Editing Hilton Worldwide (section)

===Hilton in the 1950s - 1980s===
[[File:Hiltonhotelsheadquarters.jpg|thumb|right|The former Hilton Hotels Corporation headquarters in [[Beverly Hills, California]]]]
In 1953, Hilton opened its first hotel in Europe, the Castellana Hilton in Madrid, Spain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hilton Hotels, 1953 Annual Report |url=https://digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu/concern/texts/05741s490?locale=en}}</ref>

The [[Statler Hotel|Hotels Statler Company]] was acquired in 1954 for $111 million in what was then the world's most expensive real estate transaction.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History and Heritage – Hilton Worldwide |url=http://www.hiltonworldwide.com/about/history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112174220/http://www.hiltonworldwide.com/about/history |archive-date=January 12, 2016 |website=hiltonworldwide.com}}</ref> 

Hilton is credited with several early innovations. In 1954, Hilton created the world's first central reservations office, titled "HILCRON". The reservations team in 1955 consisted of eight members on staff booking reservations for any of Hilton's then 28 hotels. Reservations agents used the "availability board" to track records. The chalkboard measured {{convert|30|ft}} by {{convert|6|ft}} and allowed HILCRON to make over 6,000 reservations in 1955.<ref>{{Cite web |date=|title=Hilton's Pioneering Central Reservations System – Hilton Reservations Worldwide – |url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050418005271/en/Hiltons-Pioneering-Central-Reservations-System----Hilton |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305013716/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050418005271/en/Hiltons-Pioneering-Central-Reservations-System----Hilton |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |website=businesswire.com}}</ref> Bookings could be made for any Hilton via telephone, [[Telegram (software)|telegram]], or [[Teleprinter|Teletype]]. Later in 1955, Hilton launched a program to ensure every hotel room would include [[air conditioning]].<ref name="Taraborrelli">{{Cite book |last=Taraborrelli |first=J. Randy |url=https://archive.org/details/hiltonstruestory0000tara_l4n5 |title=The Hiltons: The True Story of an American Dynasty |date=April 1, 2014 |publisher=Grand Central Publishing |isbn=978-1-4555-1669-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/hiltonstruestory0000tara_l4n5/page/219 219] |access-date=September 6, 2017 |url-access=registration}}</ref> Hilton is also credited with pioneering the [[airport hotel]] concept with the opening of the Hilton Inn at [[San Francisco International Airport]] in 1959.<ref name="King">{{Cite web |last=King |first=Danny |date=October 19, 2016 |title=Airport hotels have become more than a convenient pit stop |url=http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Airbed-destinations-airport-hotels |url-status=live |work=Travel Weekly |issn=0041-2082 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914012550/http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Airbed-destinations-airport-hotels |archive-date=September 14, 2017 |access-date=September 6, 2017}}</ref>

International expansion continued in this era. In late 1955, Hilton opened the [[Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus|Istanbul Hilton]], the first post–World War II property in [[Istanbul]], Turkey.<ref name=Taraborrelli /><ref name="Hamblin">{{Cite magazine |last=Hamblin |first=Dora Jane |date=August 30, 1963 |title=His Hotels Keep Koreans Hopping in 19 Lands: Instant America |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GlIEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA67 |magazine=[[Life (magazine)|Life]] |volume=55 |issue=9 |pages=67–68 |issn=0024-3019 |access-date=September 6, 2017}}</ref> In 1957, Hilton assumed management of its first hotel in Central America, the El Panama Hilton in [[Panama City]], Panama. In 1958, Hilton opened its first hotel in Canada, [[Queen Elizabeth Hotel|The Queen Elizabeth]] in [[Montreal]], Quebec.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu/concern/texts/73666546k?locale=en|title=Hilton Hotels, 1957 Annual Report|author=Hilton Hotels Corporation|website=digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu|access-date=March 11, 2023}}</ref> In 1959, Hilton opened its first hotel in Africa, the Nile Hilton in [[Cairo]], Egypt.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hilton Hotels, 1959 Annual Report |url=https://digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu/concern/texts/vd66w083c?locale=en}}</ref> In 1960, Hilton opened its first hotel in [[Oceania]], the Chevron Hilton in [[Sydney]], Australia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu/concern/texts/9019s336m?locale=en|title=Hilton Hotels, 1960 Annual Report|author=Hilton Hotels Corporation|website=digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu|access-date=March 11, 2023}}</ref> In 1961, Hilton assumed management of its first hotel in South America, the [[Edificio José Miguel Carrera|Hotel Carrera]] in [[Santiago]], Chile. In 1963, Hilton opened its first hotels in Asia, the [[Hong Kong Hilton]] and the Tokyo Hilton, and the [[Parsian Esteghlal International Hotel|Royal Tehran Hilton]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu/concern/texts/6w924c536?locale=en|title=Hilton Hotels, 1962 Annual Report|author=Hilton Hotels Corporation|website=digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu|access-date=March 11, 2023}}</ref>

In 1965, Hilton launched Lady Hilton, the first hotel concept created specifically for women guests.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Montana Standard-Post from Butte, Montana on July 5, 1965 · Page 4 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/4176260/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024154446/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/4176260/ |archive-date=October 24, 2017 |access-date=April 28, 2018 |website=newspapers.com|date=July 5, 1965 }}</ref> To appeal to female travelers, many properties offered floors occupied by only women along with distinct amenities for their usage.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 2, 1965 |title=New Design Is Offered for Hotel Rooms |page=66 |work=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/50761669/ |url-status=live |url-access=registration |access-date=April 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024153220/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/50761669/ |archive-date=October 24, 2017 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="About Hilton" />

The iconic Hilton hotel logo, which features the stylized "H" in a circle, was created in 1969 by the legendary graphic designer Saul Bass. Bass was also responsible for designing logos for other well-known brands, including AT&T, United Airlines, and the Girl Scouts of the USA.<ref>{{Cite web |title=10 Interesting Facts About the Hilton Hotel|url=https://www.thetravel.com/hilton-hotel-facts/|date=May 25, 2021 |access-date=March 29, 2023 |publisher=Hilton Worldwide}}</ref>

Between 1970 and 1971, Hilton acquired the International Leisure Company, including the [[Westgate Las Vegas|International Hotel]] and the [[Flamingo Las Vegas|Flamingo Hotel]], which were renamed the Las Vegas Hilton and the Flamingo Hilton.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nevada Gaming Abstract – MGM MIRAGE Company Profile |url=http://gaming.unlv.edu/abstract/fin_mgm.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105011333/http://gaming.unlv.edu/abstract/fin_mgm.html |archive-date=November 5, 2012 |access-date=March 26, 2007}}</ref><ref name="Rothman">{{Cite book |last=Rothman |first=Hal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1KW9CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA22 |title=Neon Metropolis: How Las Vegas Started the Twenty-First Century |date=October 15, 2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-95853-6 |page=22 |access-date=September 6, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Al">{{Cite book |last=Al |first=Stefan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PPpaDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA117 |title=The Strip: Las Vegas and the Architecture of the American Dream |date=March 10, 2017 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=978-0-262-33822-6 |page=117 |access-date=September 6, 2017}}</ref> The properties would become the first in the domestic gaming business to be listed on the NYSE.<ref name="Guest">{{Cite book |last=Hilton |first=Conrad Nicholson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O7BGK2BLtpgC&pg=PA7 |title=Be My Guest |date=1957 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-0-671-76174-5 |page=7 |access-date=September 6, 2017}}</ref>

In 1977, Hilton International opened its first property behind the "[[Iron Curtain]]" in Communist Europe, the Budapest Hilton.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Levy |first=Alan |date=1979-02-25 |title=An Exploratory Visit To the First Hilton In Communist Europe |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/25/archives/an-exploratory-visit-to-the-first-hilton-in-communist-europe.html |access-date=2023-01-20 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In 1979, founder Conrad Hilton died at the age of 91.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cook |first=Joan |date=January 5, 1979 |title=Conrad Hilton, Founder of Hotel Chain, Dies at 91 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/01/05/archives/conrad-hiltonfounder-of-hotel-chaindies-at-91-for-the-affluent.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171103032343/http://www.nytimes.com/1979/01/05/archives/conrad-hiltonfounder-of-hotel-chaindies-at-91-for-the-affluent.html |archive-date=November 3, 2017}}</ref> Hilton Hotels Corporation later created the Conrad Hotels brand in honor of Hilton.<ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Jonathan |date=February 12, 2013 |title=Hilton said to be in talks for CityCenterDC hotel |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-business/post/hilton-said-to-be-in-talks-for-citycenterdc-hotel/2013/02/12/568b7cea-7526-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_blog.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024155704/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-business/post/hilton-said-to-be-in-talks-for-citycenterdc-hotel/2013/02/12/568b7cea-7526-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_blog.html |archive-date=October 24, 2017}}</ref>

Hilton Honors (formerly Hilton HHonors), the company's guest loyalty program, was initiated in 1987.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Madeline |date=January 31, 2017 |title=Hilton just revealed a game-changing update to its rewards program |work=Business Insider |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/changes-to-hilton-honors-2017-1 |url-status=live |access-date=September 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821065129/http://www.businessinsider.com/changes-to-hilton-honors-2017-1 |archive-date=August 21, 2017}}</ref> In 1994, the Honors surpassed competing hotel [[loyalty program]]s by offering members both hotel credit points and [[Frequent-flyer program|airline credit miles]].<ref name="Collis">{{Cite news |last=Collis |first=Roger |date=December 23, 1994 |title=Don't Lose Expiring Flier Miles |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/23/style/23iht-frequent.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171102213749/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/23/style/23iht-frequent.html |archive-date=November 2, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Reynolds">{{Cite news |last=Reynolds |first=Christopher |date=January 30, 1994 |title=Frequent Fliers May Find Less Turbulence Overseas : Trends: It's getting harder to qualify for free domestic flights, easier to earn foreign freebies. |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-01-30-tr-16855-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428184319/http://articles.latimes.com/1994-01-30/travel/tr-16855_1_frequent-fliers |archive-date=April 28, 2018}}</ref>

In 1998, Hilton spun off its gambling operations into a separate, publicly held company called [[Park Place Entertainment]] (later Caesars Entertainment, Inc.)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Gary |date=September 2, 1999 |title=Park Place to become world's biggest gaming firm – Las Vegas Sun Newspaper |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/1999/sep/02/park-place-to-become-worlds-biggest-gaming-firm/ |access-date=April 29, 2020 |website=lasvegassun.com |language=en}}</ref> In 1999, Hilton acquired [[Promus Hotel Corporation]], which included the DoubleTree, [[Red Lion Hotels|Red Lion]], Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, and Homewood Suites brands.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Petersen |first=Melody |date=September 8, 1999 |title=Hilton to Buy Promus Chain |work=The New York Times |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402EEDE163DF93BA3575AC0A96F958260 |url-status=live |access-date=March 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201035944/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402EEDE163DF93BA3575AC0A96F958260 |archive-date=December 1, 2008}}</ref>