Steigenberger is going lifestyle with Jaz in the City. After Amsterdam this summer (2), a second address is already planned for 2016 in Stuttgart. For its part, Hyatt is banking on its Centric brand, expected in Miami (1) and Chicago (3), before New York and Paris.
Last year, several big names in the hotel industry took it in turns to unveil their new concept of sophisticated, high-tech establishments: Carlson Rezidor with Radisson Red, Hilton with Canopy, Best Western with Vib. Since the beginning of 2015, two other major players have joined the movement, Hyatt and Steigenberger. Hyatt's trendy approach is not, strictly speaking, a novelty. With Park Hyatt and Andaz, the American group already had two benchmark brands, the first focusing on luxury and the second on more fashionable accents. Hyatt Centric completes this offer by delivering its own interpretation of what 'modern explorers' expect. "These travellers are looking for a cosmopolitan atmosphere right in the centre of the action"says Mark Hoplamazian, President of Hyatt.
Whether it's through the furniture, the works of art on display or the food and drink, Hyatt Centric hotels enjoy telling their guests a local and very contemporary story. In addition to informal room service, life at these establishments revolves around the Corner, a vast lounge open to the world, where guests can work as well as chat with other travellers over a drink. The first two hotels - Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago and South Beach Miami - open in April, and a dozen more are expected by this summer, notably in New York and Paris.
With Jaz in the City, the German Steigenberger group is also going to add some swing to its hitherto "classic chic" hospitality style. This new brand will make its debut at the end of the summer in Amsterdam, with a 247-room and 11-suite establishment directly linked to the Ziggo Dome concert hall. The hotel will play the first notes of a brand focused on the local music and arts scene. "This new brand is right up there with the times"says Puneet Chhatwal, CEO of Steigenberger. While rotating exhibitions will hang in the rooms and corridors, the public spaces will resonate to the sounds of improvised performances by visiting musicians.
Focus
Make way for the First Coming
Launched last year by the Dubai-based Jumeirah Group, the Venu brand will offer its own Middle Eastern version of lifestyle. The brand's first product is a resort, the Venu Bluewaters Island Hotel, which will be built from 2017 on an island close to the Dubai coast and will offer 300 rooms and 119 flats.
