History of Hyatt in Timeline

Hyatt Hotels Corporation is a multinational hospitality company managing and franchising luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacation properties. Headquartered in Chicago and managed partially by the Pritzker family, Hyatt has over 1350 properties in 69 countries. The company's portfolio spans North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, focusing on luxury and business travel.

September 27, 1957: Purchase of the Hyatt House

On September 27, 1957, The Hyatt Corporation was formed with the purchase of the Hyatt House, located at Los Angeles International Airport.

1957: Purchase of Hyatt House by Jay Pritzker

In 1957, entrepreneur Jay Pritzker purchased the Hyatt House hotel near Los Angeles International Airport for US$2.2 million. His brother, Donald Pritzker, also became involved in the company.

1962: Hyatt Corporation Goes Public

In 1962, Hyatt went public as Hyatt Corporation and comprised of two divisions: Hyatt House Hotels and Hyatt Chalet Motels.

1966: Hyatt Chalet Motels Renamed

In 1966, Hyatt Chalet Motels were renamed Hyatt Lodges.

1967: Opening of Regency Hyatt House in Atlanta

In 1967, the Regency Hyatt House opened in Atlanta, Georgia, featuring a distinctive indoor atrium designed by architect John Portman.

1968: Formation of Hyatt International

In 1968, Hyatt International was formed to operate hotels outside the United States and would soon become a separate company.

1969: First International Hotel

In 1969, Hyatt opened its first international hotel, the Hong Kong Hyatt Hotel, after being awarded the management contract for the President Hotel in Hong Kong.

1972: Formation of Elsinore Corporation

In 1972, Hyatt created Elsinore Corporation to manage the Four Queens Hotel and Casino, as well as the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino. Also in 1972, Donald Pritzker died, leaving Jay Pritzker in charge of the company.

1979: Hyatt Becomes Private

In 1979, Hyatt became a private company when the Pritzkers bought the outstanding shares and Elsinore was spun off as a public company. The company also opened the Playboy Hotel and Casino as a joint venture with Playboy Enterprises.

1980: Introduction of Grand Hyatt and Park Hyatt Brands

In 1980, Hyatt introduced the Grand Hyatt brand with the opening of the Grand Hyatt New York. The boutique Park Hyatt brand was also introduced in 1980.

1982: Hyatt International Taken Private

In 1982, the Pritzkers took Hyatt International private.

June 2004: Consolidation Under Global Hyatt Corp

In June 2004, the hospitality assets owned by the Pritzker family, including Hyatt Corporation and Hyatt International Corporation, were consolidated under Global Hyatt Corp.

December 2004: Acquisition of AmeriSuites

In December 2004, Hyatt Hotels Corporation acquired AmeriSuites and rebranded it as Hyatt Place.

December 2005: Acquisition of Summerfield Suites

In December 2005, Hyatt acquired Summerfield Suites from the Blackstone Group.

April 2007: Launch of Andaz Brand

In April 2007, Hyatt launched its first lifestyle brand, Andaz, positioned as a luxury brand, with the first hotel being a rebrand of the Great Eastern Hotel in London.

June 30, 2009: Name Change to Hyatt Hotels Corporation

On June 30, 2009, Global Hyatt Corporation changed its name to Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

August 2009: Initial Share Sale Plans

In August 2009, Hyatt Hotels Corporation filed plans to raise up to $1.15 billion in an initial share sale.

September 1, 2011: Acquisition of Hotel Sierra

On September 1, 2011, Hyatt acquired Hotel Sierra, which included 18 properties across 10 states.

2011: Commitment to Cage-Free Eggs

In 2011, Hyatt announced that it would source 100% cage-free eggs by 2025.

January 2012: Rebranding of Summerfield Suites to Hyatt House

In January 2012, Hyatt rebranded Summerfield Suites to Hyatt House to compete in the 'upscale extended stay market'.

November 2013: Introduction of Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara Brands

In November 2013, Hyatt introduced their first all-inclusive resort brands, Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara, with initial resorts in Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Rose Hall, Montego Bay, Jamaica.

2013: Partnership with MGM Resorts International

In 2013, Hyatt partnered with MGM Resorts International, bringing 12 MGM properties in Las Vegas to Hyatt booking channels.

October 28, 2015: Announcement of Starwood Hotels Acquisition Talks

On October 28, 2015, Hyatt announced advanced talks to acquire Starwood Hotels, however, the transaction was not completed.

March 1, 2017: Launch of World of Hyatt Loyalty Program

On March 1, 2017, Hyatt launched its loyalty program called World of Hyatt, replacing Gold Passport. The program includes membership tiers and offers benefits like room upgrades and complimentary breakfast.

2017: Luxury Room Count Increase

Since 2017, Hyatt doubled its luxury room count and quintupled the number of lifestyle-branded rooms.

2018: Acquisition of Two Roads Hospitality

In 2018, Hyatt acquired Two Roads Hospitality, adding the Joie de Vivre, Destination, Alila, and Thompson hotel brands to its portfolio.

2018: Partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World

In 2018, Hyatt began partnering with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, enabling World of Hyatt members to earn and redeem points during stays at participating SLH properties.

2019: Fortune Ranking

Fortune magazine ranked Hyatt #32 on its list of "America's Best Companies to Work For" in 2019.

2020: HRC Equality Index Score

In 2020, The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has awarded Hyatt 100% in the HRC Equality Index for more than ten years.

March 2021: Opening of Hyatt's 1,000th Hotel

In March 2021, Hyatt celebrated the opening of its 1,000th hotel worldwide, named Alila Napa Valley, located in St. Helena, California.

August 2021: Acquisition of Apple Leisure Group

In August 2021, Hyatt acquired Apple Leisure Group (ALG) for $2.7 billion in cash, extending Hyatt's brand footprint into 11 more European markets.

2021: Inclusive Portfolio Following Acquisition of ALG

Following its 2021 acquisition of ALG, the Inclusive portfolio houses Hyatt's all-inclusive resort brands.

2021: Fortune Ranking

Fortune magazine ranked Hyatt #16 on its list of "America's Best Companies to Work For" in 2021.

November 2022: Acquisition of Dream Hotels Group

In November 2022, Hyatt acquired Dream Hotels Group for $125 million, with potential additional payments based on future property openings.

2022: Strategic Collaboration with Lindner Hotels AG

In 2022, Hyatt entered into a strategic collaboration with Lindner Hotels AG.

2022: Exclusive Collaboration Agreement with Lindner Hotels AG

In 2022, Hyatt entered into an exclusive collaboration agreement with Lindner Hotels AG, to incorporate more than 30 hotels into Hyatt's portfolio under the JdV by Hyatt brand.

April 2023: Acquisition of Mr and Mrs Smith

In April 2023, Hyatt acquired Mr and Mrs Smith, a UK-based platform for boutique and luxury properties, for £53.0 million in cash.

2023: Partnership with MGM Resorts International ended

The Hyatt partnership with MGM Resorts International ended in 2023 when MGM partnered with Marriott International instead.

June 2024: Acquisition of Me And All Hotels Brand

In June 2024, Hyatt acquired the me and all hotels brand from Lindner Hotels AG.

August 2024: Planned Acquisition of Standard International

In August 2024, Hyatt announced the planned acquisition of Standard International, an upscale boutique hotel operator, for $150 million, with potential additional payments.

2024: Sale of Hyatt Regency Orlando

In 2024, Hyatt Regency Orlando was sold for $1.02 billion, becoming the nation's highest hotel sale of the year.

2024: Purchase of Me And All Hotels Brand

In 2024, Hyatt purchased the Me And All Hotels brand from Lindner.

2024: Partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World Ceased

The Hyatt partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World ceased in 2024 following Hyatt's acquisition of Mr & Mrs Smith, a direct booking platform of luxury hotels.

January 2025: Formation of Dedicated Lifestyle Group

In January 2025, a dedicated Lifestyle Group, led by Standard International's Executive Chairman Amar Lalvani, is formed following Hyatt's acquisition of the hotel group.

2025: Brand Architecture Reorganization

In early 2025, Hyatt reorganized its brand architecture into five portfolios, as part of a strategic brand realignment to enhance guest experience and owner returns.