Hyatt Unveils Luxury Brand With New York, London Plans

Global Hyatt Corp. is launching a new urban luxury brand with plans underway for properties in New York, London and several other international gateway cities, the company announced this week

The brand, Andaz—meaning personal style—will open its first property later this year in London. Hyatt is renovating the Great Eastern Hotel and will rebrand it following the completion of that work, which is expected by September.

Hyatt also plans to open an Andaz hotel in midtown Manhattan on recently purchased property across from the New York Public Library, at Fifth Ave. and 41st St. There is no target date for an opening of that property at this point, according to a Hyatt spokesperson.

Company officials said they would announce several other hotels in the coming months in both domestic and international locations. Discussions are underway for properties in Beijing and Moscow, according to Hyatt.

Hyatt is calling the Andaz brand an unpretentious upscale alternative focusing on "casual elegance" and "local identity," which it is positioning in between its Park Hyatt and Hyatt Hotel brands. CEO Mark Hoplamazian said in a statement that Hyatt's "worldwide customer base is looking for fresh, uncomplicated luxury that is timeless and gimmick free." In addition, Hyatt intends to incorporate green policies in the builds, including ecologically friendly building materials, use of fully biodegradable products and energy efficient designs.