I attended Unlocking New Ways to Stay Experience by Hilton in New York on January 21 2025, which was a press event that gave those who attended an opportunity to open doors and unlock a world of immersive experiences that Hilton will be offering to guests around the globe at its portfolio of hotel and resort properties.
Unlocking New Ways to Stay Experience by Hilton in New York January 21 2025
This press event by Hilton preceded the International Media Marketplace North America event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York; so members of a wide range of media from around the world were able to attend the Unlocking New Ways to Stay Experience event by Hilton.
Katherine Lugar — who is the executive vice president of corporate affairs at Hilton — kicked off the event with an introduction before passing on the microphone to Cody LaGrow of media relations at Hilton, who was the master of ceremonies for this event and interviewed the following panelists:
- Dino Michael — senior vice president & global category head of luxury brands and branded residential at Hilton
- Larry Traxler — senior vice president & global head architecture & design at Hilton
- Sian Leo Proctor — astronaut, artist, and poet
- Jennifer Chick — senior marketing executive, customer growth leader, and board member at Hilton
- Kevin Osterhaus — president of global lifestyle brands at Hilton
- Mark Weinstein — chief marketing officer at Hilton
- Daniel Reynolds — senior vice president, marketing and global content, media, and partnerships at Hilton
- Oral Muir — vice president, partnerships, experiences, & distribution at Hilton
You can watch the highlights of the event for yourself with this raw video that I decided to shoot at the very last minute instead of take photographs.
In the next room beyond the main stage was where all of the rooms with the doors were located, inviting everyone to immerse themselves in the experience of that particular brand.
Several different “rooms” were available — each with their own immersive experience.
To start, Hilton’s Luxury Brands are opening in desirable locations around the world and offering one-of-a-kind experiences for The Travel Maximizer.
- Hilton’s Luxury Hot List: Hilton’s Luxury Brands to Celebrate Record Growth in 2025 and Beyond
- Hilton Accelerates Multi‑Brand Expansion in Morocco
- Hilton Expands Luxury Portfolio with Signing of Conrad Los Cabos
The Designing the Future room included an immersive tour of the Voyager space station — which was designed in partnership with Hilton — an be experienced with these Virtual Reality headsets. In a first-of-its kind venture, Hilton is the official hotel partner of Starlab, which is the planned free-flying commercial space station developed by Starlab Space LLC, a global joint venture led by Voyager.
Hilton continues to be a pioneer in hospitality and design, from our rich history in astro tourism to reimagining historic landmarks into modernized stays. Hilton’s partnership with Voyager ensures that every stage of an astronaut’s journey, from ground preparation to in-space living aboard Starlab and their return to Earth, is designed with comfort and hospitality in mind.
- Hilton and Voyager Space to Partner on Improving Stays in Space — Designing Crew Lodging, Hospitality Suites for Starlab Space Station
- Hilton, Voyager Space, and Starlab Space Share the First Fly‑Through Video of Starlab Space Station at the International Astronautical Congress
- Cookies in Space
Luxury spa concepts were part of the Power Up & Power Down room through which guests of this press event can experience for themselves.
Wellness is extremely important to today’s traveler; and Hilton’s newest wellness offerings and amenities help guests prepare for the day — giving them an opportunity to move and recharge.
- Hilton and Peloton Elevate Wellness Travel Through In-Room Fitness Experience
- Hilton and Peloton Expand Industry First Partnership to International Markets
How about some virtual racing at the Grand Prix in Miami, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Las Vegas with McLaren, which is an official partner of Hilton? This was found in the Event Travel room.
Sports tourism is booming, and Hilton is leading the way by partnering with brands to combine travelers’ love of sports with their passion for travel. Our partnerships with the Big Ten Conference, the Professional Tennis Players Association and McLaren provide Hilton Honors members with exclusive access to events, premium hospitality, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, creating unforgettable moments for sports enthusiasts.
- McLaren Racing Announces Multi Year Extension to Hilton Partnership
- Hilton Garden Inn Silverstone Debuts on the Famous Racetrack
- Exhilarating Grand Prix Destinations Around the World
- Hilton Named Official Hotel Partner of the Big Ten Conference
- The Professional Tennis Players Association Unveils New Official Global Partnership with Hilton
This bedroom setup was part of the Sleep Tourizzzm room: “Unwind in Hilton’s sleep sanctuaries, where wellness meets comfort. Our exclusive Calm partnership, signature Canopy sleep experience, and amenities tailored to sleep-centric travelers, ensure every stay redefines rest. Relax, recharge, and experience spaces designed to recharge the body and mind.”
70 percent of luxury travelers choose hotel properties with sleep-centric amenities — including Wellness Rooms, which are expected to grow in popularity amongst travelers. The exclusive partnership between Calm and Hilton pioneers a new standard in mental wellness for guests — giving them powerful tools to recharge, unwind and elevate their sleep experience directly in-room.
- Innovating Rest: Hilton and Calm Partner to Address Growing Wellness Demand Through Transformative Mindfulness and Sleep Support for Guests
- Sleep Tourizzzm 2.0: The Next Sleep Cycle
- In Search of Sleep: Hilton Caters to Rising Number of Sleep Tourists with Debut of Hilton Sleep Retreats
- Hilton Shares Key Insights on Sleep Tourism
- Redefining Resolutions: Mastering the Art of a Restful Sleep While Traveling
You really do not need an explanation of the Destination Diamond room with all of the benefits that members of the Hilton Honors Membership program enjoy once they earn Diamond Elite status, do you?!?
A sumptuous buffet was included.
No one left the event hungry or thirsty.
Guests had a choice of three cocktails offered by Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts. I chose the non-alcoholic cocktail called the Garden Tonic, which is comprised of Seedlip Garden, lime juice, celery, cucumber, and tonic. The mild yet full flavor notes were refreshing enough to have two of them.
Guests were able to try a taste of Costa Rica that is exclusively at the new Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique resort property: discover the rich heritage of Costa Rican coffee through a curated menu crafted by Barista Champion Ricardo Azofeifa.
From farm to cup, experience the flavors of Brunca, Tarrazú, and Chirripó-brought to life at the new Buena Nota Café.
Everyone who attended was given a Waldorf Astoria New York bag with goodies — including coffee beans, a Hilton cap, and a power block.
Final Boarding Call
Although Hilton has done a great job introducing its newest brands to the media and in describing the purpose of each of its brands in general, this event was the most immersive way to understand how each of the brands work — as were this tasting menu for Tempo by Hilton and this sneak peek of LivSmart Studios by Hilton — short of actually staying at an open hotel property, of course.
Hilton continues to strike a good balance between innovation and giving customers what they want.
I am honored that Hilton invited me to this press event. Thank you, Hilton.
All photographs ©2025 by Brian Cohen.
