DoubleTree by Hilton franchise
2023 filing · March 30, 2023Shares sales figures
DoubleTree by Hilton at a glance
A Hilton upscale full-service hotel brand, including DoubleTree Suites, known for its warm welcome cookie. At the end of 2022 there were 354 DoubleTree by Hilton locations in the US, all franchised.
The business
- Industry
- Hotel
- Franchisor
- Hilton Franchise Holding LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- McLean, Virginia
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $27.8M–$87.9M
- New 250-room DoubleTree hotel, excluding land
- Franchise fee
- $85,000
- For a new or converted hotel, plus $400 for each room above 250.
- Royalty
- 5%
- 5% of gross rooms revenue, paid monthly
- Brand fund
- Yes
- 4% of gross rooms revenue as a monthly program fee covering marketing, reservations and other system services
Where it is
- US locations, 2022
- 354
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 354
- Company-owned
- 0
- States
- 46
- Most in California, Florida and Texas
From Hilton Franchise Holding LLC’s 2023 filing; revenue and net income from its audited financial statements, page 121; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Franchisor revenue is the company that sells the franchises (royalties, fees and anything else it earns), not what a location makes.
Where it ranks
DoubleTree by Hilton among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | DoubleTree by Hilton | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $57,844,302 | Costs more than 99% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $85,000 | Higher than 97% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 5% | Lower than 69% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 354 | More than 91% of franchises |
How much a DoubleTree by Hilton franchise costs
Opening new 250-room DoubleTree hotel, excluding land costs an estimated $27,836,825 to $87,851,779. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are construction and leasehold improvements ($16,000,000 to $57,500,000) and furniture, fixtures and equipment ($6,500,000 to $10,500,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise Application Fee | $85,000 | ||
| Property Improvement Plan | $0 | $10,000 | |
| Construction and Leasehold Improvements | $16,000,000 | $57,500,000 | |
| Designer and Engineering Fees | $628,000 | $2,300,000 | |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment | $6,500,000 | $10,500,000 | |
| Inventory and Operating Equipment | $1,100,000 | $1,750,000 | |
| Signage | $4,000 | $120,000 | |
| Computer Hardware and Software | $150,695 | $332,995 | |
| Guest Internet Access Program | $116,000 | $186,000 | |
| Delphi Sales and Events System | $990 | $41,000 | |
| Required Pre-Opening Training | $5,000 | $20,000 | |
| ADA Consultant Fee | $2,500 | $15,000 | |
| Construction/Renovation Extension Fees | $0 | $10,000 | |
| Organizational Expense | $75,000 | $268,724 | |
| Permits and Licenses | $240,000 | $860,000 | |
| Miscellaneous Pre-Opening and Project Management Expenses | $570,000 | $1,800,000 | |
| Contingencies | $1,600,000 | $5,750,000 | |
| Additional Funds | $900,000 | $1,300,000 | |
| Eforea Spa Initial Fee | $0 | $25,000 | |
| Additional Funds for Eforea Spa Implementation | $0 | $4,950,000 | |
| Other Required Pre-opening Services Fees | $23,640 | $28,060 | |
| Total | $27,836,825 | $87,851,779 | |
Source: Hilton Franchise Holding LLC, 2023 filing, page 39
DoubleTree by Hilton franchise fee
The franchise fee is $85,000, For a new or converted hotel, plus $400 for each room above 250.. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Hilton Franchise Holding LLC, 2023 filing, page 23
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 5% of gross rooms revenue, paid monthly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 4% of gross rooms revenue as a monthly program fee covering marketing, reservations and other system services. |
| Permitted Transfer Processing Fee | Currently, $5,500. |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Hilton Franchise Holding LLC, 2023 filing, page 28
Other fees as filed, from page 33. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
Shares figures DoubleTree by Hilton publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Hilton Franchise Holding LLC, 2023 filing, page 87
SBA loans to DoubleTree by Hilton franchisees
Lenders approved 14 SBA-backed loans for DoubleTree by Hilton franchisees from 2014 to 2026, $57.6M in all: 6 7(a) loans and 8 504 loans. All 3 that have ended were paid in full; none was charged off. The other 11 haven’t ended yet.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
How DoubleTree by Hilton compares
Of the 116 hotel franchises on this site, DoubleTree by Hilton is the 100th cheapest to open and the 18th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | DoubleTree by Hilton | Typical hotel brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $27.8M | $9.44M | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $87.9M | $21.3M | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $85K | $54K | $40K |
| Royalty | 5% | 5% | 6% |
| US locations | 354 | 37 | 21 |
| Change in franchised locations, 0 yrs | +6% | +9.2% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 71 of 116 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 116 brands in hotel franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 345 (+11) | 0 |
| 2021 | 345 (0) | 0 |
| 2022 | 354 (+9) | 0 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: hotel franchise costs and franchise failure rates.
Source: Hilton Franchise Holding LLC, 2023 filing, page 91
Where DoubleTree by Hilton locations are
At the end of 2022, DoubleTree by Hilton had franchised locations in 47 states and territories. The most are in California, Florida and Texas.
- California41
- Florida26
- Texas26
- North Carolina16
- Illinois15
- New York15
| State | Franchised |
|---|---|
| California | 41 |
| Florida | 26 |
| Texas | 26 |
| North Carolina | 16 |
| Illinois | 15 |
| New York | 15 |
| Colorado | 14 |
| Georgia | 13 |
| Arizona | 12 |
| Ohio | 12 |
All 47 states
Source: Hilton Franchise Holding LLC, 2023 filing, page 93
Who owns DoubleTree by Hilton?
DoubleTree by Hilton franchises are sold by Hilton Franchise Holding LLC. It is a subsidiary of Hilton Domestic Operating Company.
DoubleTree by Hilton is one of the 15 Hilton brands here. Hilton Worldwide Holdings is a public company based in McLean, Virginia. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange as HLT.
From Hilton Franchise Holding LLC’s 2023 filing, page 9; SEC.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | Yes. The filing describes past or pending cases involving the franchisor, its affiliates or its executives on pages 19–23. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: Hilton Franchise Holding LLC, 2023 filing, litigation on pages 19–23, bankruptcy on page 23
DoubleTree by Hilton filings
The figures on this page come from Hilton Franchise Holding LLC’s 2023 filing, issued March 30, 2023, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 filing | March 30, 2023 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2020–2022 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
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