Hilton has announced an agreement with Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners (AJ Capital) to acquire the Graduate Hotels® brand, adding a significant growth opportunity for the global hospitality leader in the fast-growing lifestyle hotel category. Hilton will pay US$210 million to acquire all rights to the Graduate brand worldwide, enter into franchise agreements for all existing and signed pipeline Graduate Hotels, and become responsible for the brand’s future development and growth. AJ Capital will remain the owner of the more than 35 operating and pipeline Graduate properties, each of which will be operated under long-term Hilton franchise agreements.

Latham & Watkins LLP advised Hilton in the transaction with a corporate team led by New York partner Amber Banks and Chicago partner Owen Alexander, with associates Byron Patton and Caroline Hughes. Advice was also provided on intellectual property/data privacy matters by Washington, D.C. partner Morgan Brubaker, London partner Fiona Maclean, with associates Liz Longster, Sanjana Parikh, Caroline Toman, and Teddy Ulin; on real estate matters by Century City partner Meghan Cocci, with associates Kimberly Legate-Ford, Joy Chen, and Gina Garrett; on tax matters by New York partner Eric Kamerman, London partner Helen Lethaby, with associates Lukas Kutilek and Lina Le Roux; on benefits and employment matters by Washington, D.C. partners David Della Rocca and Nikhil Kumar, London partner Kendall Burnett, with associate Christina Schrantz; and on antitrust matters by New York partner Kate Rocco, Washington, D.C. partner Patrick English, with associates Carla Palma and Lei Brutus.