YOTEL Joins Hilton Honors Through New Partnership

Hilton has announced a new agreement with YOTEL, making it the first hotel brand to join the newly created Select by Hilton framework. The deal brings YOTEL's 23 properties across 10 countries into the Hilton Honors ecosystem, giving nearly 250 million loyalty members access to a brand that's carved out a niche with its tech-forward, compact hotel concept.

Here's what this means for travellers who collect Hilton Honors points.

YOTEL Joins Hilton via "Select by Hilton"

On March 19, 2026, Hilton announced an exclusive agreement with YOTEL, introducing a new brand framework called Select by Hilton. YOTEL is the first brand to join this framework, and it marks a distinct approach from traditional hotel acquisitions.

Rather than buying YOTEL outright, Hilton has structured this as a franchise agreement. YOTEL will continue to independently manage and license its brand, while gaining access to Hilton's distribution network, technology platform, and the Hilton Honors loyalty program.

Phil Andreopoulos, YOTEL's CEO, summed it up well: "What changes for YOTEL is access – not identity."

It's a capital-light strategy for Hilton, too. Christian Charnaux, Hilton's Chief Development Officer, noted that acquiring brands outright makes it "very, very hard to maintain the DNA that makes those brands unique." Select by Hilton is designed to avoid that problem.

If this sounds familiar, it's because Hilton followed a similar playbook when it launched its partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World in 2024. That partnership brought nearly 400 independent luxury properties into Hilton's booking channels while preserving each hotel's identity.

What Is YOTEL?

If you haven't stayed at a YOTEL before, the brand is known for its compact, technology-driven hotel concept. Think small but smartly designed rooms (called "cabins"), automated check-in kiosks, and a focus on location and efficiency over traditional hotel frills.

YOTEL currently operates 23 hotels with over 8,000 rooms across 16 cities in 10 countries. The brand runs three product lines:

• YOTEL: City-centre hotels with compact, tech-forward rooms
• YotelAir: Airside and landside airport hotels (London Gatwick, Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Istanbul, Singapore Changi)
• YotelPad: Extended-stay residences

Current city locations include Amsterdam, Boston, Edinburgh, Geneva, Glasgow, London, Manchester, Miami, New York, Porto, San Francisco, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C.

YOTEL has also announced upcoming openings in Kuala Lumpur (2026), Athens (2027), Belfast (2028), Lisbon (2028), and NEOM (2029). The brand has stated ambitions to more than triple its portfolio in the coming years.

What This Means for Hilton Honors Members

Once the integration goes live later in 2026, YOTEL properties will become bookable through Hilton's channels, including the Hilton Honors app. That means members will be able to earn and redeem Hilton Honors points at YOTEL hotels.

Specific details around earning rates and elite status benefits at YOTEL properties haven't been confirmed yet. However, based on precedent from the SLH partnership, members can likely expect to earn base points on the room rate, with elite tier bonuses layered on top.

It's also worth noting that YOTEL has its own loyalty program, YOTEL Club, and existing members will retain their current benefits. How the two programs will coexist is still being worked out.

For Canadians who hold Hilton Honors points – whether from credit card sign-ups or transfer partners – this adds a network of city-centre and airport hotels in popular destinations. The YotelAir airport properties at major hubs like Singapore Changi and Amsterdam Schiphol could be particularly useful for layovers and overnight connections.

Hilton recently announced major changes to its Hilton Honors elite status structure, including a new Diamond Reserve tier. With Select by Hilton adding brands like YOTEL to its portfolio, it's clear that Hilton is focused on expanding both the breadth and depth of its loyalty ecosystem.

Conclusion

Hilton has announced an exclusive agreement with YOTEL, making it the first brand to join the newly created Select by Hilton framework. The deal brings 23 YOTEL properties across 10 countries into the Hilton Honors network.

YOTEL hotels are expected to become bookable through Hilton's channels later in 2026. Specific details about points earning rates and elite benefits at YOTEL properties are still to come.

It's an interesting move from Hilton, and I'm curious to see which brands they bring into the Select by Hilton framework next.