A Regional Portfolio Now Exceeding 100 Properties
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) has announced that its Caribbean portfolio has surpassed 100 open and planned hotels, reaffirming the region’s strategic importance to the group’s international development.
Hilton currently operates nearly 60 properties and has a development pipeline designed to expand its presence both in established tourism destinations and in markets where its footprint remains limited.
This strategy draws on a combination of economy, midscale, lifestyle, upscale and luxury brands. It aims to address different segments of tourism demand while offering owners and developers operating models suited to their assets.
“The Caribbean is a strategic priority for Hilton,” says Kolin Pound, Hilton’s President for the Caribbean and Latin America. He points out that the group’s history in the region dates back to the opening of the Caribe Hilton in Puerto Rico, Hilton’s first property outside the continental United States.
Pablo Maturana, Vice President of Development for the Caribbean and Latin America, meanwhile emphasises the importance of owner relationships in driving this expansion. The objective is to match the most appropriate brands with the characteristics of each destination and investors’ expectations.
Puerto Rico: A Priority Market and Showcase for the Dual-Brand Model
The simultaneous opening of Homewood Suites by Hilton and Hampton by Hilton San Juan City Center represents a significant milestone in this strategy.
Located in San Juan’s Convention Center District, close to the Puerto Rico Convention Center and DISTRITO T-Mobile, the new development comprises 257 rooms.
It is Hilton’s first dual-brand development in the Caribbean and the first Homewood Suites property in Puerto Rico.
According to Hilton, the project also represents San Juan’s first newly built hotel development in more than five years.
Beyond the opening itself, the project illustrates a real estate and operational approach already well established in several mature hospitality markets: combining two complementary brands within a single asset to share certain facilities and operational functions.
Homewood Suites primarily targets extended-stay guests, while Hampton caters to more traditional short-stay demand, particularly among business and leisure travellers.
In principle, this complementary positioning broadens the property’s potential customer base while creating opportunities for economies of scale.
In Puerto Rico, Hilton intends to nearly double its portfolio to approximately 25 properties.
Several projects have been announced in San Juan, Ponce, Fajardo, Dorado and Arecibo, notably under the Hampton, Motto and Tru brands.
From the Dominican Republic to Dominica: A Multi-Brand Development Strategy
Hilton’s announced schedule outlines a series of planned openings through 2030.
In the Dominican Republic, DoubleTree by Hilton Punta Cana Downtown is expected to open before the end of 2026, followed by Tru by Hilton Punta Cana in 2027.
In Curaçao, DoubleTree by Hilton Curaçao is also scheduled to open in 2027.
The year 2028 is expected to mark several important milestones in the group’s regional expansion.
In Dominica, Tranquility Beach Resort Dominica, Curio Collection by Hilton, is set to become the country’s first Hilton property.
In the Bahamas, Paradise Breeze Nassau, Curio Collection by Hilton, is expected to mark the group’s return to the island.
In Barbados, Hilton Garden Inn Barbados Rockley Beach is scheduled for 2028, as is Motto by Hilton San Juan Santurce in Puerto Rico.
In Trinidad and Tobago, Hampton by Hilton Trinidad Airport is planned for 2028, followed by Elephant Tree Resort and Villas Tobago, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, announced for 2030.
Finally, the Turks and Caicos Islands are expected to welcome two luxury properties in 2030: Waldorf Astoria Turks and Caicos Dellis Cay and AMARIS Grace Bay Turks and Caicos, LXR Hotels & Resorts.
These developments reflect the group’s ambition to cover multiple market segments while introducing selected brands into destinations where they do not yet have a presence.
Related reading | Hilton’s luxury and lifestyle development across the Caribbean and Latin America
Collections and Partnerships as Growth Accelerators
Hilton’s Caribbean expansion is not based exclusively on new-build developments.
The group is also leveraging its collection brands and its partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) to broaden its offering.
Openings and additions in 2026 include The Westerly at Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino and Ports of Call Resort Turks & Caicos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton.
Through its partnership with SLH, Hilton also offers West Bay Club in the Turks and Caicos Islands, ONE GT Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands and Paradise Beach Nevis in Saint Kitts and Nevis.
This arrangement enables the group to increase the number of properties available to its customers and loyalty programme members without necessarily developing each asset under one of its own brands.
However, a distinction must be made between hotels operating under Hilton brands, properties in development and independent hotels marketed through partnerships.
What Are the Implications for Hotel Owners and Investors?
Surpassing 100 open and planned hotels is an indicator of Hilton’s regional ambitions. It does not, however, mean that 100 properties are already operational.
For investors, three considerations warrant particular attention.
Brand portfolio diversification enables projects to be tailored to different markets, whether international tourism destinations, urban centres or territories where branded hotel supply remains limited.
Dual-brand development, as illustrated by San Juan, offers an alternative to single-brand projects. Sharing facilities and certain operational functions can improve operational efficiency, provided there is sufficient demand within each targeted segment.
Expansion into new destinations creates development opportunities but also brings challenges specific to island markets: air connectivity, construction costs, supply-chain logistics, workforce availability and exposure to extreme weather events.
The delivery of the announced pipeline will therefore depend on developers’ and investors’ ability to finance and complete their projects, as well as on the evolution of tourism demand.
For Hilton, the challenge now extends beyond increasing its property count. It is about strengthening geographical coverage and offering owners a sufficiently broad brand portfolio to support different hotel investment models.
Related reading | IHG’s development strategy in Latin America and the Caribbean
AT A GLANCE | HILTON’S CARIBBEAN EXPANSION
• More than 100 open and planned hotels across the Caribbean
• Nearly 60 properties currently operating
• Puerto Rico portfolio expected to nearly double to 25 hotels
• First dual-brand Hilton development in the Caribbean: 257 rooms in San Juan
• Brand debuts and new openings scheduled through 2030
