Homewood Suites by Hilton delivers innovations and evolution within the extended stay arena

Homewood Suites by Hilton, the national brand of upscale, all-suite, residential-style hotels, continues to deliver the brand’s core initiatives for 2007:

- The new Suite Selection online reservation tool allows event attendees to navigate through a real time demonstration;
- Mobile Learning: Homewood Suites will now be training employees through specially designed programs on video iPods in every property.
- Updates to the food and beverage phase of the Distinctly Homewood brand enhancement program; and
- Milestone openings in Mexico and the 200th Homewood Suites by Hilton;

Demonstrating the innovation and evolution of the brand, Homewood Suites prepares to launch the hotel industry’s first interactive room selection tool by the end of March, Suite Selection, which will put HHonors guests in the drivers seat when creating their travel plans. Suite Selection will feature floor plans, photographs and descriptions of every room throughout the entire Homewood Suites catalogue. Guests who are considering booking a stay at any Homewood Suites will be able to make an informed room selection decision prior to check-in by viewing the layouts and actual photos of every room in the property.

Homewood Suites is preparing to deploy more than 600 video iPods as part of its innovative approach to the training of its team members. The extended stay brand will launch Mobile Training with video iPods in every Homewood Suites by April 2007 in an effort to improve performance and development in areas such as training, sales communications and brand messaging.

Rebecca Wyatt, senior vice president of brand management, was especially ecstatic to make this announcement. She noted that, "This method of training will allow for continuous, easily adapted and spontaneous training at a comparatively low cost. The video iPods will communicate and reinforce key messages and skills, as well as provide hotel managers the ability to implement continuous coaching in a non-invasive manner. The video iPod’s portability and user-friendly technology helps us provide ongoing updates that can be downloaded readily by our hotels."

In another enhancement that continues to solidify the innovation and evolution of the brand: enhancements to F&B offerings are underway. In 2004, Homewood Suites began a five-year brand enhancement program called Distinctly Homewood, addressing three areas to ensure the brand remained the leader in the extended stay industry: Relevance, Consistency, and Distinctiveness. In addition to a new bedding program, upgraded baths, updated kitchens, expanded fitness facilities and updated amenities, Distinctly Homewood also features three FF&E phases created to give developers additional design flexibility. The program will now focus on a complete overhaul of the brand’s food and beverage offerings. Phase I of the food and beverage enhancements will be completed by March and features "Suite Distinction" displayware enhancements to the Suite Start breakfast and Welcome Home Receptions, including serving on 100 percent china, glassware and flatware in all Homewood Suites properties.

Finally, demonstrating its strong growth pace, Homewood Suites has proclaimed that the 200th property in the Homewood Suites family will open within the next month. This opening signifies the tremendous growth that Homewood Suites has experienced in recent years and solidifies its position as a leader in the extended stay industry. Following the 200th, Homewood Suites will open its first property in Mexico at the end of June, located in Torreon, approximately 277 kilometers west of Saltillo in the state of Coahulia. This hotel signifies the continued international expansion of Homewood Suites, following the brand’s foray into Canada with developments in Ontario and Quebec that opened in recent years.

About Homewood Suites
Launched in 1989, the Homewood Suites by Hilton brand today has 195 hotels open with another 122 in the pipeline. Beyond its spacious suites and home-like amenities, Homewood Suites guests can find at each hotel an on-site Suite Shop convenience store, exercise facility and guest laundry at most locations. Guests can also enjoy a daily complimentary Suite Start hot breakfast and a Welcome Home reception featuring a complimentary light meal and beverages* Monday-Thursday evenings. Additional guest services at Homewood Suites by Hilton hotels include a complimentary grocery shopping service+ and a complete business center at most locations.

To make reservations at a Homewood Suites by Hilton hotel, travelers can visit the Homewood Suites Web site or call 1-800-CALL-HOME. Homewood Suites participates in the Hilton HHonors guest reward program, which allows its members to Double Dip by simultaneously accumulating both hotel points and airline miles with each qualifying stay.

Homewood Suites by Hilton is part of Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT) the leading global hospitality company, with nearly 2,800 hotels and 495,000 rooms in more than 80 countries, with 150,000 team members worldwide.

The company has a portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded hotel brands including Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations, Homewood Suites by Hilton and The Waldorf Astoria Collection.

HHonors, Double Dip and Double Dipping are trademarks owned by Hilton HHonors Worldwide, L.L.C. Hilton HHonors membership, earning of Points & Miles, and redemption of points are subject to HHonors Terms and Conditions.

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* Subject to state and local laws. Must be of legal drinking age.
+ Guest pays for groceries. Other restrictions apply

Janella Loaiza
Hilton Hotels Corporation Brand Communications
755 Crossover Lane
Memphis
TN 38117
(901)374-6518
(310) 205-4545
janella_loaiza@hilton.com
http://homewoodsuites1.hilton.com/