Lunar Hilton
| Company type | Concept / Proposed hotel brand extension |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality, Space tourism |
| Founded | 1958 |
| Founder | Barron Hilton (primary proponent) |
Area served | Moon, space orbit (conceptual) |
Key people | Barron Hilton, Peter George, Steven M. Hilton |
| Products | Lunar hotel accommodations, orbital space station hotel |
The Lunar Hilton represents a conceptual hotel planned for the Moon, with operations envisioned under the Hilton Hotels brand. This idea first emerged during a 1958 space-themed event in Chicago and gained momentum in the 1960s through the advocacy of Barron Hilton. Early designs proposed an underground lunar hotel featuring 100 rooms, alongside a separate 24-room orbital space station. The initiative was marketed using reservation cards and replica room keys. In the 1990s, the vision was renewed with proposals for a 5,000-room lunar hotel and a space station constructed from repurposed Space Shuttle fuel tanks. Although some regarded these plans mainly as promotional efforts, Hilton engaged with the Starlab Space Station project as recently as 2022.
1950s through 1970s
Speculation about the Lunar Hilton began during an August 1958 event at the Conrad Hilton Hotel, which featured a Moon hotel-themed space performance. This took place early in the Space Race, prior to NASA’s formation, and generated media reports suggesting Hilton’s interest in lunar hospitality ventures. A 1963 Cosmopolitan article highlighted Conrad Hilton’s expectation that hotels on the Moon would follow the astronauts’ lunar landings.
Mark Young, curator of the Conrad Hilton archive, credits Barron Hilton as the primary proponent of the concept. An enthusiastic pilot with connections to astronauts, Barron became company president by 1967 and told the Wall Street Journal he anticipated opening a Moon-based hotel during his lifetime. His vision included a subterranean hotel with 100 rooms and an observation dome containing a piano bar offering views of Earth.
At the American Astronomical Society meeting in May 1967, Barron Hilton outlined a three-level underground facility designed to mitigate extreme temperature fluctuations. The central level would contain guest rooms arranged along two corridors equipped with airlocks, featuring accommodations comparable to terrestrial Hiltons—spacious interiors with carpeting, draperies, plants, and wall-to-wall televisions displaying Earth broadcasts and lunar vistas. Amenities would include a nuclear-powered automated kitchen, a cocktail lounge, and an automatic system for repairing leaks.
Hilton partnered with Donald Wills Douglas Sr., founder of Douglas Aircraft Company, to conduct feasibility studies. They also considered an Orbital Hilton—a 14-story space station designed to host 24 guests for brief stays or transit to the Moon—deemed more immediately attainable than a lunar surface hotel. Barron expressed optimism that space hotels would soon become operational within his lifetime.
To generate interest, Hilton distributed reservation cards featuring satellite images above the Moon, offering single rooms, doubles, and "cloud suites," with arrival dates projected "after 1980." These promotions garnered hundreds of inquiries. Additionally, mock Lunar Hilton keys were handed out at Hilton properties as marketing souvenirs.
The concept regained attention in 1969 amidst ongoing Moon missions. By 1973, Hilton collaborated with Trans International Airlines (TIA) to create brochures inviting customers on lunar voyages "sometime after 1973," emphasizing advantages such as pollution-free air and complete silence. TIA estimated ticket prices could reach up to $25,000 per passenger.
1990s revival
The idea experienced a resurgence in the late 1990s when Hilton engaged British architect Peter Inston to create plans for a 5,000-room lunar hotel. Peter George, then president of Hilton, remarked, "Hotels on the Moon will exist soon, and Hilton aims to lead the way." In a separate initiative, Hilton took on the role of lead sponsor for Space Islands, a proposed space station hotel made from repurposed Space Shuttle fuel tanks featuring 64 rooms, developed by the Japanese company Shimzu. Additionally, Bigelow Aerospace envisioned the CSS Skywalker, an orbital space tourism hotel utilizing B330 modules.
Impact and future
Some analysts regard the Lunar Hilton project primarily as a marketing strategy. Steven M. Hilton, Conrad Hilton's grandson, mentioned in 2009 that it represented the company’s aspirations rather than concrete intentions. Hilton Hotels remains active in space-related ventures; in October 2022, it became the official hotel partner for the Starlab Space Station project, contributing to the design of crew living spaces. Earlier, Hilton made history as the first hotel brand to participate in research aboard the International Space Station when their chocolate chip cookie became the inaugural baked good in space.
The Lunar Hilton concept has left its mark on popular media: a 1962 episode of The Jetsons showcases a Moonhattan Tilton hotel; the 1968 movie 2001: A Space Odyssey includes scenes set in a Hilton space hotel lounge and office; and the 1969 film Moon Zero Two features a "Moon Hilton," which was also adapted into a novel by John Burke. Furthermore, a 2009 episode of Mad Men portrays advertising campaigns for a Hilton lunar hotel.
See also
- First Moon Flights Club – a service offering advance reservations for commercial Moon trips