New Era: Experience Hospitality

In recent years, mainstream hotel brands increasingly sought to replicate the cultural cachet of boutique properties by forging high-profile music partnerships. The goal is clear: to inject their identities with a sense of authenticity and creative relevance long mastered by design-led independents.

Hilton notably intensified its efforts since 2023, launching a string of high-profile activations. Campaigns such as Live Like a Rock Star and Enhance Your Stay provided Hilton Honors members with VIP access to concerts and exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences, aiming to turn traditional stays into immersive cultural touchpoints. In 2024, Hilton spotlighted GRAMMY-winner Laufey in an intimate performance within a “Connecting Room” suite at the Conrad Los Angeles, as part of its It Matters Where You Stay campaign.

Its Secret Socials series, featuring surprise performances by artists like Becky Hill, and ongoing sponsorship of events like the BRIT Awards, reinforce Hilton’s pursuit of relevance in the music space. However, while polished and well-produced, many of these events function more as promotional one-offs than culturally embedded initiatives. They remain bolt-on rather than built-in, celebrity-driven activations that cater to loyalty tiers rather than a brand-wide ethos. In short, Hilton delivers moments, but struggles to build movement.

Marriott International pursued a similar strategy with its long-standing partnership with Universal Music Group, launched in 2015. The collaboration aimed to attract younger travelers by offering Marriott Bonvoy members exclusive access to live performances, concert experiences, and major music events. While it initially brought energy and visibility to the Marriott Rewards program, over time the partnership lost momentum and became less prominent in the brand’s marketing efforts.