How the Hilton family became a multibillion-dollar empire: Paris, Nicky and Kathy may be the most famous today, but it all began with a US$5,000 hotel investment by Conrad in 1919
- Conrad Hilton kicked off the hospitality business in the early 1900s, with a US$5,000 investment in the brand’s first hotel – it quickly gained success and the emerging empire expanded further
- He also bought Waldorf Astoria in New York, which has hosted every president from Herbert Hoover to Barack Obama, and donated much of his wealth to charity; Hilton was later bought by Blackstone in 2007
For some, Paris Hilton may be the most recognisable Hilton today, but her family has a storied history. What started as one Hilton hotel in Texas in 1919 has grown into a brand now worth billions.
But how did it all come to be? Here’s a deep dive inside the Hilton family’s business ventures and personal lives.
How it all started
Conrad Hilton was the hotel magnate behind the iconic 100-year-old Hilton empire. He was one of seven born in New Mexico in 1887 to Augustus Halvorsen and Mary Genevieve Hilton, who moved to the US in 1870 from Norway.
His father owned a grocery store and the family rented out rooms in their home, according to The Guardian.
After learning the basics of business from his father, Conrad went on to serve in the US Army during WWI.
According to his 1979 New York Times obituary, a 32-year-old Conrad had US$5,000 to invest upon returning from war in 1919 – he bought a 40-room hotel in Cisco, Texas.
The hotel became so successful that Conrad turned the dining room into additional rooms to meet demand. While it’s no longer a hotel, the structure was named a Texas historical site in 1970.
