Hilton to prioritise lifestyle, luxury in China as it eyes presence in 320 destinations

The US hospitality group opened its second Waldorf Astoria in Shanghai this week, the third city in the world to have two such properties

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Hilton opened the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan on Monday. Photo: Handout

Published: 10:00am, 23 Oct 2025Updated: 12:11pm, 23 Oct 2025

Global hotel chain operator Hilton plans to double down on brands that can meet evolving lifestyle demands and offer luxury experiences in mainland China, reinforcing its rapid expansion in the world’s second-largest economy.

Qian Jin, president of Hilton Greater China and Mongolia, said in an interview this week that the US hospitality group remained bullish on the mainland’s market, where Gen Z consumers and millennials’ pursuit of cultural and personal enrichment created a new growth engine for international hotel brands.

“From my perspective, hotel rooms do not have to be very big, but they have to feature elegant designs and decor to impress customers, giving them a sense of inspiration,” Qian said. “As hotel managers, we are trying to add a new dimension to lifestyle to cater to Chinese consumers’ demands.”

Hilton, which operates 11 brands in China, including Conrad and Waldorf Astoria, currently has 888 outlets under management on the mainland, nearly sixfold the around 150 it had at the end of 2018. Qian said the company’s recent new signings included Waldorf Astoria Shenzhen, LXR Hotels & Resorts in Tianjin, Conrad Zhoushan and Hyssan Hotel Quanzhou.

Shanghai is the third city in the world to have two Waldorf Astoria hotels, after Doha and Dubai. Photo: Handout

The company now manages hotels in 280 Chinese destinations. Qian said Hilton would have a presence in more than 30 additional Chinese locations in the near future, with the total potentially growing to 320.

Its closest rival, InterContinental, managed 740 hotels as of August 2024.

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