Hilton’s Newest Hotel Brand Is All About Approachable Luxury

Even veteran frequent travelers have trouble keeping track of the hundreds of hotel brands out there, many of which have been created out of whole cloth in recent years. Marriott alone has about 40 brands, from the familiar, like Westin and Ritz-Carlton, to those many travelers know little about, such as CitizenM, Delta and Protea. Hyatt has 30-plus, including many I guarantee most travelers are unfamiliar with, such as Atona, Breathless and Caption. Hilton has “only” two dozen-plus, from classics such as Waldorf Astoria to Tempo, Motto and Spark. I’m a Hilton Honors Diamond member and I’ve never even seen one of those three come up in a hotel search.

That’s about one hundred brands just from these three hotel companies, and they are hardly alone (IHG Hotels & Resorts has close to 20). The good news is that at the end of the day, frequent travelers, especially luxury travelers, only need to know about so many. I think Hilton’s newest hotel brand, Signia , is one worth knowing about.

I recently wrote about another big hotel industry trend here on Forbes.com, as many big name luxury brands are moving into the all-inclusive space for the first time , including Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, W and Westin.

Currently on its own brand website, Hilton breaks out five top brands it classifies as “luxurious getaways”: Waldorf Astoria, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Conrad, NoMad and Signia. Signia is the newest of these, and the most modestly priced in the luxury tier—an example of what the company describes as “approachable luxury.” There are currently only five Signia properties, but they are in some pretty key destinations, with seven more under development and plans to at least double the portfolio by 2028.

Signia properties are event driven, from weddings to meetings to corporate gatherings, and all have significant function space. The brand falls among the newer generation of higher energy brands that have put an emphasis on lively bars, restaurants and public spaces, but with more elevated sophistication than many brands known for this aesthetic. It skews contemporary in design and has upgraded room product across the board, with brand standards such as Nespresso machines and the higher quality bath amenities and linens associated with luxury hotels.

Signia has a heavy culinary focus, and each hotel is being positioned as “destination dining” and targeting an audience beyond just guests. Because wellness is one of the hottest trends in travel right now and the rollout of Signia has coincided with that, the brand has embraced this concept as well, with in-room Peloton bikes, very well-equipped modern fitness centers, large spas and extras from rooftop pools to golf courses.

A good example is the next Signia property coming online next month (May 2026), the Diplomat Resort in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I stayed at the Diplomat back when it was new and a big thing, as with nearly a thousand rooms it is the largest hotel in Broward County.

Back then it was a Westin, but new owners left Marriott for Hilton in 2014, when it became part of the Curio Collection. Curio is one of Hilton’s Curated Collections, a sort of catch-all for distinctive independent-type properties that don’t have a cookie-cutter feel and don’t easily fit into an established “chain” brand. There are some luxury properties within Curio, but the rebranding to Signia is a step up and a good look at what the new brand is all about, because a lot of money and effort has been put into upgrading the Diplomat for its rebirth.

The resort got more than facelift, it was an extensive transformation including complete overhaul of public spaces and arrival experience with a more opulent, design-forward aesthetic. Outdoor spaces including the pool decks, cabanas, oceanfront event space and private beach club were also upgraded. The Diplomat Spa is a large full-service oceanfront spa with two-level fitness center and offers daily programming including beach fitness classes and water-based recreation. There are two new premium leisure offerings, The Verandah Social Club and Club Signia, offering exclusive experiences to guests paying a premium rate.

The Verandah Social Club is an adults-only oceanfront pool and lounge concept that blends beach club culture (think Ibiza, Cannes, St. Barts) with elevated service, private cabanas, high-end dining and in cabana spa treatments. It is designed for all-day use and open to non-guests as well, part of the effort to become a destination attraction more than just a hotel.

Club Signia is a hotel club floor and lounge concept of the type common at luxury hotels across Asia, but still far too uncommon in North America. I am a big fan of club floor/lounges and consider it a noteworthy amenity that helps define and differentiate the new brand. Those who opt to stay with Club Signia get an enhanced in-room experience with upgraded amenities and personalized touches, but the highlight is access to the lounge, with complimentary curated food and beverage offerings throughout the day, from breakfast to evening cocktails, as well as special concierge service.

The most sweeping changes at the Diplomat were culinary, a comprehensive improvement of the food and drink offerings with five new or refreshed options. The signature is Diplomat Prime, a high-end destination steakhouse with options like 45-day dry-aged prime beef. Mediterranean-influenced Palmea Kitchen is a breakfast and morning spot, Solara is a lively all-day lobby lounge with globally inspired small plates, while Playa is Latin-inspired beachside dining with elevated coastal cuisine, tropical cocktails, sunset views and another high-energy ambiance. The Press is a café with specialty coffee, fresh juices house-made and grab-and-go options. The idea is to have enough variety for multiple days as well as a wide range of price points—and again, to attract locals.

To me the most notable brand highlight is the Club lounge, since no other luxury brand has these across its portfolio. All existing properties except Bonnet Creek Orlando have this feature, and because Bonnet Creek is a family-friendly official Walt Disney World partner hotel, it has a kids club instead. Bonnett Creek guests do get access to the adjacent Waldorf Astoria’s Rees Jones-designed golf course, while the Signia La Cantera in San Antonio is also located at a renowned golf course.

Currently there are Signia hotels in Atlanta, San Antonio, Orlando and Amman Jordan. The Diplomat in Florida opens next month, and later this year new Signia properties are scheduled for Indianapolis and Taiwan’s Tainan, to be followed by Savannah, Georgia. Signia Hotels are also slated for Jaipur, India and Cairo, Egypt. The brand is fully integrated in the Hilton Honors frequent guest program.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com