Hyatt announced the growth of its portfolio of lifestyle hotels across the Middle East. The planned expansion includes the opening of the first Hyatt centric branded hotels in the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the first Andaz branded hotel in Dubai, and the second Alila branded property in the Sultanate of Oman. These lifestyle properties will provide luxury and adventurous travellers with unique experiences in hand-picked destinations and are expected to add more than 1,300 keys to the region, bringing the number of Hyatt lifestyle hotels in the Middle East to seven by 2023. There are currently two Hyatt lifestyle hotels in the Middle East; Alila Jabal Akhdar, a luxury boutique resort perched 6,562 feet (2,000 metres) above sea level in the Al Hajar Mountains of Oman, and Andaz Capital Gate Abu Dhabi, located in the iconic Capital Gate building, the world’s furthest leaning hotel at an impressive 18-degree incline.
Kurt Straub, Vice President of operations for the Middle East, Africa and South West Asia for Hyatt, said, “The Middle East is seeing a rising demand for lifestyle hotels. At Hyatt, we aim to grow with intent. The five planned openings in the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman cement our commitment to the region and will provide an enhanced lifestyle experience for our guests.”
The expected growth includes the debut of Hyatt’s fastest-growing lifestyle brand across three countries, with the projected openings of Hyatt Centric Dubai La Mer (2020), Hyatt Centric West Bay Doha (2020), and Jabal Omar Hyatt Centric Makkah Hotel and Residences (2023). Located in the heart of the world’s most exciting cities, Hyatt Centric hotels are thoughtfully designed to enable exploration and discovery.
Frederic Flageat-Simon, Global Head, Lifestyle Operations at Hyatt Hotels Corporation said, “Our guests’ preferences keep evolving, and we want to ensure that we cater to every traveller’s needs and desires. The introduction of a dedicated lifestyle division reflects our commitment to further carve out Hyatt’s role in the ever-growing lifestyle segment. We have identified this segment as a key growth driver for us and strive to advance care for our guests and meet their preference towards personalised, rare and meaningful experiences.”