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Hilton Hotel Empire

By swilliams

  • Hilton was born in San Antonio, New Mexico.

  • Conrad Hilton buys The Mobley

    A hotel in Cisco, Texas. Over the next few years, he buys other Texas hotels. While business is strong, Mr. Hilton has greater ambitions.

  • opens the high-rise Dallas Hilton

    The first hotel to carry the Hilton name. Since air conditioning hadn't yet been invented, the elevators, laundry chutes, airshafts, and other non-customer facilities were placed on the building's west side, so that no guest rooms faced the western sun.

  • Hilton expands to Waco, Texas

    Opens its first hotel with cold running water and air-conditioning in public areas.

  • Purchases the Roosevelt and Plaza hotels

    With the purchase of the Roosevelt and Plaza hotels in New York City, Hilton becomes the first coast-to-coast hotel group in the United States.

  • The Hilton Hotels Corporation is formed

    The first hotel company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

  • Installs televisions in guest rooms.

    New York City's Roosevelt Hilton becomes the first hotel in the world to install televisions in guest rooms.

  • Waldorf=Astoria

    Conrad Hilton purchases "The Greatest of Them All," the original Waldorf=Astoria in New York, NY.

  • Conrad Hilton appears on the cover of Time magazine

    The first hotelier to achieve such recognition. (He appears again on the cover in 1963.)

  • Hilton International is born

    The opening of the Caribe Hilton in Puerto Rico.

  • Buys Statler Hotel

    Conrad N. Hilton buys Statler Hotel for $111 million dollars, which at the time was the largest real estate deal ever.

  • Hilton Istanbul

    Opening of the Hilton Istanbul, the first modern hotel built from the ground up in post- World War II Europe. The landmark property earns its own postal code and stamp.

  • Bring air-conditioning to every hotel in the Hilton portfolio.

    Hilton launches a program to bring air-conditioning to every hotel in the Hilton portfolio.

  • Hilton creates its first central reservation office

    Hilton creates its first central reservation office, called HILCRON. Reservations can be made at any Hilton by telephone, telegram, or Teletype.

  • Hilton Carte Blanche credit card

    Barron Hilton introduces the new Hilton Carte Blanche credit card, the premier travel and entertainment card owned by Hilton Hotels.

  • San Francisco Airport Hilton

    Hilton pioneers the airport-hotel concept by opening the 380-room San Francisco Airport Hilton.

  • Hilton International forms as a separate company

    Hilton International forms as a separate company, with Conrad Hilton as president. Two years later, Conrad Hilton's son Barron succeeds him as president of the domestic Hilton Hotels Corporation.

  • Lady Hilton

    Launch of Lady Hilton, the first hotel concept designed exclusively for women travelers. Select hotels feature women-only floors and rooms, and provide special amenities tailored to women.

  • Trans World Airlines acquires Hilton International

    Conrad Hilton resigns his presidency to become chairman.

  • DoubleTree hotel

    The first DoubleTree hotel opens in Scottsdale, AZ.

  • The domestic gaming business

    Hilton becomes the first NYSE-listed company to enter the domestic gaming business, by purchasing the Flamingo Hotel and the Las Vegas International. It's later named the Las Vegas Hilton.

  • Conrad Hilton passes away at age 91.

  • Conrad Hotels founded

    , with the goal of operating a network of luxury hotels and resorts in the world's major business and tourism capitals.

  • First Embassy Suites opens, in Kansas City-Overland Park, MO.

  • First Hampton Inn opens in Memphis, TN.

  • Hilton introduces Hilton HHonors™, its guest loyalty program.

  • First Homewood Suites Hotel opens in Omaha, NE.

  • 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

    Hampton Hotels is the first hotel company to promise 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. It states: Friendly service, clean rooms, comfortable surroundings, every time. If you're not satisfied, we don't expect you to pay.

  • The Hilton Garden Inn brand makes its debut, with four locations.

    It later expands to more than 500 properties.

  • Hilton HHonors™

    Hilton HHonors™ surpasses competing hotel loyalty programs by offering members both points and air miles.

  • The first Hilton website launches: www.Hilton.com.

  • Hilton Worldwide Resorts launches as a vacation-ownership

    Hilton Worldwide Resorts launches as a vacation-ownership subsidiary, providing its members with premium resorts and exotic vacation experiences.

  • Hilton Hotels Corporation reacquires Hilton International,

    Reuniting the companies for the first time in 40 years and expanding Hilton's portfolio of brands worldwide.

  • Christopher J. Nassetta joins Hilton Worldwide as President and Chief Executive Officer.

  • Merger with an affiliate of The Blackstone Group

    Hilton Hotels Corporation completes merger with an affiliate of The Blackstone Group's real estate and corporate private equity funds.

  • Hilton Hotels expands to 76 countries, making it the largest full-service hotel brand in the world.

  • LightStay™

    LightStay™, the proprietary system of measurement was launched as a Brand standard across the portfolio to calculate sustainability performance across the globe.

  • Hilton Hotels Corporation changes its name and logo to Hilton Worldwide and moves its headquarters from Beverly Hills, California, to McLean, Virginia.

  • Hampton Hotels is named the #1 franchise opportunity in Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500® ranking

    .

  • Home2 Suites, a new concept in the extended-stay market, opens its first property in Fayetteville, NC.