Hyatt Hotel Brand Cheat Sheet – What You Can Expect At Each Hotel Brand

Do You Know The Difference Between Hyatt Brands?

Ever wondered what exactly a Grand Hyatt is compared to a Hyatt Regency? What about a Hyatt Centric? What about a plain ol’ Hyatt? Are there significant differences between Hyatt brands? These are all technically upscale hotels, and it can get confusing, especially if you’re looking for something specific for a particular stay.

Hyatt has added multiple brands to their portfolio in the past couple years, making things more complicated than they were. While some of the branding is obvious (e.g. Grand Hyatt at SFO), others can be more difficult to recognize due to the fact that the hotel name may not include the brand name. Once you know the brand, though, hopefully you know what to expect.

Difference Between Hyatt Brands: Basic Rundown

Let’s first run through the difference between Hyatt brands, starting with their limited service properties all the way through their flagship Park Hyatt luxury brand. Overall, I find that Hyatt hotel brands range from good to great quality and offer a generally consistent experience within the brand.

Hyatt Place

Hyatt Place is a mid-to-upscale limited service brand that is proliferous in the United States. There are a limited number of locations abroad, but you are most likely to find them domestically. That being said, the best Hyatt Place might be located across the world from the U.S.

Hyatt Place hotels feature a generally consistent design with rooms blocked for 4-6 people. Standard rooms are an above-average size and feature a living/working area typically with a half-divider between the bed area. Nearly all Hyatt Place hotels have a sofa bed, which is one of the reasons many standard rooms can accommodate six people.

Complimenting the consistent room experience is a regionally-tailored free breakfast for World of Hyatt members who book directly with Hyatt. There is typically also a small market with beverages and grab and go items, as well as a bar open in the evening serving drinks and a limited food menu.

Hyatt Place is by far my favorite limited-service hotel brand. I’ve stayed at many domestically, typically when I can find a Category 1 property for a mere 5,000 points.

Hyatt House

Hyatt House is Hyatt’s only extended stay brand. These hotels are upscale limited service properties offering spacious rooms and suites with a separated living area and full kitchen. For those who like to do their own cooking while traveling, they are an excellent choice.

Like their Hyatt Place brand, Hyatt House hotels offer free breakfast, with the added service of a cooked-to-order omelet bar. Most locations also offer a pool and outdoor common area. As an extended stay hotel, they also offer laundry for guests to use and a “borrow menu” for items you may have forgotten. If your stay is extended (30+ consecutive nights), it is my understanding that Hyatt House will also provide complimentary grocery shopping service.

There are ~100 Hyatt House hotels across the globe. I’ve only had the pleasure of staying at three different properties, but I’ve loved my experience every time.

Hyatt Regency

The Hyatt Regency is one of Hyatt’s most proliferous full-service upscale brands with more than 200 properties around the globe. The hotels tend to have a large number of guestrooms with modern design and decor, welcoming lobbies, and large meeting spaces for conferences and events. In short, they are the standard upscale business-focused brand in Hyatt’s portfolio, most comparable with the Hilton and Marriott brands in other chains.

The size of Hyatt Regency hotels can vary greatly, from 200 rooms to a whopping 2,000. I’ve not stayed at any of the larger ones, with the 789-room Hyatt Regency SFO probably being the largest I’ve stayed at.

Hyatt Centric

The central premise of Hyatt Centric properties is to be a lifestyle hotel at the heart of select urban destinations. These are unique upscale hotels imbued with local style and flair. With a limited number of rooms, Hyatt Centric properties are a boutique full-service choice for travelers within Hyatt’s portfolio.

The goal of the Hyatt Centric brand is to bring you the best of a destination yet still be part of a global chain. There are relatively few Hyatt Centric hotels around the world, with only 35 properties in the brand that are currently open. The majority are in North America, with only three in South America and a smattering across Europe and Asia. Similar brands might be Hilton’s Curio Collection and possibly Kimpton properties.

I’ve only stayed at the Hyatt Centric in Montevideo. We had a great experience, and I enjoyed the feel of the hotel and its location near the beach. This property will actually be in award category 1 once the Hyatt changes take effect!

Caption by Hyatt

I’m actually quite unfamiliar with the Caption by Hyatt brand. But this is not unexpected, as the brand is quite new. The brand seeks to blend a lifestyle hotel and limited service experiences, which is honestly a bit of a unique offering.

Like Hyatt Centric, they will be located in urban centers and incorporate local culture into their food and design. Per the brand press release, Caption by Hyatt hotels will feature “alluring and approachable spaces” and offer “conversation-worthy food and beverage” with what they do offer.

If Hyatt does achieve an excellent blend of compelling local experience through a limited service stay, they may have an interesting niche market. I’ll be curious to see how rates stack up compared to their other lifestyle brands. However, Hyatt has yet to open a Caption property.

Thompson Hotels

When Hyatt acquired Two Roads Hospitality, they added four different brands to their portfolio, including Thompson Hotels and Joie de Vivre. With only nine properties located in the USA and Mexico, the footprint of Thompson Hotels is quite limited. Generally boutique properties, Thompson establishments range from upscale to luxury.

Joie de Vivre

Along with Thompson, Joie de Vivre joined Hyatt during the past year. The 15 properties are a collection of independent hotels located predominantly in the San Francisco Bay Area. Other locations include Chicago, Baltimore, and Beijing.

Joie de Vivre hotels are boutique, full service, upscale properties that take on the character of their neighborhood. I can’t speak for any in the Bay Area (although I’ve considered staying at several), but I had a fine stay last summer at The Talbott Hotel, Chicago.

Destination Hotels

Destination Hotels are another recent addition to the Hyatt portfolio when they acquired Two Roads Hospitality. The various brands were all integrated into World of Hyatt over last year, and Destination Hotels was among them. Like other Hyatt offerings, Destination Hotels are a lifestyle brand focused on bringing you in tune with the destination you’re visiting.

With just 30 properties spread across a dozen U.S. states, the brand isn’t large. There are quite a few in resort locales, including Hawaii and Colorado. My one stay with Destination Hotels at the Hotel de Anza San Jose was rather disappointing, and one of my worst Hyatt stays ever.

Hyatt Ziva

One of two all-inclusive brands, Hyatt Ziva offers family-centric resort properties located in a very select number of warm-weather destinations. These include Los Cabos, Cancun, and Jamaica. I’ve not experienced an upscale all-inclusive stay, but what I’ve heard about Hyatt Ziva has been generally positive.

As an all-inclusive experience, Hyatt Ziva offers unlimited food, drinks (including in-room minibars), and entertainment. If you want a package deal, they are the way to go.

The properties are generally pricey, and award nights are often the best option. For more than two people per room, you’ll have to pay an additional fee, either in points or cash.

Hyatt Zilara

Hyatt Zilara is the second all-inclusive brand in Hyatt’s portfolio. Unlike Hyatt Ziva, these properties are adults-only. Hopefully this allows them to offer a more serene atmosphere.

There are only three locations: Montego Bay, Cancun, and Cap Cana. The Cap Cana location opened poorly late last year, as much was still under construction, but hopefully they have things straightened out by now.

Hyatt Residence Club

Most travelers will not think of Hyatt Residence Club as your typical hotel brand within the portfolio, but you can often book these properties with points. Another option is scoring a cheap stay at one for a few nights in exchange for being willing to listen to a timeshare deal.

As timeshare properties, Hyatt Residence Clubs are condo-style resort locations, including ski destinations in California and Colorado, as well as beach locations in Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

Unbound Collection

The Unbound Collection is Hyatt’s portfolio of unique, one-off properties around the world. They are more about character than the brand consistency you might expect with Hyatt Regency or Hyatt Place. These upper upscale and luxury properties can be found in 20 different cities around the world.

Unbound Collection hotels are allowed to maintain their own rich character while reaping the benefits of being part of a global chain. From the Eliza Jane in New Orleans to the Carmelo Resort & Spa in Uruguay, each is unique. Unfortunately, there are only 20 properties within the collection. I hope Hyatt is able to add more.

Similar brands within other chains include Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio and the Curio Collection by Hilton. My daughter and I have a lovely stay at The Confidante Miami Beach, which I definitely recommend if you’re planning a stay in the area.

Hyatt

I’m honestly not sure what to make of the “vanilla” Hyatt brand. With a limited number of properties worldwide, they don’t have the footprint of Hyatt Regency, nor the consistency of Hyatt House and Place. As full-service upscale hotels, you can expect modern comfort and convenience.

The Hyatt brand is not shown on Hyatt development’s list of brands, so I’m actually wondering if they plan to retire it. I’ve heard very good things about some of the properties, including The Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle and Hyatt on the Bund in Shanghai. I’ll be curious to see if some hotels change brand. I know the Hyatt Atlanta Midtown has since converted to a Hyatt Centric.

Grand Hyatt

Grand Hyatt hotels are Hyatt’s standard full-service luxury brand located in a number of cities around the globe. They generally have thoughtful contemporary design, fine dining, and comfortable, modern accommodations. Grand Hyatt is definitely not a boutique brand like some of Hyatt’s other offerings, offering hotels with 350 to 1,500 rooms.

As larger properties, they tend to have significant space for meetings and events. Comparable hotels in other chains include Hilton’s Conrad and the JW Marriott.

I’ve only had two Grand Hyatt stays, one of which is by far my favorite domestic hotel stay: the Grand Hyatt at SFO.

Alila

Alila is the luxury brand within the four acquired as part of Two Roads Hopsitality. With only one U.S. location along California’s central coast, getting to one might be a bit difficult. Most are located in Southeast Asia.

Alila offers travelers a modern escape to destinations less traveled, allowing travelers to truly get away from it all (although the ones in the business districts of Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta buck that trend). Some of the properties are quite affordable award stays, while others (such as the location in California) are extremely expensive.

Andaz

Another lifestyle brand, Andaz properties are designed as “vibrant boutique hotels” in prime community locations. They are full service hotels, typically offering spas and meeting spaces, although the latter will obviously be smaller than say a Hyatt Regency or Grand Hyatt.

The closest analogous brand in another major chain is Marriott’s EDITION. I’ve yet to stay at an Andaz property to see what they’re all about. I’ve eyed the one in Napa for quite a while, although I’d be even more keen to try one abroad, such as the Andaz Toranomon Hills in Tokyo.

Miraval

Miraval is a luxury wellness hotel brand with full service dining, numerous resort activities, and spas. They cater to the affluent luxury traveler looking to relax and rejuvenate. In particular, the locations in Texas and Arizona are escapes that truly let you get away from it all and focus on your personal well-being during your stay. Miraval properties are all-inclusive.

With only three locations in Arizona, Texas, and Massachusetts, you don’t have many properties to pick from. They also command a premium, both in terms of cash rates and points. Awards start at 45,000 points per night.

Park Hyatt

Park Hyatt is the flagship brand within Hyatt’s portfolio. The properties are known for offering luxury accommodations with great dining options and personalized, thoughtful service. Typically located in major city centers, you can expect the best from Park Hyatt hotels. Rates are obviously reflective of a luxury brand, with most pricing into the top award tiers.

Comparable brands in other chains include Marriott’s Ritz Carlton and St. Regis, and Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria. Park Hyatt properties are the pinnacle of luxury within the Hyatt family of hotels.

Hyatt Brand Difference Cheat Sheet

Now that we’ve run through the various Hyatt hotel brands in detail, I’d like to provide a quick reference table for the key differences:

What About Small Luxury Hotels?

Hyatt’s partnership with Small Luxury Hotels is one of program participation. SLH is not a Hyatt brand, but you can earn and redeem points on stays with participating properties. The benefits you receive are different as well, as all SLH stays offer free breakfast for World of Hyatt members.

SLH properties vary significantly and are typically individual, boutique properties around the world. I’ve looked into many over the past year, finally staying at my first, the Hotel Lilla Roberts Helsinki, in late 2019.

Conclusion

Even though the difference between Hyatt brands can be substantial, I appreciate the variety within the hotel chain. I’ve managed to hit the 10-brand mark, earning myself two free nights from the brand explorer bonus. In the process I’ve really enjoyed brands I knew little about, including Hyatt Centric.

What is your favorite Hyatt hotel brand?

Disclosure: Miles to Memories has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Miles to Memories and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

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