Personally, I find the rebranding of hotels for appeal to a millennial audience a bit of a farce. Hyatt Centric is a good example of how new hotel brands are frequently just the same old hotels with a different marketing gimmick and signs.
Here is the Hyatt Hotels company line found in most press releases for the new Hyatt Centric millennial-focused hotel brand:
The Hyatt Centric brand is created for millennial-minded travelers who are looking for authentic local experiences in the center of the destination. Every aspect of a Hyatt Centric hotel, from quality accommodations to helpful in-the-know staff, delivers on the brand’s commitment to ensure our guests have everything they need and inspire them to explore the best that the area has to offer.
Hyatt Press Release
HYATT CENTRIC ACCELERATES GROWTH WITH FIRST INTERNATIONAL HOTELS (Jan 25, 2016)
Hyatt Centric caught my attention today when I noticed points in my Hyatt Gold Passport account had been deducted two times for my stay at Andaz Amsterdam in April.
My account showed a hotel stay from January 2015 at Hyatt Escala Lodge in Park City, Utah during Sundance Film Festival last year listed as a stay at Hyatt Centric. I assume this hotel is so much cooler now as a Hyatt Centric in 2016.
Loyalty Traveler – Quiet Hyatt Escala Lodge Park City Utah (Feb 1, 2015).
That hotel property rebranded to Hyatt’s new lifestyle brand in 2015. Another Hyatt property I have stayed at, Hyatt The Pike Long Beach in southern California, also rebranded to Hyatt Centric.
In fact, to date, only Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami and Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago are new build hotel renovations from historic buildings that were not previously hotels. The other Hyatt Centric properties were already existing Hyatt hotels with a name rebrand.
The three new Hyatt Centric hotels in the U.S. were chosen based on their sought-after locations and due to their unique designs that reflect the hotels’ surroundings and local flair.
- Hyatt The Pike Long Beach (California) is now Hyatt Centric The Pike Long Beach
- Hyatt Escala Lodge at Park City (Utah) is now Hyatt Centric Park City
- Hyatt Market Street, The Woodlands (Texas) is now Hyatt Centric The Woodlands
The new additions join the two hotels that opened in 2015, Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago and Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami, and demonstrate the brand’s strong growth plans.
The vision for Hyatt Centric hotels is to collaborate with regional food and beverage partners to provide guests and locals with cuisine crafted by in-demand chefs. Additionally, the brand will introduce high-quality amenities such as salon-quality hair dryers, soft hooded bathrobes, and renowned bath products.
Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago was a remodel of a 1929 office building. I photographed the construction site project two years ago when walking through downtown Chicago and forgot about those photos until looking up the hotel today.
White building in middle is Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago in April 2014 while undergoing renovation.
Hyatt The Loop Chicago pre-Hyatt Centric hotel information on building construction site in April 2014.
Hyatt Centric Montevideo (2016) and Hyatt Centric Ginza Tokyo (2018) will be first international hotels in Hyatt Centric brand
Source: Hyatt Centric press release 1-25-2016
In mid-2016, the Hyatt Centric brand is expected to expand globally with the opening of its first international hotel, Hyatt Centric Montevideo, Uruguay. The 178-guestroom hotel will be located in the famed Pocitos neighborhood and will sit waterfront on River Plate along the Rambla Republica del Peru.
Expected to open in early 2018, Hyatt Centric Ginza Tokyo will be the first new-build Hyatt Centric hotel in Asia Pacific. The 164-guestroom hotel will be located in Ginza, the prominent luxury fashion and entertainment center of the city on Namiki-Dori, and will occupy the top 10 floors of the 12-story commercial building tentatively known as the Ginza Asahi Building owned and under development by Asahi Shimbun.
Hotel Chains spend loads of money on brand research and design to enhance marketing efforts of their hotels. I assume there is a niche and demand for Hyatt Centric.
- Hyatt Centric The Pike Long Beach Hyatt Category 3 (12,000 points).
- Hyatt Centric Park City Hyatt category 4 (15,000 points).
- Hyatt Centric The Woodlands Hyatt category 4 (15,000 points).
- Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago Hyatt category 4 (15,000 points).
- Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami Hyatt category 6 (25,000 points).
Hyatt Centric Park City and most of the other properties in Centric brand are still Hyatt Gold Passport category 4 reward nights. This means you can use your Hyatt Visa card anniversary free night at these properties. Hyatt Centric South Beach, like most hotels in the Miami Beach area, will set you back 25,000 points.
Or if you are lucky, there might be cash and points reward nights available.
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