Andaz 5th Avenue opened in July, making a splash on the New York scene with sophistcated style and true city charm.

As the newest addition to the Andaz collection, this new Fifth Avenue favorite captures the spirit of mid-town Manhattan, offering uncomplicated and attentive service by real people passionate about New York. That passion is what the Andaz philosophy is all about.

The hotel's Fifth Avenue location once served as a fashion and retail mecca, originally home to the largest Rogers, Peet & Co. Department store and later becoming the Tommy Hilfiger global headquarters.

Now, one of the few hotels located directly on Fifth Avenue, Andaz 5th Avenue lets guests stay in the heart of the city and enjoy unparalleled views of The New York Public Library, one of the Manhattan's greatest landmarks.

The Andaz 5th Avenue experience begins as soon as guests open the bronze-colored doors on 41st Street. Designed by Tony Chi and inspired by its mid-town neighborhood, the hotel features the high-ceilings and solidity of the pre-war apartments that define the city in the minds of all native New Yorkers. This look and feel floods into the 184 guestrooms, all of which feature 12-foot ceilings, double glazed windows and amenities from legendary New York company, C.O. Bigelow.

Andaz 5th Avenue also offers some of the best food experiences under one roof. Guests can visit The Shop, a street level restaurant serving delicious, simple food that changes with the time of year, with the selection dictated by what is fresh and at the height of its season. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, guests can enjoy dishes at The Shop featuring items from some of New York's most infamous eateries, including Katz's Delicatessen, Sullivan Street Bakery and the Pickle Guys. A retail section off the restaurant allows guests and locals to easily stock up on grab-and-go goodies from local favorites like Blue Bottle Coffee, Mast Brothers Chocolate and Beekman 1802. Whether in the dining room or at the hotel's bar and lounge area, guests can also order handcrafted cocktails from a knowledgeable bar staff, who are ready for any cocktail or drink request thrown their way.

From the simple, tailored hospitality—to the chic Fifth Avenue location—to the iconic, inspiring design, Andaz 5th Avenue will exceed guest expections and help travelers fall in love with the city in a New York minute.

A desert sage scrub. A yellow rose bath. A Ka'anapali Coffee Rub. These aren't the typical services you'd expect to find in your everyday spa. Rather, these are the non-traditional, unique and locally-inspired services that you can find at the more than 70 Hyatt Pure Spas across the globe.

Hyatt Pure, our spa brand, was formally launched in 2005, but Hyatt has been on the spa scene since 1972 with the opening of the first full service spa at Bali Hyatt Hotel, Indonesia.

Since then, we've implemented the four pillars of Hyatt Pure to set the guiding principles for all Hyatt-developed and operated spas to make sure guests have an unforgettable experience: Authenticity, Cultural Sensitivity, Zero-Based Philosophy and Guest-Centricity. These four pillars ensure that we deliver authentic, unique spa services that are customized based on guests' personal goals, needs and desires.

Make sure to check back often as we continue our "Spa Spotlight" series. We'll showcase different Hyatt Pure Spas around the world—from the Ahin Wellness & Spa at Park Hyatt Buenos Aires to the Gaia Spa and Fitness Centre at Grand Hyatt Istanbul to the Club Oasis Spa & Fitness Center at Grand Hyatt Mumbai. We'll also share some of our own spa and beauty tips that will help you take a little escape from life’s everyday demands and indulge in the comfort of your own home.

Today marks the launch of the Hyatt Gold Passport Facebook page, where fans can see the latest news, promotions and special member offers, as well as giveaways with free night prizes and more.

We hope this new Facebook page will spark conversation and dialogue among new, existing and potential Hyatt Gold Passport members, giving them an open, online forum to ask questions about our global loyalty program.

Most importantly, we want fans to know that we’re here to listen ─ 24/7. Whether it’s a question about a Gold Passport membership, how to use bonus points or anything else Hyatt related, our Gold Passport experts are standing by. Fans can post questions to our wall or email GPFBFans@hyatt.com, and they will receive an answer within 24 hours, guaranteed.

For even more Hyatt news and other special offers, make sure to check out our Hyatt Resorts Facebook page, which highlights our resort properties, showcasing the outstanding amenities and authenticity that guests can expect at Hyatt resorts around the world.

Let us know what you think about our forays into social media. We’d love to have your suggestions and feedback.

We’re excited to announce to our readers that Hyatt Place Philadelphia/King of Prussia is officially open for business.

The 129-room conversion hotel, managed by Hersha Hospitality Trust, is located one mile from King of Prussia Mall, which is the largest shopping complex in the East Coast with almost three million square feet of retail space and restaurants. It is also closely situated to Valley Forge Convention Center, Philadelphia Expo Center and major corporations including Pfizer, Lockheed Martin, SunGard and more.

If you’re looking to tour Philadelphia, Hyatt Place Philadelphia/King of Prussia is just 30 minutes from the historic downtown area where guests can visit the Liberty Bell, National Constitution Center and the Betsy Ross House.

Hyatt Place Philadelphia/King of Prussia offers guests:

• Newly built guestrooms, all of which feature a 42-inch HDTV, the plush Hyatt Grand Bed® and an eight-foot sectional sofa-sleeper
• Complimentary Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel
  
• Complimentary continental breakfast featuring a variety of fresh fruits, hot and cold cereal, yogurt, breads, premium coffee and an assortment of juices
  
• More than 1,000 square feet of flexible, high tech, meeting space
  
• 24/7 Guest Kitchen serving made-to-order snacks and entrees
  
• Intimate Bakery Café featuring Starbucks® specialty coffees, premium beers and wines

Hyatt introduced the Hyatt Place brand in 2006, the first hotel brand created to cater to today’s 24/7 lifestyle. To determine the right combination of design, services and amenities, the brand conducted extensive consumer research to create an environment that allows guests to transition from home to hotel in a way that wasn’t possible before.

We would like to officially welcome Hyatt Place Philadelphia/King of Prussia to the Hyatt family. We are also opening Hyatt Place hotels later this year in Columbus, OH near OSU and just outside Houston in Sugar Land, TX, so stay tuned for more information! 

It may be back-to-school season, but it’s never too early to start planning that special family trip you’ve been thinking about taking.

Family vacations, especially during the school year, can serve as a great escape to take families out of their everyday routines and immerse them in a place that can hold new, exciting experiences. It’s especially important for kids to get excited about vacation and to ensure that the trip provides opportunities for them to explore and learn about their new surroundings. What are the animals native to this area? What are the local cultures and customs? What can be done here to help conserve resources?

At Hyatt, we love helping answer all of those questions. Kids can have an educational and fun vacation experience through Camp Hyatt, featuring activities from National Geographic Kids, designed for children ages 3-12 at Hyatt Resorts in North America. Whether it’s rafting in the Colorado River, coconut painting in Aruba or visiting the aquarium in Monterey, Calif., Camp Hyatt helps get kids engaged in local, culturally-authentic activities that teach them about the environment, animals, recycling and more. Camp Hyatt also allows kids to meet other children their age and create friendships that will make vacation even more exciting.

If you’re headed to a Hyatt Resort, visit the Camp Hyatt-National Geographic Kids website with your children for an exciting preview of the awesome adventures that each resort offers.

If you’re traveling with a baby, Hyatt also has you covered. We’ve teamed up with Babies Travel Lite to simplify your travel experience. Just shop online at the Hyatt-Babies Travel Lite website for diapers, formula, food and other baby products, and you’ll find your baby package delivered to your guestroom upon arrival.

Here at Hyatt, we also understand that part of a fun family vacation is keeping everyone happy, including your teens. Our resorts offer unique menus of cool activities and experiences, where your teen can make new friends and create lasting memories. They can take surfing lessons in Southern California, go horseback riding in Orlando, zipline in Kauai, take a hot air balloon ride in Scottsdale or get airbrush tattoos and Caribbean style braids at the SPAhhht Youth Spa in San Antonio. Each of our 18 resorts in North America feature fun vacation activities for teens.

So, whether you’re traveling with teens, younger kids or babies, Hyatt’s programs and activities will help ensure that your family vacation is an enjoyable, enriching and stress-free trip for everyone.

If you’re planning to travel during Labor Day, check out our special offers page to take advantage of the Classic Family Vacation package, where you can receive full breakfast for all registered guests, 50% off a second room with a free, full breakfast for kids, 15% off Hyatt spa services, and locally inspired in-room, kid-friendly snacks.

Happy traveling!

Today there was a ground breaking ceremony to celebrate the historic redevelopment of Hyatt Regency New Orleans, which will open in late 2011. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu served as keynote speaker, telling everyone gathered at the event that Hyatt Regency New Orleans represents where the city has been, but more importantly, it exemplifies the great strides being made to help redevelop the New Orleans that everyone loves and admires.

The hotel opened in 1976 and had 30 years of success prior to Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the Crescent City five years ago. In planning to reopen the hotel, the goal is to give it a second life – redeveloping and remodeling it from the top down to to meet the needs of today's business and leisure travelers. The new and improved Hyatt Regency New Orleans will reopen, complete with the following:

• 1,193 contemporary guestrooms, including 53 suites
• 200,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space
  
• Two 25,000 square-foot ballrooms
  
• 80,000 square feet of exhibition space
  
• 60 banquet and meeting rooms
  
• 350-seat restaurant
  
• Coffee bar and 24-hour convenience store
  
• Specialty restaurant with a nationally recognized chef

The hotel will play a significant role in the restoration and revitalization of New Orleans. It is part of a larger economic development plan and will anchor city-wide conventions. The hotel is expected to generate tax revenue and create new jobs in the city.

We want to thank New Orleans for welcoming us back to their great city, which just made this year's Travel + Leisure Magazine's Top 10 Cities list. From the jazz music and Creole cuisine, to the unique French Quarter architecture and Mardi Gras celebrations, we're excited to be back in New Orleans to help show travelers what The Big Easy is all about.

The year was 1957 when Jay Pritzker bought a Los Angeles airport hotel from Dutch businessman Hyatt von Dehn, famously using a nearby napkin as the official contract. What became known as Hyatt House-Los Angeles, Hyatt's very first hotel, was the start of something big and by 1960, there were Hyatt Houses near airports in Seattle, San Francisco and the San Fernando Valley. Described as "the world's first fly-in hotels," the hotels quickly expanded throughout California to eight properties, which soon included Hyatt Lodges and Hyatt Chalets. Waving goodbye to the West coast, the first Hyatt House came to the Midwest, opening in Lincolnwood, Ill.

With five more Hyatt Lodges open by 1966, Hyatt branched out by opening standalone Hyatt Coffee Shoppes throughout California, which offered 24-hour restaurant and bar service to guests.

Then in 1967, Hyatt made its mark in the hospitality industry.

With the purchase of the unusual 23-story Regency Hyatt House in Atlanta (now Hyatt Regency Atlanta), Hyatt established what would become a signature design element, the John Portman-designed atrium hotel. With a glass elevator through the center of the hotel and green vines growing from each floor's balcony, the atrium hotel was a beautiful, breathtaking sight and the first of its kind. By 1969, with 16 Hyatt House hotels, including the company's first overseas property in Hong Kong, 41 Hyatt Lodges and 35 Hyatt Coffee Shoppes, Hyatt was making a statement throughout the world.

Hyatt's business boomed throughout the 70s, and over the next decade, the world was introduced to the Grand Hyatt and Park Hyatt brand names. Hawaii also saw its first Hyatt resort property in the 70s, with the opening of Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, which continues to be a vacation favorite and a Travel + Leisure's 'World's Best' winner.

Over the past 53 years, Hyatt has grown to 445 properties in 45 countries and now includes  the Park Hyatt, Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt, Hyatt Place, and Hyatt Summerfield Suites brands. Not bad for a company that started on a napkin.

Welcome to “Keyed into Hyatt,” the official blog for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.  As you can imagine, we are very excited to launch this blog.  We want you to know us better and see how Hyatt works from the inside out. 

Hyatt has been around for more than 50 years, and the above photo shows you just that. It’s a sampling of Hyatt keys that we’ve collected over the years—including a key from the very first Hyatt House hotel in Los Angeles. This key collection speaks to our history, and we’re eager for you to learn how that history has shaped the company we are today.

Our goal with Keyed Into Hyatt is to give you the V.I.P. tour, granting you special access to multiple areas of the company, sharing little-known facts, informing you of our latest news and introducing you to various people within our organization.  We also want to make sure you get useful, helpful information from us, so please share your thoughts. Let us know what we’re doing well and what else you’re interested in learning from us. 
   
From time to time, we will feature guest bloggers, all of whom know a thing or two about Hyatt, from how we think about our environmental impact to how we choose the design for the furniture in our hotels and restaurants.

On behalf of the entire Hyatt family, we are happy you’re here.  Welcome to Keyed into Hyatt!