I Just Found Out About a Budget-Friendly Hotel Backed by Hilton That More People Should Know About for the 2026 Holiday Season

Editor’s Note: This article is sponsored by Spark by Hilton.

I don’t know how it happened, but it’s going to be October next week. If you’re like me, you haven’t even begun to plan your holidays quite yet, let alone your Halloween plans. I know I’ll be traveling, but I don’t know when or even where for sure yet. When I finally stop procrastinating and figure things out, I’m going to be looking for the most budget-friendly options for both flights and hotels.

Whether you are planning a solo trip this year, a work trip, a couple’s vacation, or you simply want to opt out of staying at a family or friends’ house for the holidays this year (none of my business), now is the time to start locking down travel plans before prices get too steep.

One popular hotel chain at the top of my go-to list for travel in general is Hilton. As one of the biggest and highly-rated hotels, Hilton can sometimes be a little steep for my budget. However, I’ve had better luck staying at Garden Inns and Hamptons which are also Hilton-owned brands. Now that I know Hilton has another budget-friendly chain called Spark that exists, it’s worth adding to my go-to list, too.

Spark by Hilton seems to bring better overall pricing and perks without sacrificing value. Since it’s connected to Hilton, guests can get the same benefits of booking on Hilton.com (or in the app) via Hilton Honors, with one of the best perks around being free breakfast, of course. And, there are new locations opening every single week.

Spark opened in 2023 and has been continuing to grow ever since. The franchise is all about reliable essentials, efficiency and simplicity. That said, if you like fancy or more luxurious hotel experiences, then Spark probably isn’t for you. If you’re looking for a family-friendly, clean and comfortable stay with all the basics like free Wi-Fi, then I’d recommend checking out Spark.

Hilton Honors’ Members save up to 17% by booking in advance

If you’re a Hilton Honors’ member (it’s free to join) you can look for the “Honors Advance Purchase” rate when booking and get up to 17% off when you book at least 7 days in advance. See offer and full terms here.

Additional ways to save

Just like most big hotel chains, the best way to save is to book directly with the hotel, as you can gather up points and rewards to use. Even if you’ve found a lower rate on another site for the same dates and room(s), you can take advantage of Hilton’s Price Match Guarantee by submitting a claim, leading to a price-match and typically additional savings. Other offers found right now include:

Earn 1,000 additional Hilton Honors Bonus Points per night of your stay, up to 7 nights. Details found here.
Book a 1-night stay at any participating hotel and enjoy parking for up to 7 nights, plus shuttle service to and from select airports. See more from this Park, Stay, & Go offer.