From Plastic to Digital

Transitioning from Webview to Native: Designing Hilton’s First Native Mobile App

As Hilton reimagined the guest experience through mobile, Hilton faced a growing need to move beyond its existing webview mobile app into a fully native experience — one that could better serve travelers, integrate emerging technology, and deliver on Hilton’s guest-first service promise.

The Challenge presented 3 key areas of focus:

  • Existing app was primarily a webview shell — limited performance, rigid UX, and constrained native capabilities.

  • Increasing customer demand for seamless, frictionless check-in and loyalty integration.

  • A fragmented experience that needed to scale across Hilton’s 10+ brands and global properties.

Process

Discovery & Strategy

  • Conducted cross-functional workshops with Product, Engineering, Loyalty, and Operations.

  • Mapped full guest journey from booking to in-room experience.

  • Identified friction points in existing mobile flow, including:

    • Slow load times.

    • Poor offline functionality.

    • Complex multi-brand variations.

Designing for Native

We shifted from webview constraints to leverage native platform capabilities, unlocking new levels of performance, personalization, and guest convenience.

Key Native Enhancements:

Legacy (Webview)

  • Slow load times

  • Limited offline support

  • Minimal device integration

  • Static content

  • No push notifications

  • Browser-based UX

Native (iOS/Android)

  • Fast, responsive UI

  • Offline access to Digital Key

  • Bluetooth LE for Digital Key access

  • Dynamic personalization (Loyalty, Room Selection)

  • Real-time alerts for Check-In readiness

  • Platform-native UI patterns

Building the Digital Key Experience

One of the most ambitious native features was Digital Key, allowing guests to bypass the front desk and access their room directly via smartphone.

How we built it:

  • Partnered closely with Engineering to integrate Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) door lock technology.

  • Developed secure encrypted protocols for authentication.

  • Designed native UI flows for:

    • Room selection during mobile check-in.

    • Key activation and usage.

    • In-app wayfinding and property navigation.

Testing & Rollout

  • Extensive field testing across pilot hotels.

  • Iterative design sprints incorporating real guest feedback.

  • Scaled globally across 4,000+ properties, supporting millions of room unlocks.

The Impact

  • 🚀 30% year-over-year growth in mobile app usage post-launch.

  • 🚀 Millions of Digital Key activations worldwide.

  • 🚀 Elevated guest satisfaction scores tied to mobile convenience.

  • 🚀 Positioned Hilton as an industry leader in digital guest experience.

  • 🚀 $4 Billion in annual global revenue from $750 million prior to app lauch.

This project not only redefined Hilton’s mobile presence but also set a new bar for digital service in the hospitality industry.

My Role

  • Led UX and visual design strategy across mobile platforms.

  • Served as key liaison between product, engineering, and brand stakeholders.

  • Facilitated design sprints and prototype validation cycles.

  • Partnered with loyalty and operations teams to unify guest experience across touchpoints.