The Hyatt Hotels Corporation, parent company of the Hyatt range of hotels, is finally venturing into the boutique segment, trailing on the heels of Hilton, Marriott and Starwood. Travelers who shun the cookie-cutter hotel experience, where rooms are decorated to be as inoffensive as possible in varying shades of beige and black, may want to look up properties in Hyatt’s newly launched brand which curates historic landmarks, boutique hotels, resorts and contemporary properties around the world.
Dubbed “The Unbound Collection by Hyatt,” the new portfolio is targeted towards modern travelers who seek unique experiences, says Hyatt.
That means properties that may boast an historic past, an exclusive location, innovative design or an award-winning dining experience.
So far, properties in the collection include the Hotel du Louvre in Paris; The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas; the Carmelo Resort & Spa in Uruguay; and the Coco Palm Resort in Kauai, Hawaii.
Hyatt is playing catch-up in the hotel industry, which has seen its fair share of behemoth hotel groups try and edge their way into the boutique hotel market.
Hotel du Louvre, Paris
Marriott’s The Autograph Collection has been rounding up independent hotels to their portfolio since 2010, and today counts more than 90 properties around the world.
In 2014, Hilton Worldwide launched Curio – A Collection by Hilton, four- to five-star hotels chosen because they represent the local area and offer authentic experiences unique to the destination.
Properties include the SLS Las Vegas Hotel & Casino; The Sam Houston Hotel in Houston, Texas; Hotel Alex Johnson in Rapid City, South Dakota; and The Franklin Hotel in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
The Starwood Tribute Portfolio also launched last year as a collection of independent hotels that includes The Royal Palm South Beach Miami, the Great Northern Hotel in London, UK, The Hermitage in Jakarta, Indonesia, and The Kiroro Resort in Hokkaido, Japan.
But one of the original curators of independent hotels, however, can be traced back to France’s Relais & Chateaux founded in 1954, whose members are often historic or heritage landmarks like castles or manors, set in unique, often rustic areas in the world. Properties are admitted based on factors such as ‘charm’ and ‘character.’
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