Hilton Marks 50th Anniversary of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-In for Peace with Groundbreaking New Video Series ‘Room 702’
As Hilton celebrates its own 100th anniversary this year, an inspiring story of cultural, business and hospitality milestones is revealed
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MCLEAN, Va. - In its nearly 100-year history, Hilton hotels have served guests and communities across the world and acted as the setting for some of the most iconic cultural moments of the past century. One such moment, John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-In for Peace, took place in Room 702 of the Hilton Amsterdam beginning March 25, 1969 – exactly 50 years ago next week.
The Bed-In was covered by global media as Lennon and Ono turned their honeymoon into a weeklong promotion of peace. In celebration of the anniversary and the role Hilton has played in fostering understanding around the world, the company has created a new limited video series called Room 702. The series leads viewers on a journey inspired by the spirit of Room 702, as personified through some of the Hilton Team Members who bring that spirit to life today. The first stories of the series include:
Serby Castro
Serby Castro is a suite attendant at an Embassy Suites by Hilton in Orlando, where she champions a life-saving program that recycles leftover hotel soap and distributes it in regions without ready access to the basics of hygiene. In an emotional journey back to her home in the Dominican Republic, Serby sees first-hand the impact of her work.
Ismaeil Dawod
Ismaeil Dawod, a refugee who sought new opportunities in Germany, found a job at Hilton Frankfurt where he is now engaged in an apprenticeship program. Ismaeil’s moving story shows his determination to start his life over. Along the way, he uses his new language skills to assist other refugees.
The stories of Serby and Ismaeil reflect the vision of Conrad Hilton, who created the first global hotel company with a vision to “fill the Earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.”
“Conrad Hilton founded our company on the noble premise that travel could foster peace and cultural understanding in communities around the world,” said Hilton President & CEO Christopher J. Nassetta. “While Hilton has evolved over the last century, transforming the industry along the way, one thing has been constant – the positive impact we have on guests, Team Members and our communities. The world is a better place because of Hilton, and if we remain committed to our vision, the world will continue to be a better place because of our presence.”
Katie Beirne Fallon, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, said the stories of Room 702 also reflect Hilton’s commitment to Travel with Purpose, its industry-leading corporate responsibility program. Through Travel with Purpose, Hilton is committed to cut its company’s environmental footprint in half and double its investment in social impact by 2030.
“Now more than ever, corporations like Hilton are the change-makers,” Fallon said. “‘Room 702 celebrates that empowerment through the inspiring stories of Hilton Team Members who are making the changes they want to see in the world.”
Room 702 will debut to the public on Hilton’s social media channels on March 21 and is available to view at http://newsroom.hilton.com/Room702. In addition to heart-warming stories of current Hilton Team Members, it will feature one of the photographers who captured iconic photos of the original Bed-In that are in a commemorative exhibition at the Hilton Amsterdam for the event’s 50th anniversary.
Hilton will mark its 100th anniversary on May 31, 2019. As part of its ongoing celebration, Hilton is utilizing programs such as the Room 702 video series to highlight the contributions of its Team Members who have helped the company earn the recent accolades of being named No. 1 on the 2019 Fortune Best Companies to Work For – in the U.S. list and No. 2 on the 2018 list of the World’s Best Workplaces.
About Travel with Purpose
Travel with Purpose is Hilton’s corporate responsibility strategy to redefine and advance sustainable travel globally. By 2030, we plan to double our social impact investment and cut our environmental footprint by half. We track, analyze and report our environmental and social impact at each of Hilton’s more than 5,600 hotels through LightStay, our award-winning performance measurement system. Travel with Purpose capitalizes on Hilton’s global scale to catalyze local economic growth; promote human rights; invest in people and local communities; and preserve our planet by reducing our impact on natural resources. Our strategy aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Visit cr.hilton.com to learn more.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,200 properties with more than 983,000 rooms, in 118 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company, Hilton welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its 100-year history, earned a top spot on the 2019 World’s Best Workplaces list, and was named the 2019 Global Industry Leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. In 2020, Hilton CleanStay was introduced, bringing an industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection to hotels worldwide. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the 108 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy, plus enjoy instant benefits, including digital check-in with room selection, Digital Key, and Connected Room. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.