Embassy Suites is evolving with innovative designs, beachfront resorts, and stylish urban hotels

Exciting developments are underway at Embassy Suites — and it's not just about the fresh, made-to-order omelets included with your stay.

Four decades after the first Embassy Suites opened in Overland Park, Kansas, the brand is steering a new direction — one that modernizes the full-service chain, beloved by both business and leisure travelers. With a contemporary design approach and new locations in major cities, along with luxurious beach resorts, Embassy Suites is, dare I say, becoming trendy. (In fact, it might just feature the best rooftop pool in one of the country's hottest cities: Nashville.)

So, how has this once-dormant brand revitalized itself? By blending its enduring core principles with innovative ideas, this classic hotel brand remains more relevant than ever.

Same breakfast, refreshed kitchen

"What remains unchanged are the beloved features that guests have come to appreciate about Embassy Suites," said Bonnie Campagnuolo, brand leader of Embassy Suites by Hilton, in an interview with TPG. These classic perks include a complimentary hot breakfast, two free drinks at the hotel's evening reception, and a spacious all-suite setup that allows guests to feel at home. "You won’t be wishing for an upgrade; you’re guaranteed a generous room."

Regarding what has evolved: "What is evolving and has evolved," Campagnuolo mentioned, "is the architecture of the buildings."

Traditionally, many Embassy Suites featured a central atrium design, which Campagnuolo notes is "not the most cost-effective to construct in today’s market."

For the past decade, the brand has been building new Embassy Suites with a contemporary design, while also renovating many existing properties to include larger rooms, modernized decor, expanded counter space, upgraded technology, enhanced in-room amenities, and more localized elements.

From the beach to the boardroom

Among the new properties, the downtown Nashville location truly stands out.

Housed in a striking 30-story high-rise adjacent to the convention center, this impressive Embassy Suites features 506 all-suite accommodations (some with balconies), each showcasing a subtle country theme—think reclaimed barn wood walls and evocative photos of musicians, reflecting the city’s rich musical heritage and vibrant entertainment scene.

What’s particularly noteworthy is how the hotel caters to both business and leisure travelers, two demographics that Campagnuolo highlights as key to the Embassy Suites appeal.

In Nashville, business travelers have the Music City Center right across the street, which hosts a constant flow of conferences and conventions. The hotel offers 32,000 square feet of versatile indoor and outdoor meeting space. For leisure guests (or business visitors looking to unwind), there's a glass-enclosed rooftop pool with breathtaking views, the city’s highest rooftop bar and restaurant, and a prime location just a short walk from the lively honky-tonks of Lower Broadway, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and various sports and concert venues.

"This place is truly unique," remarked Campagnuolo, noting that a hotel of this magnitude must be positioned in the "perfect market to thrive."

Another standout location for Embassy Suites is at the beach, with numerous Embassy Suites beach resorts attracting travelers both domestically and internationally, including a surprising hotspot: Aruba.

"When considering Aruba or any resort area, if there's a demand for meetings or incentive travel, and if it’s a strong family-friendly market with the potential for larger room types, we likely fit well there."

At the Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort, visitors can indulge in a complete beach escape with a unique Embassy Suites touch: kicking off the day with a complimentary warm breakfast for the entire family, relaxing by the pool in a cabana with a drink or poolside meal, or using a private underground pathway to Eagle Beach, where lounge chairs and palapa-style umbrellas await.

"The beach properties are truly exceptional, particularly with the added space, an inviting pool, and the ease of not needing to think about breakfast," remarked Campagnuolo. She also pointed out other beach locations worth noting, including new developments in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Panama City, Florida, along with the renovation of the Embassy Suites by Hilton Deerfield Beach Resort & Spa in South Florida. "This gives us the opportunity to enhance the amenities, turning the hotel into a destination in its own right."

Work and play

Prior to the pandemic, Embassy Suites was already pioneering the fusion of business and leisure travel (if I may call it bleisure?). Now, Embassy Suites 2.0 is striving to refine that concept ... regardless of whether we continue to use the playful term or not.

"No matter if you're traveling alone, with family, or as a couple, if there's any work to tackle during your trip, it's great to be able to take a call without a bed in the shot," Campagnuolo remarked, highlighting that features such as additional counter space, more surfaces, and designated spots to stow your bags during Zoom calls are top priorities for the brand.

Embassy Suites is also prioritizing technology — and so is Hilton at large.

In recent years, Hilton has enhanced its in-room and property technology through the Connected Room initiative, incorporating various smart tech features that enable guests to stream their favorite shows, manage room temperature and lighting, use their smartphones as digital keys, and directly request items or services from the front desk.

"A lot of innovations are coming from Hilton and through the Hilton Honors app," Campagnuolo shared with TPG, mentioning features like unlocking doors or communicating with the hotel directly rather than calling, such as saying, 'Hey, could I get a few towels? I’ll be out of the room for a few hours.'

Many Embassy Suites locations, like most Hilton brands, also offer the ability to confirm connecting rooms before arrival, allowing larger groups or families to know their room arrangements in advance.

Riding this wave of success, Embassy Suites aims to keep expanding, renovating, and innovating while scouting new locations that "have demand from every market type" and can accommodate properties in thrilling destinations like Nashville and Aruba.

In Dubai, this has manifested as a dual-branded hotel, a trend that Hilton is leveraging, featuring two different hotel brands within the same structure that share numerous amenities yet maintain a distinct identity. Here, Embassy Suites occupies the upper floors of a building near the world's tallest structure, while a Hilton Garden Inn takes up the lower 20 floors.

This specific hotel, situated in the bustling Business Bay district, is expected to draw a healthy mix of business travelers and tourists eager to explore nearby attractions such as the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall. The standout feature of this property is undoubtedly the view. "On one side of the building, there are rooms with balconies offering a direct line of sight to the Burj Khalifa," Campagnuolo shared. "So on New Year's Eve, those rooms have a perfect view of the fireworks."

4 decades in the making

The outlook is promising, but this year has also been a time of introspection for Campagnuolo and Embassy Suites. On May 1, the brand marked the 40th anniversary of its inaugural hotel in Overland Park, Kansas.

"What's unique about us is that the original hotel in our brand is still part of it," Campagnuolo remarked. "We have... several team members who have been with that hotel since its inception." She added that others have progressed to corporate roles, managed their own hotels, or transitioned to different areas of the hospitality industry. "It's wonderful to witness the familial atmosphere and the relationships formed over the years among those who have worked at these properties."

So whether you’re a devoted Embassy Suites fan who can rattle off your favorite omelet order like a pro, a long-time employee, or someone seeking a convenient and budget-friendly hotel brand (especially one that accepts points), Embassy Suites is committed to what has always worked while exploring new avenues for growth to meet travelers where they are — and where they’re headed.

"People share memories with this brand, which is truly remarkable," Campagnuolo noted, "and they continue to create new ones."