What Is the Difference Between the Hilton Hotel & the Hilton Garden Inn?

Ahhh Hilton. The name is synonymous with stylish hotels around the world. Hilton claims to fame include the invention of the piña colada (by Ramon “Monchito” Marreno at Puerto Rico’s Caribe Hilton Hotel), the first hotel with air conditioning in public areas (in Waco, Texas), the creation of the first hotel central reservations office (using a 30-foot long chalkboard), and the site of the world’s first cell phone call (outside the New York Hilton Midtown in 1973).

The Hilton hotel brand has over 5000 properties in 105 countries and territories and counting. They’re divided into multiple types of properties, each with their own brand and with qualities specific to that brand. They differ on which type of customer they cater to, as well as on price point, level of service and other factors.

Hilton’s most luxurious properties are Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts. The flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts label is next on the scale, followed by the boutique properties under the Curio – A Collection by Hilton brand. Still upscale is Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Canopy by Hilton, Doubletree by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton and the Hilton Garden Inn. Mid-level Hilton properties include Hampton by Hilton, Home2Suites by Hilton, and Tru by Hilton. Hilton also has timeshare properties called Hilton Grand Vacations.

Hilton's flagship brand is a full-service hotel, meaning it has onsite bars and restaurants, room service, onsite activities, luxury amenities and personalized services such as a concierge. Hilton hotels and resorts are described by the brand as “stylish, forward-thinking global leaders of hospitality” and feature “smart design, innovative restaurants, authentic hospitality and commitment to the global community”. There are about 570 hotels with the Hilton name on every continent except Antarctica.

Special services at Hilton hotels and resorts include the Request Upon Arrival service. Have your mini-fridge stocked with the specifics you love (Veuve Clicquot and “After School Fantasy” sweets, why not?), choose the perfect pillows or request an upgrade to a specific room type (sometimes at a discount too).

The Hilton in Puerto Vallarta is a prime example of what to expect at a Hilton resort. This all-inclusive property is on a vast beach on the emerald waters of the Bay of Banderas and has earned AAA Four Diamond status.

Rooms have Hilton Serenity Beds with 250-thread count sheets and allergen-free down pillows and duvets. Rooms are spacious and equipped with fully-stocked mini-fridges. The resort has beachfront pools, a bilingual Kids Club for kids aged 4 to 12, a luxurious spa, a business center, fitness facilities and shops. Dining is at six restaurants and several bars: guests can enjoy Brazilian barbeques beachside, sip afternoon tea at La Bonita, watch the sunset while eating sushi and tapas, dine on French fusion at Le Delice, eat traditional Italian at Il Formaggio, sample authentic Mexican dishes at La Catrina, and have international selections at Sea Fire and Talavera. A new section of the hotel just for adults, called The Hacienda, situates guests in Puerto Vallarta by providing traditional Mexican decor, foods and atmosphere.

Hilton hotels aim to go above and beyond, and you can see it in all their services. For example, the Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort’s Spa Ki features flotation therapy in their Floatarium, the only one of its kind on the Pacific coast of Mexico. The spa’s range of massages can be enjoyed beachside in a gazebo or within the spa itself, where there’s also a sauna and steam room.

Hilton Garden Inns aim for a high service standard, but are more relaxed than Hilton hotel and resorts. There are about 700 hotels under the Hilton Garden Inns brand. Aimed at both the business and leisure traveler, the brand is “here to support each guest on his or her road to success” and it prides itself on “warm, sunny service”.

Guests love that Hilton Garden Inns include a full cooked-to-order breakfast in rates, helping them ensure their day gets off to a good start. Weekend stays at select hotels have "Lazy Breakfast Service" so you can stay tucked into your crisp sheets and sleep-in. Other Hilton Garden Inn features include 24-7 business centers and fitness centers and, often, on-site laundry.

The Hilton brand has a “Global Mind, Local Heart” objective, with hotels supporting charities and sustainability both around the world and in the communities in which their hotels are located. For example, Hilton partners with Clean the World to recycle soap and staff volunteer in thousands of global community projects. The brand aims to halve its environmental footprint and double its social impact investment by 2030.

Hilton focuses particularly on youth. Examples of Hilton successes include improving education access to 70,000 youth in India and Sri Lanka through the Room to Read program, training and employing the first 28 graduates from the Hilton Vocational Training Cente in Myanmar, and providing training, skills development and employment to 2,000 refugees in Europe since 2016.