Hilton named Australia’s No. 1 hospitality workplace for 2026

Hilton has been named Australia’s No. 1 hospitality workplace for 2026 by Great Place to Work in the category for companies with more than 1,000 employees. The company announced the recognition as it prepares to open hotels across Australasia, including properties in Sydney, Cairns, the Gold Coast, Suva and Auckland.

The ranking follows Great Place to Work certification for Hilton in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Hilton attributed the result to its approach to leadership, inclusion, employee recognition and career development.

For hotel operators, the announcement links Hilton’s workforce policies with its regional expansion plans. The company said its workplace culture supports recruitment and retention, while helping employees develop the skills and confidence to serve guests.

Employee development and support

Paul Hutton, Hilton’s area vice president and head of Australasia, credited the company’s 1,800 team members for the achievement. He said maintaining a supportive workplace would remain a priority as the business expands across the region.

“This recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the voices and experiences of our team members,” Hutton said. He described leadership, listening, recognition and care for colleagues as the everyday practices behind the workplace culture.

Hilton said its career opportunities span hotel operations, culinary work, sales, marketing and corporate functions. Stephanie Lopesi, regional head of human resources for Australasia, said the company’s focus was on giving employees the resources, support and opportunities needed to develop their careers.

The company’s employee programmes include Thrive at Hilton, which addresses physical, mental and financial wellbeing, and Lead@Hilton, its global leadership learning platform. Care for All provides caregiving support, while Go Hilton offers discounted hotel rates to employees across roles and regions for personal travel.

Hilton also cited its recognition as the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Fortune and Great Place to Work. According to the company, it was Asia’s top-ranked workplace in 2025 and has held the region’s leading hospitality workplace position since 2017.

Openings planned across Australasia

Hilton’s upcoming Australian openings include Waldorf Astoria Sydney, Hilton Palm Cove Cairns Resort & Spa and LXR Gold Coast. Elsewhere in the region, the company is preparing to open Hilton Garden Inn Suva and DoubleTree by Hilton Auckland.

Hilton presented the workplace recognition as support for its efforts to attract staff and build careers alongside those openings. It also reported nearly 4,000 available roles globally, directing prospective applicants to its recruitment website; that figure covers worldwide opportunities rather than the Australasia pipeline alone.