Hilton launches into the hostel market with its new Motto brand
Links on Head for Points may support the site by paying a commission. See here for all partner links.
Hilton is breaking into the hostel market, of all things, with the launch of a new brand – Motto. And London is going to be the testing ground.
Motto “is a micro-hotel with an urban vibe in prime global locations”.
In plain English, Hilton believes that extended family groups or large groups of friends are happy to share rooms. However, they don’t want to stay in a traditional hostel. This is a market which the Generator chain dominates, creating hostels with private rooms and funky shared spaces.
(EDIT 2023: Here is our review of Motto Rotterdam, the first hotel to open in Europe.)
The mock-up Motto room below explains it better. As you can see, you have a double bedded room connecting to a living room with a pull down bed connecting to a room sleeping three, including a bunk bed.
The average room will be a super-small 14 square metres and may have bunk beds or beds which flip down from the walls. The majority of rooms will connect so you can build the exact space you need for your group. Interestingly, Motto rooms can be booked online using multiple credit cards in order to split the payment between friends.
The first site will be a 100-bed Motto in Marylebone, London. Demolition of an existing building is already underway and the ho(s)tel is due to open in 2020.
It will be interesting to see how these stays are treated by Hilton Honors, as they are likely to provide a cheap way to run up additional night credit if you are chasing status.
PS. If you are not a regular Head for Points visitor, why not sign up for our FREE weekly or daily newsletters? They are full of the latest Avios, airline, hotel and credit card points news and will help you travel better. To join our 65,000 free subscribers, click the button below or visit this page of the site to find out more. Thank you.
How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (April 2025)
There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit and debit cards. Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.
There are two dedicated Hilton Honors debit cards. These are especially attractive when spending abroad due to the 0% or 0.5% FX fee, depending on card.
You also receive FREE Hilton Honors status for as long as you hold the debit cards – Gold status with the Plus card and Silver status with the basic card. This is a great reason to apply even if you rarely use it.
We reviewed the Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card here and the Hilton Honors Debit Card here.
You can apply for either card here.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 30th April 2025, the annual fee on the basic Hilton Honors debit card is halved from £60 to £30. The sign-up bonus is also easier to earn – you need to spend £1,000 either in the UK or abroad within three months. The usual bonus rule requires you to spend the full £1,000 outside the UK.
NEW: Hilton Honors Plus Debit
10,000 bonus points, Hilton Gold status and NO FX fees Read our full review
NEW: Hilton Honors Debit
2,500 bonus points, Hilton Silver status and 0.5% FX fees Read our full review
There is another way of getting Hilton Honors status, and earning Hilton Honors points, from a payment card.
Holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card. It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.
We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.
The Platinum Card from American Express
80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review
You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:
- American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
- American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.
and for small business owners:
- American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
- American Express Business Platinum (50,000 bonus Amex points)
The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton Honors points is 1:2.
