The ‘Motto’ of the new Hilton hotel brand is small but hip

The latest hotel brand by Hilton was introduced last week with a string of well-worn cliches: “a fresh approach to modern travel culture” and “a micro-hotel with an urban vibe.”

The new brand, dubbed Motto, will offer rooms with an average footprint of 163 square feet that can be linked with other rooms so that families or friends can share a common living room. Bunk beds and wall beds will be a common feature.

The rooms are expected to be stylish with technology to let guests control the lights, TV and temperature with a smartphone app. The nightly cost has yet to be announced but Hilton promises “competitive rates” and the ability for a group of guests to split the bill.

Micro hotels are becoming more common. Pod Hotels, Yotels and other lodging with Mini-Me sized rooms have been popping up around the country to appeal to young travelers who want a comfortable, affordable place to sleep but don’t want to share a room with a stranger, as they might in a hostel.

Hilton’s announcement represents the latest move by a major U.S. hospitality giant into the micro or compact hotel segment.

Marriott International introduced its Moxy brand in the U.S. in 2016, with hotels trying to appeal to millennials with small rooms, high-tech gadgets and large common areas in the lobby.

Hilton says the first Motto hotel is set to open in 2020 in London with projects in “various stages of development” in locations including San Diego, Boston and Washington, D.C.

“With Motto by Hilton, we are bringing to market something the industry has never experienced with its flexibility and affordable room product, desirable locations and guest-empowered service,” Hilton Chief Executive Christopher Nassetta said in a statement.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

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