40-624: Conrad Nicholson Hilton (December 25, 1887 – January 3, 1979) was an American hotel tycoon and politician who founded the Hilton Hotels chain. From 1912 to 1916, Hilton was a Republican representative in the first New Mexico Legislature , but became disillusioned with the "inside deals" of politics. In 1919, he purchased his first hotel, the Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas , for US$ 40,000 (equivalent to $ 702,956 in 2023) and subsequently capitalized on
80-578: A bricklayer turned private businessman named Stephen Healy. On December 7, 1944, delegates from 54 nations gathered in the Grand Ballroom of the Stevens Hotel to conclude and sign the Convention on International Civil Aviation , also known more popularly as the ‘Chicago Convention’, the defining international agreement which has since permitted the global civil aviation system to develop peacefully and in
120-506: A career decision to become a banker. It was intending to buy a bank that he arrived in Texas at the height of the Texas oil boom . In 1919, he bought his first hotel instead, the 40-room Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas , when a bank purchase fell through. The hotel did such brisk business that rooms changed hands as often as three times a day, and the dining room was converted into additional rooms to meet
160-849: A charitable unitrust that would eventually be merged with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Hilton Hotels Hilton Hotels & Resorts (formerly known as Hilton Hotels ) is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts and the flagship brand of American multinational hospitality company Hilton . The original company was founded by Conrad Hilton . As of December 30, 2019, 584 Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties with 216,379 rooms in 94 countries and territories are located across six continents. This includes 61 properties that are owned or leased with 219,264 rooms, 272 that are managed with 119,612 rooms, and 251 that are franchised with 77,451 rooms. In 2020, Fortune magazine ranked Hilton Hotels & Resorts at number one on their Fortune List of
200-483: A daughter, Francesca Hilton , before divorcing in 1947. Gabor wrote in her 1991 autobiography One Lifetime Is Not Enough that she became pregnant by Hilton only after he raped her during their marriage. Francesca died in 2015, at age 67, from a stroke . In 1950, Hilton bought Casa Encantada at 10644 Bellagio Road in Bel Air, Los Angeles , and occupied the house until he died in 1979. Hilton described his enchantment with
240-693: A devout Catholic of German descent. He attended the Goss Military Academy (since renamed as the New Mexico Military Institute) and St. Michael's College (later called the Santa Fe University of Art and Design ), and the New Mexico School of Mines (now New Mexico Tech ). From 1912 to 1916, Hilton was a Republican representative in the first New Mexico Legislature , when the state was newly formed. Hilton became frustrated with
280-463: A manner benefiting all peoples and nations of the world. As World War II drew to a close, Conrad Hilton purchased the hotel from Healy in February 1945. The board of directors changed the name of the hotel, naming it after Conrad Hilton himself on November 19, 1951. Hilton continued to use his Hollywood connections to entice film stars, politicians and royalty to the hotel. Among improvements made to
320-561: A new initiative by Hilton Hotels Corporation, the Hilton name was placed first in branding, and the Chicago Hilton and Towers became simply "Hilton Chicago". Under general manager John G. Wells, the hotel continues its track record of having hosted every U.S. president since it opened in 1927. In 2012 the hotel started a $ 150 million renovation, including new dining outlets 720 South Bar & Grill, SNAX and Kitty O'Sheas. The Hilton Chicago
360-704: A new logo design, as part of a rebranding effort for the flagship brand. Today, Hilton Hotels & Resorts is Hilton's flagship brand and one of the largest hotel brands in the world. The brand is targeted at both business and leisure travelers with locations in major city centers, near airports, convention centers, and popular vacation destinations around the world. Hilton Hotels & Resorts participates in Hilton Honors , Hilton's guest-loyalty program established in 1989. Members who book directly through Hilton-owned channels receive exclusive discounts and amenities such as free Wi-Fi, digital check-in, keyless entry, and
400-725: A property in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka , the Hilton Dhaka , designed by Mustapha Khalid Palash . As of 2023, the hotel has yet to open , though Hilton currently has a targeted 2025 opening date. In March 2013, Hilton announced that it would be entering Myanmar for the first time with the construction of a 300-room hotel in Yangon . While the Yangon hotel has yet to materialize, Hilton did manage to open properties in Mandalay and Naypyidaw in
440-486: A year for what was then the most expensive hotel renovation ever undertaken, at $ 185 million. The hotel's 3,000 guest rooms were rebuilt into 1,544 larger and more elegant rooms; 600 were converted to double-sized rooms with two adjoining bathrooms. The renovated hotel helped to sustain a revival period in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood. The newly renamed Chicago Hilton and Towers reopened on October 1, 1985. In 1998, under
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#1732852850079480-596: Is a centrally-located luxury hotel in Chicago , Illinois , United States. The hotel is a Chicago landmark that overlooks Grant Park , Lake Michigan , and the Museum Campus . It is the third-largest hotel in Chicago by number of guest rooms; however, it has the largest total meeting and event space of any hotel in the city. From its opening in 1927 through 2008, every sitting president of the United States had been housed in
520-417: Is watching ". Some protesters escaped into the hotel, along with tear gas and "stink bombs", and the hotel suffered minor damage as a result of the violence as a couple of street level windows gave way under the weight of dozens of protesters being pushed up against them by the police. The Conrad Hilton Hotel was aging and in the 1970s, its demolition was considered. However, in 1984, the hotel closed for over
560-583: The Great Depression . His mother continually told him that prayer was the best investment he would ever make. As a young boy, Hilton developed entrepreneurial skills working at his father's general store in Socorro County, New Mexico , which was partially converted into a 10-room hotel. This was followed by varied experiences, including a stint as a representative in New Mexico's first State Legislature, and
600-519: The Hilton Hotels Corporation in 1946, and Hilton International Company in 1948. During the 1950s and 1960s, Hilton Hotels' worldwide expansion facilitated both American tourism and overseas business by American corporations. It was the world's first international hotel chain, at the same time establishing a certain worldwide standard for hotel accommodations. In 1954, Hilton Hotels bought The Hotels Statler Company, Inc. for $ 111 million, then
640-666: The University of Detroit (1953), DePaul University (1954), Barat College (1955), Adelphi College (1957), Sophia University , Tokyo (1963), and the University of Albuquerque (1975). Hilton's autobiography, Be My Guest , was published in 1958 by Prentice Hall . In 1966, Hilton was succeeded as president by his son, Barron , and was elected chairman of the board . In 1925, Hilton married Mary Adelaide Barron (1906–1966). They had three sons, Conrad Hilton Jr. , Barron Hilton , and Eric Hilton , before divorcing in 1934. In 1942, Hilton married actress Zsa Zsa Gabor . They had one child,
680-569: The "bureaucracy, slowness, cheating, lying, and inside deals of politics," and in 1916, he refused to run for a fourth term, instead endorsing his longtime political ally, Quianu Robinson . He served two years in the United States Army during World War I . After completing Officer Training School, he became a second lieutenant, and served in Paris in the Quartermaster Corps . While Conrad
720-582: The Great Hall to hear a speech by General Douglas MacArthur defending his conduct of the war in Korea, calling for a new American policy toward the conflict to replace the current "political vacuum". During the 1968 Democratic National Convention , the streets outside the Conrad Hilton Hotel were the scene of a police riot as antiwar demonstrators , being beaten and arrested, began to chant " The whole world
760-754: The Hilton Foundation, of which Barron previously served on the Board of Directors as chairman. In 1983, the Hilton Foundation donated US$ 21.3 million (equivalent to $ 54.8 million in 2023) to expand facilities and increase endowment. That gift led to the construction of the South Wing, which opened in 1989, and added 94,000 square feet (8,700 m) of education and meeting space to Hilton College. On December 25, 2007, Barron Hilton announced that he would leave about 97% of his fortune, then estimated at US$ 2.36 billion (equivalent to $ 3.3 billion in 2023), to
800-572: The Hilton Hotels Corporation, contested the will—despite having left the company as acting president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board of directors. A settlement was reached, and as a result, Barron Hilton received 4 million shares of the hotel enterprise, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation received 3.5 million shares, and the remaining 6 million shares were placed in the W. Barron Hilton Charitable Remainder Unitrust . Upon Barron Hilton's death, Unitrust assets were transferred to
840-613: The Top 100 Companies to Work For in 2020 based on an employee survey of satisfaction. Conrad Hilton founded the Hilton hotel chain in 1919, when he bought his first property, the Mobley Hotel, in Cisco, Texas . The first hotel to feature the Hilton brand was the Dallas Hilton . In late 2010, Hilton announced a name change of the Hilton Hotels brand to Hilton Hotels & Resorts along with
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#1732852850079880-498: The ability to use a mobile app to choose specific rooms. In 2015, approximately 20 Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties were inducted into the Historic Hotels of America organization. Among these hotels were Hilton Fort Worth , which hosted John F. Kennedy 's final speech, and Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort , the setting of the film Blue Hawaii . A commercial space station project known as Space Islands
920-457: The age of 91. He was interred at Calvary Hill Cemetery, a Catholic cemetery in Dallas , Texas. He left US$ 500,000 (equivalent to $ 1.7 million in 2023) to his two surviving sons, US$ 100,000 (equivalent to $ 340,000 in 2023) to his daughter, Francesca, and US$ 15,000 (equivalent to $ 51,000 in 2023) to each of his grandchildren. In 1969, James C. Taylor presented plans to build a hospitality college on
960-590: The campus of the University of Houston to Barron Hilton. Barron then presented the plans to his father, who donated US$ 1.5 million (equivalent to $ 9.6 million in 2023) for the completion of the project. The Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management opened to students in September 1969. The bulk of Conrad Hilton's estate was left to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation , which he established in 1944. His son, Barron Hilton, who spent much of his career helping build
1000-630: The demand. He went on to buy and build hotels throughout Texas, including the high-rise Dallas Hilton , which opened in 1925; the Abilene Hilton in 1927; Waco Hilton in 1928; and El Paso Hilton in 1930. The first hotel outside of Texas that Hilton built was in 1939 in Albuquerque, New Mexico . Today, it is known as the Hotel Andaluz . During the Great Depression , Hilton was nearly forced into bankruptcy and lost several of his hotels. Nevertheless, he
1040-482: The grandfather and father, respectively, of former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens . The Stevens featured 3,000 guest rooms, cost approximately $ 30 million to construct (more than ten times the cost of Yankee Stadium only a few years earlier), and boasted of a virtual "City Within a City". The Stevens housed its own bowling alley, barber shop, rooftop miniature golf course (the "High-Ho Club"), movie theater, ice cream shop, and drug store. The first registered guest
1080-731: The hotel before leaving office. The hotel, designed in the Beaux-Arts architecture style, opened on May 2, 1927, as the Stevens Hotel , across Balbo Street from the older Blackstone Hotel . At the time, the Stevens was the largest hotel in the world . The hotel was developed by James W. Stevens, his son Ernest, and their family who ran the Illinois Life Insurance Company and owned the Hotel La Salle; James and Ernest Stevens are
1120-621: The hotel was the installation of a large ice stage in the Boulevard Room Supper Club which began featuring elaborate ice shows in 1948. In January 1958, Darlene and Jinx the skating chimpanzee performed. The Hilton Center was added to the building in 1962, featuring a three-level structure containing expanded exhibit space, the Continental Ballroom and the International Ballroom. In April 1951, crowds gathered in
1160-509: The house as "... a case of love at first sight... I couldn't resist it, one of the fabulous houses of the world." He renamed the property the Casa Encantada ("enchanted house"). In 1957, Hilton was initiated as a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity at New Mexico State University . In 1976, Hilton married Mary Frances Kelly. Their marriage lasted until his death three years later in 1979. On January 3, 1979, Hilton died of pneumonia at
1200-517: The late 1930s, it was valued at only $ 7 million. In 1942, the U.S. Army purchased the Stevens Hotel for $ 6 million for use as barracks and classrooms for the Army Air Force during World War II . The Stevens housed over 10,000 air cadets during this time, who utilized the Grand Ballroom as their mess hall. In January 1944, the War Department closed a deal to sell the property for $ 4.91 million to
1240-735: The north of the country (although the Mandalay Hilton has since closed). In 2018, Hilton announced two hotel projects in Kampala , Uganda : the Kampala Hilton Hotel and the Hilton Garden Inn Kampala . Both projects are still in development. A previous Hilton project in Kampala and announced in 2006 was repurposed into The Pearl of Africa Hotel Kampala , after Hilton exited the venture. In 2017, Hilton announced that it would remain
Conrad Hilton - Misplaced Pages Continue
1280-492: The oil boom. The rooms were rented out in eight-hour shifts. He continued to buy and sell hotels, and eventually established the world's first international hotel chain. When he died in 1979, he left the bulk of his estate to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation . Hilton was born on December 25, 1887, in San Antonio , Socorro County, New Mexico, to Norwegian-born Augustus Halvorsen Hilton (1854–1919) and Mary Genevieve Laufersweiler,
1320-509: The sponsor for McLaren until 2021. Hilton was one of the oldest sponsors of F1 series and sponsored McLaren since 2005. In October 2017, Hilton announced it had committed a total of $ 50m (£37.8m) over five years to its Hilton Africa Growth Initiative to support the continued expansion of its Sub-Saharan African portfolio. [REDACTED] Media related to Hilton Hotels & Resorts at Wikimedia Commons Stevens Hotel The Hilton Chicago (also known as Chicago Hilton and Towers )
1360-420: The suite includes 16-foot lake view windows, a baby grand piano, a billiard table, three balconies, three bedrooms on the lower level - each with multiple flat screen televisions, and a helipad. It has hosted famous guests such as Tony Blair , Jay Blunk, Frank Sinatra , John Travolta and Hu Jintao . The Hilton Chicago has been featured in many prominent movies and TV shows including: The Hilton Chicago
1400-886: The world's largest real estate transaction. In all, Hilton eventually owned 188 hotels in 38 cities across the U.S., including the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.; the Palmer House in Chicago; and the Plaza Hotel and Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, along with 54 hotels abroad. He later purchased the Carte Blanche Credit Company and an interest in the American Crystal Sugar Company , as well as other enterprises. Hilton received honorary degrees from
1440-528: Was Vice President Charles G. Dawes . The Great Depression ruined the Stevens family, and the State of Illinois charged the hotel's owners with financial corruption. They were convicted of embezzlement, but the conviction was reversed unanimously on appeal. Like four out of five American hotels during the Great Depression, the Stevens Hotel went bankrupt. The government took the hotel into receivership, and by
1480-513: Was in France with the army after the war, his father was killed in a car accident. The most enduring influences to shape Hilton's philanthropic philosophy, beyond that of his parents, were the Catholic Church and his sisters. He credited his mother with guiding him to prayer and the church whenever he was troubled or dismayed—from the boyhood loss of a beloved pony, to severe financial losses during
1520-754: Was inducted into Historic Hotels of America , the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in 2015. In March 2020, the hotel closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened again fifteen months later in June 2021. The Hilton Chicago is home to Chicago's largest and most expensive hotel room, which formerly served as the Tower Ballroom. The Conrad Hilton Suite is a 5,000-square-foot (460 m ) suite that encompasses two floors, T3 and T4. The suite costs more than $ 7,000 per night. Refurbished in 2013,
1560-704: Was proposed by Hilton International in 1999 to be constructed from used Space Shuttle fuel tanks. When completed, it was to be called the Hilton Orbital Hotel. The tanks were to be connected together to form a ring, resulting in a space station similar to that pictured in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey . Plans were also drawn up for the Lunar Hilton , a 5000-room hotel on the Moon , though Steve Hilton noted in 2009 that both these plans were more symbolic than practical at this stage. In October 2012, Hilton announced
1600-525: Was retained as manager of a combined chain, and eventually regained control of his remaining eight hotels. Over the next decade, he expanded west to California and east to Chicago and New York , crowning his expansions with such acquisitions as the Stevens Hotel in Chicago (then the world's largest hotel; it was renamed the Conrad Hilton), and the fabled Waldorf-Astoria in New York City . He formed
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