Hilton Hotels & Resorts

Hilton Hotels & Resorts formerly known as Hilton Hotels is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by the Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned, managed, or franchised to independent operators by the Hilton Hotels Corporation. As of 2008 there are 533 Hilton branded hotels across the world. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast hotel chain of the United States in 1943. The company places marketing emphasis on business travel, but owns and operates a number of resorts and leisure-oriented hotels as well.
The US Hilton hotels were reunited with the international properties after more than 40 years in February 2006, when United States-based Hilton Hotels Corporation purchased the hotels division of United Kingdom-based Hilton Group plc, which had acquired Hilton's International operations in 1987.