Hyatt Strengthens Regional Hospitality Presence with New Hotels Across Florida Georgia and Surrounding States

Hyatt Strengthens Regional Hospitality Presence with New Hotels Across Florida Georgia and Surrounding States

(IN SHORT) Hyatt Hotels Corporation plans to expand its Essentials brand portfolio across the Southeastern United States with more than 30 hotels in development representing around 4,000 rooms. The expansion includes Hyatt Studios, Hyatt Select, Hyatt Place and Hyatt House properties across markets in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and neighbouring states. The strategy focuses on growing demand driven by population increases, corporate relocation and infrastructure investment across the region. Hyatt Studios will target extended-stay travellers, while Hyatt Select offers conversion opportunities for existing hotels. Established brands Hyatt Place and Hyatt House will also continue expanding their presence. Hyatt says the expansion reflects strong developer interest and aims to introduce Hyatt hotels to new markets while supporting continued growth in the region’s hospitality sector.

(PRESS RELEASE) CHICAGO, 2026-Mar-16 — /Travel PR News/ — Hyatt Hotels Corporation has outlined plans to significantly expand its Essentials brand portfolio throughout the Southeastern United States, with more than 30 new hotels currently in its development pipeline. The projects—representing roughly 4,000 rooms—include properties under the Hyatt Studios, Hyatt Select, Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands.

The expansion reflects Hyatt’s strategy to strengthen its presence not only in major metropolitan destinations but also in smaller and emerging markets across the Southeast that have not previously hosted a Hyatt property. States including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama are experiencing population growth, infrastructure investment and strong corporate travel demand, creating new opportunities for hotel development.

Hyatt’s Essentials portfolio has been designed to address these evolving market conditions by offering flexible operating models, efficient development concepts and access to Hyatt’s global distribution platform and commercial network. The approach allows hotel owners to expand in growing markets while benefiting from simplified operating structures and potentially stronger returns.

According to Hiren Desai, early performance of Hyatt Studios properties in Alabama demonstrates the strength of the new brand. His company has already opened two Hyatt Studios hotels in the state and plans to open another location in Florida later this year. Desai noted that the properties have quickly gained traction among extended-stay guests and business travellers while benefiting from Hyatt’s collaborative development approach.

Hyatt Studios Growth Accelerates

The Hyatt Studios brand is gaining momentum as an upper-midscale extended-stay concept designed to support long-term travellers such as project-based workers, relocating professionals and extended business travellers. Its efficient design and streamlined operating model are intended to make development easier for owners while providing flexible property layouts.

Several Hyatt Studios hotels are currently planned across the Southeast, including locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina.

Hyatt Select Designed for Conversion Opportunities

Hyatt is also expanding its Hyatt Select concept, an upper-midscale transient brand focused on conversion opportunities for existing hotels. The brand offers simplified standards and operational flexibility, providing property owners with a pathway to join the Hyatt network while gaining access to the company’s global reservation systems, distribution channels and the World of Hyatt membership base.

Hyatt Select properties are currently planned in several Southeastern markets including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Established Brands Continue Regional Expansion

The company’s established brands Hyatt Place and Hyatt House are also contributing to the expansion of Hyatt’s regional footprint. These brands remain core elements of the Essentials portfolio and continue to attract owners due to their strong market performance and broad customer appeal.

Across the United States, more than 350 Hyatt Place hotels and over 120 Hyatt House properties are currently operating. Both brands have recently introduced design improvements, including a new Hyatt Place prototype that reduces building footprint and construction costs, as well as refreshed guestroom and lobby designs for Hyatt House hotels aimed at enhancing the guest experience.

Jason Ballard said the Southeastern United States continues to lead the country in population growth and corporate relocation, driving sustained demand for lodging in secondary and tertiary markets. Hyatt’s Essentials brands are designed to capture this demand while expanding the company’s presence and introducing the Hyatt brand to new travellers across the region.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s portfolio included more than 1,500 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 83 countries across six continents. The Company’s offering includes brands in the Luxury Portfolio, including Park Hyatt®, Alila®, Miraval®, Impression by Secrets, and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®; the Lifestyle Portfolio, including Andaz®, Thompson Hotels®, The Standard®, Dream® Hotels, The StandardX®, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, JdV by Hyatt®, Bunkhouse® Hotels, and Me and All Hotels; the Inclusive Collection, including Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Hyatt Ziva®, Hyatt Zilara®, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid® Hotels & Resorts, Bahia Principle Hotels & Resorts, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas; the Classics Portfolio, including Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Destination by Hyatt®, Hyatt Centric®, Hyatt Vacation Club®, and Hyatt®; and the Essentials Portfolio, including Caption by Hyatt®, Unscripted by Hyatt, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Studios®, Hyatt Select, and UrCove. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Mr & Mrs Smith, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar® DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “likely,” “will,” “would” and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: general economic uncertainty in key global markets and a worsening of global economic conditions or low levels of economic growth; the rate and pace of economic recovery following economic downturns; global supply chain constraints and interruptions, rising costs of construction-related labor and materials, and increases in costs due to inflation or other factors that may not be fully offset by increases in revenues in our business; risks affecting the luxury, resort, and all-inclusive lodging segments; levels of spending in business, leisure, and group segments, as well as consumer confidence; declines in occupancy and average daily rate; limited visibility with respect to future bookings; loss of key personnel; domestic and international political and geopolitical conditions, including political or civil unrest or changes in trade policy; the impact of global tariff policies or regulations; hostilities, or fear of hostilities, including future terrorist attacks, that affect travel; travel-related accidents; natural or man-made disasters, weather and climate-related events, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, droughts, floods, wildfires, oil spills, nuclear incidents, and global outbreaks of pandemics or contagious diseases, or fear of such outbreaks; our ability to successfully achieve specified levels of operating profits at hotels that have performance tests or guarantees in favor of our third-party owners; the impact of hotel renovations and redevelopments; risks associated with our capital allocation plans, share repurchase program, and dividend payments, including a reduction in, or elimination or suspension of, repurchase activity or dividend payments; the seasonal and cyclical nature of the real estate and hospitality businesses; changes in distribution arrangements, such as through internet travel intermediaries; changes in the tastes and preferences of our customers; relationships with colleagues and labor unions and changes in labor laws; the financial condition of, and our relationships with, third-party owners, franchisees, and hospitality venture partners; the possible inability of third-party owners, franchisees, or development partners to access the capital necessary to fund current operations or implement our plans for growth; risks associated with potential acquisitions and dispositions and our ability to successfully integrate completed acquisitions with existing operations or realize anticipated synergies; failure to successfully complete proposed transactions, including the failure to satisfy closing conditions or obtain required approvals; our ability to successfully complete dispositions of certain of our owned real estate assets within targeted timeframes and at expected values; our ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; declines in the value of our real estate assets; unforeseen terminations of our management and hotel services agreements or franchise agreements; changes in federal, state, local, or foreign tax law; increases in interest rates, wages, and other operating costs; foreign exchange rate fluctuations or currency restructurings; risks associated with the introduction of new brand concepts, including lack of acceptance of new brands or innovation; general volatility of the capital markets and our ability to access such markets; changes in the competitive environment in our industry, industry consolidation, and the markets where we operate; our ability to successfully grow the World of Hyatt loyalty program and manage the Unlimited Vacation Club paid membership program; cyber incidents and information technology failures; outcomes of legal or administrative proceedings; and violations of regulations or laws related to our franchising business and licensing businesses and our international operations; and other risks discussed in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including our annual report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which filings are available from the SEC. These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any of our forward-looking statements.  We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Media Contact:

Rebecca Smith
Rebecca.smith1@hyatt.com
Hyatt

SOURCE: Hyatt Corporation