Conrad Ups Its Innovation Play

Hilton’s Conrad brand sometimes gets lost in the luxury hotel conversation, overshadowed by Waldorf Astoria, its corporate cousin, along with other upscale brands with a greater worldwide presence. In looking to make its mark in the luxury space, and to distinguish itself from the competition, Conrad is going all in on innovation. John Vanderslice, global head of luxury and lifestyle brands for Hilton Worldwide, says that Conrad positions itself as the most innovative luxury hotel brand. He compares the technology-forward hotel group to “smart luxury brands like Tesla and Tag Heuer.” But he also stresses that technology is not meant to replace high touch service, but rather to complement it and make actual hands-on service more efficient. He cites the example of the Conrad Concierge, the first service-enabled technology to be a part of a hotel management system across a brand portfolio. Introduced in 2014, and now integrated into the Hilton Honors app, Conrad Concierge a