Hyatt Taps Danny Meyer To Help With Food And Beverage For New Brand Caption

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Hyatt is introducing a new lifestyle brand, Caption, aimed at attracting business travelers through the use of communal meeting spaces and refined food and beverage options inspired by restauranteur Danny Meyer.

Hyatt, which is known for its work in the wellness space through its brands such as Miraval and the World of Hyatt loyalty program, described Caption’s F&B offerings as a “vibrant mash-up between café, market, and bar.” Meyer and his Union Square Hospitality Group aided Hyatt in generating the design and creation of the F&B program.

A spokesperson for Union Square Hospitality Group said the existing consulting agreement between the two parties is on a limited time basis, and only for F&B programming at Caption. Union Square Hospitality Group is also working with Hyatt on opening its first seafood restaurant in the Thompson Washington D.C., the source said.

“We intend for the Caption by Hyatt brand to be a global growth driver domestically and internationally in dense urban markets, emerging neighborhoods, and high foot traffic areas,” said Jim Chu, Hyatt’s global head of development, in a statement.

The new portfolio addition, Hyatt’s 15th brand overall, is reminiscent of the chain’s existing Hyatt Place offering, in that it is both select service and in the upscale category. Hyatt’s current pipeline consists of 460 hotels, or approximately 92,000 rooms, as of the end of June for all of its brands.

Caption’s debut also follows a company-wide integration effort of Two Roads Hospitality’s portfolio, which the Chicago-based Hyatt purchased in 2018.

The deal was intended to both fill a gap in Hyatt’s under-penetrated foreign markets and offer World of Hyatt loyalty members more variety in options to stay as they earn and redeem points. Hyatt brands Joie de Vivre, Alila, and the aforementioned Thompson Hotels were brought over in the deal valued at $480 million.

Hyatt additionally later created a new lifestyle division in May, which Caption is likely to join. The announcement followed a plethora of new lifestyle brands announced by competitors Accor, Wyndham, and Hilton in the months prior, as the sector grows in popularity. Frederic Flageat-Simon, the former CEO of Two Roads Hospitality Asia, heads up Hyatt’s lifestyle operations.

By Danni Santana
September 25, 2019
Source: Skift.com  

Image source: USHGNYC.com