Hyatt on Tuesday announced its first upper-midscale brand, Hyatt Studios, that they intend to market mainly to secondary and tertiary markets where the chain is nonexistent.
Hyatt Studios won’t have a restaurant, and breakfast is a grab-and-go combined with a “market.” Hyatt intends to have the first Hyatt Studios open in 2024.
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Hyatt’s Announcement:
Hyatt’s Transformative Growth Continues with Announcement of Hyatt Studios, Hyatt’s First Upper-Midscale Brand in the Americas
The Hyatt Studios brand is an extended-stay brand created with the needs of both hotel developers and World of Hyatt loyalty members in mind; announcement supported by signed letters of interest for more than 100 Hyatt Studios hotels
CHICAGO (April 18, 2023) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announces plans for Hyatt Studios, the newest addition to Hyatt’s portfolio of brands. The brand, which marks Hyatt’s entry into upper-midscale lodging in the Americas, was conceived through direct collaboration with hotel developers and listening closely to the needs of target guests. The announcement is supported by signed letters of interest in development agreements from multiple developers for more than 100 Hyatt Studios hotels, with construction expected to begin in 2023 and the first hotel expected to open in 2024.
The immediate interest from the development community in the Hyatt Studios brand is a testament to Hyatt taking a developer-informed approach to creating this brand, prioritizing scalable construction options and an efficient operating model designed to adapt to local market needs across primary, secondary and tertiary markets alike. The brand is designed to be flexible based on developer needs, accommodating both extended-stay and shorter length-of-stay leisure and business transient guests depending on the hotel’s market and guest base.
“We are proud to launch the Hyatt Studios brand and bring the high-quality experience and level of care promised by the Hyatt brand to smaller markets and submarkets where we don’t have Hyatt hotels,” said Jim Chu, chief growth officer, Hyatt. “We identified a white space for Hyatt, creating a compelling opportunity to significantly accelerate our industry-leading net rooms growth, care for World of Hyatt members on more stay occasions and introduce World of Hyatt to new guests in a new segment which we expect will drive increased direct bookings for all properties across the Hyatt portfolio.”
The Hyatt Studios brand will join the Hyatt Place, Hyatt House and Caption by Hyatt brands in the select service category, offering Hyatt’s signature guest experience with self-serve amenities and in-room offerings. Extended-stay guests can expect everything they need to feel comfortable and live their full lives when away from home, while enjoying the consistent Hyatt quality they expect.
Guestrooms will marry form with function and offer suites with kitchen amenities to provide comfort during extended trips away from home. The Hyatt Studios food and beverage experience will include a complimentary grab-and-go breakfast and a best-in-class, 24-hour market with a wide variety of options to satisfy extended-stay guests – from health-conscious snacks and ready-made meals to sweet and savory staples to fulfill travel cravings, all of which can be prepared and enjoyed in the guestroom’s kitchen featuring a multi-function convection microwave.
“As with all brands in the Hyatt portfolio, Hyatt Studios hotels will appeal to the high-end guest within its segment,” said Amy Weinberg, senior vice president, brand, loyalty & data. “Amidst a sea of interchangeable extended-stay competitors, Hyatt Studios hotels will transcend dated notions of value-driven compromise by inviting guests to enjoy both the coziness of a studio apartment and the positive energy of being in a creative studio, all with the quality and contemporary style that is characteristic of Hyatt.”
Hyatt Studios will be led by industry veteran Dan Hansen, who has served as strategic advisor throughout the brand’s conception.
Conclusion
This appears to be a paired-down version of Hyatt Place and competes with other established upper-midscale extended stay brands such as Hilton’s Home2 Suites & Homewood Suites, Choice’s Comfort Suites, and Marriott’s TownPlace Suites.
Hyatt has traditionally concentrated on the luxury segment and was late to the select service with its conversion of Summerfield and AmeriSuites to Hyatt House and Hyatt Place brands.
It is always exciting for a hotelier to launch a new brand, but I believe they would be better served by ensuring the consistency of their existing ones, and Hyatt already has 26.
When was the last time something genuinely new and innovative was launched in the hospitality sector?
I cannot think of anything other than Starwood’s W brand that came to life in the late 1990s. Most current brand launches by large corporations are copycat iterations of existing products in the market with slight modifications.