↑ AG Hotels Group and Hilton executives at the signing ceremony for the ten Spark by Hilton hotels. L-R: Girish Grover (founder and CEO, AG Hotels Group) and Simon Vincent (president, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Hilton)
A major agreement with AG Hotels Group
Hilton has announced the signing of ten Spark by Hilton hotels as part of a strategic agreement with AG Hotels Group, a British hotel owner-operator with a fast-growing portfolio. The deal covers 672 rooms spread across Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Hull, Peterborough, Runcorn, Sunderland, Wakefield and Washington.
Openings are scheduled between late 2026 and 2028. The agreement marks Spark by Hilton‘s entry into Wales, with the Cardiff hotel, as well as a strengthened Hilton presence in several regional markets where the group previously had no footprint, including Derby, Runcorn, Wakefield and Washington.
Paul Blackmore, vice-president of development for the UK and Ireland at Hilton, said the signings confirmed the strength of owner demand for Spark by Hilton being seen across the UK. With almost 700 rooms in the pipeline, including the brand’s first hotel in Wales, he added that Spark continues to build momentum as owners recognise the strength of its value proposition and its ability to meet the expectations of today’s travellers.
A rollout built around regional markets
The signed portfolio targets locations close to employment hubs, transport links and tourist sites. The Doncaster hotel overlooks the local racecourse, the Derby property sits next to the city’s railway station, and the Peterborough hotel benefits from direct access to the A1, one of the country’s key logistics corridors.
The Sunderland and Washington sites benefit from their proximity to major manufacturing activity in the north-east of England, while Runcorn, Wakefield and Hull offer access to major industrial, logistics and tourism zones in the north of England. The Cardiff hotel will strengthen Hilton’s presence in the Welsh capital.
Girish Grover, founder and CEO of AG Hotels Group, said the company was delighted to partner with Hilton to grow Spark by Hilton across the UK. He noted that the agreement fits squarely with AG Hotels Group’s mission to create vibrant places to live nationwide and represents an important step in the next phase of the company’s growth, adding that its strategy is to build a quality, large-scale hotel platform by acquiring, repositioning and investing in well-located hotels across the country, combining strong operational capability with leading global brands.
Spark by Hilton’s conversion-friendly model
The new signings confirm sustained owner interest in Spark by Hilton’s conversion model, which allows existing hotels to join a globally recognised brand while benefiting from Hilton’s commercial platform and its Hilton Honors loyalty programme.
Launched in 2023, the brand passed the milestone of 100 open hotels in under 18 months [FLAG: internal LTH link, no confirmed THT equivalent], before making its French debut through a partnership with Arteloge in Lyon [FLAG: internal LTH link, no confirmed THT equivalent]. The brand’s pace of development has since accelerated markedly worldwide.
UK development gathers pace
Hilton has also recently signed an agreement with SMAR Hotels Ltd to open Scotland’s first Spark by Hilton in Dunfermline. Located around 27 kilometres north-west of Edinburgh, the 53-room property will undergo a full renovation ahead of its planned opening in late 2026, and will feature dining space, meeting rooms and guest parking.
This momentum comes just days after Hilton signed the London Bridge Hotel, the first Tapestry Collection by Hilton property in the British capital [FLAG: internal LTH link, no confirmed THT equivalent], underlining the group’s intensifying development across the UK market as a whole, across all segments.
A brand growing fast worldwide
Globally, Spark by Hilton now counts more than 275 hotels in operation, with a further 200-plus in the pipeline. The brand continues to grow across Europe and the Middle East, with recent announcements in Italy and Spain, alongside its debut in Saudi Arabia.
===AT_A_GLANCE===
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Hilton signs 10 Spark by Hilton hotels with AG Hotels Group in the UK
672 rooms added across England and Wales, including the brand’s first hotel in Wales
Openings phased between late 2026 and 2028
New Hilton markets entered: Derby, Runcorn, Wakefield and Washington
Scotland debut also signed separately with SMAR Hotels Ltd in Dunfermline
Spark by Hilton now counts over 275 open hotels and 200+ in the pipeline worldwide
