen TV, and a complimentary “Build Your Own” breakfast bar.

“More than 40 percent of all U.S. hotel stays are within the midscale and economy sectors and Tru by Hilton addresses a gap in the marketplace by appealing to the youthful mindset demographic, pushing the industry to marry quality and value,” said Jim Holthouser, executive vice president, global brands, Hilton Worldwide. “We’re breaking through the clutter of undistinguished offerings to capture the hearts of today’s travelers and anticipating the needs of tomorrow’s guests, while delivering a hotel that’s a place travelers will want to go to rather than just through.”