Advertiser Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links below. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers.
Hyatt has become my first choice when traveling. It doesn’t have the footprint of Marriott or Hilton, but it continues to grow at an impressive pace through acquisitions and partnerships. You might think you know all about the brand, but here are five lesser-known things about Hyatt:
5. Hyatt Started as a Motel
Many people assume that Hyatt has always been a higher-end hotel brand. However, the company actually began as a single motel located near LAX in 1957. The original Hyatt House motel was designed to cater to business travelers, with attractive amenities (for the time) like air conditioning, telephones, and swimming pools.
4. Hyatt is a Family Business
The founding family of Hyatt, the Pritzkers, still control the company today. Jay Pritzker started the brand with his younger brother, Donald, in 1957. The family has been involved in the brand’s growth ever since. Today, Hyatt is run by Jay’s son, Tom Pritzker. Donald’s son might also be familiar. He’s the current governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker.
3. Hyatt has a Sustainability Program
The Hyatt Thrive program is the company’s sustainability initiative. The program focuses on reducing the company’s environmental impact, supporting local communities, and promoting diversity and inclusion. Hyatt has set ambitious goals for reducing waste, conserving water, and sourcing more sustainable materials.
2. The Name Hyatt was Purchased with the First Motel
The hotel chain is named after the Hyatt House’s original owner, Hyatt Von Dehn. The name was purchased with the motel by Jay Pritzker when he impulsively decided to buy it after noticing the crowd in the hotel’s coffee shop. His offer of $2.2 million was written on a napkin and the rest is history.
1. The Most Popular World of Hyatt Redemptions are in the US
In 2021, 38 of the top 50 points redemptions were in the United States. With 29 of the hotels being Category 4 or less. By brand: 22 Hyatt Regency locations, nine Grand Hyatts, seven Hyatt Places, three each for Park Hyatt and The Unbound Collection, one each for Alila, Andaz, Hyatt, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Zilara and Hyatt Ziva.
Anthony’s Take: Hyatt has become my preferred chain with World of Hyatt Globalist status as the one that I will ensure I renew first. I knew the Pritzkers owned Hyatt, but some of the other facts were new to me.
User Generated Content Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat encourages constructive discussions, comments, and questions. Responses are not provided by or commissioned by any bank advertisers. These responses have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the responsibility of the bank advertiser to respond to comments.
4 comments
JB Pritzker is the main reason I won’t stay at a Hyatt.
J.B. Pritzker is the main reason I stay at Hyatt.
Conrad Hilton’s favorite hotel chain is the Hyatt.
Let’s see if Pritzker can break the cycle of going to jail like the other governors