One of the services Statler provided for the traveling salesmen who came to his hotels were sample rooms. Sample rooms were rooms which could be rented for the display of wares.

The Statler had 66 such sample rooms located on the 16th and 17th floors. Also located on these floors were small guest rooms which the salesmen could occupy.

Sample rooms became very popular with salesmen. They were much less expensive then renting a meeting room and far superior for displaying wares then one's guest room. Soon virtually every good commercial hotel offered such rooms.

As the number of traveling salesmen staying at the Statler declined following the Second World War so did the use of the Sample Rooms. As part of the massive renovation campaign of the 1960's, Hilton did away with the sample rooms. They were converted into luxury hotel rooms. The 16th and 17th floors became the Hilton Towers. It was a 'hotel within a hotel' concept. For a higher price guest of the Hilton Towers received larger rooms and special services. The above photo shows one of the old sample rooms as a Hilton Towers parlor.

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