CHICAGO, Oct 18, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today the opening of Andaz Shanghai, introducing its vibrant lifestyle brand Andaz to Asia. The newly constructed 28-story hotel is located in Xintiandi, a landmark entertainment area in the heart of downtown Shanghai and a short walk to the Metro and Huai Hai Zong Road, one of the city's main shopping areas.

The Xintiandi neighborhood, on the edge of the former French Concession, retains the antique walls, tiles and façades of the traditional shikumen (stone-gate) houses of old Shanghai, while the interiors showcase prestigious modern brands, fashion boutiques, stylish restaurants and bars, creating a landmark destination that combines the historical and cultural identities of the city.

Inspired by dynamic and distinctive surroundings, Andaz Shanghai is devoted to providing highly personalized, uncomplicated service in an atmosphere that fully embraces the best of Shanghai and allows guests to experience it authentically.

Guestrooms, Facilities and Architecture

Andaz Shanghai features 307 spacious guestrooms, including 47 premier rooms and suites, ranging in size from 850 to 2,000 square feet (80 to 193 square meters), all enjoying vibrant views over Xintiandi or the city. In an effort to make a stay as uncomplicated as possible, all non-alcoholic mini bar drinks and all-day light snacks in the Andaz Lounge are complimentary, as are local telephone calls and wireless Internet access.

Mood lighting has been used to impressive effect: LED lighting on the ceiling allows guests to choose the color and mood of their room, while, in the bathroom, where the walls resemble a roughly hewn rock face, the transparent sink and translucent bath can also be programmed to glow in different colors.

"Andaz Shanghai sets a new standard for modern, high-rise buildings in historic urban districts in its innovative design, diverse program mix, and connection to surrounding context. Synthesizing old and new, the hotel responds sensitively with a warm-gray stone cladding and low-rise podiums that engage the historic neighborhood at street level, while at the same time, the project's powerful architectural form and high-end amenities embody the dynamism of modern-day cosmopolitan Shanghai," said Joshua Chaiken, design principal, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the architecture design firm for the hotel. "Andaz Shanghai conveys a fashionable sensibility that extends and further develops the character of the historic Xintiandi."

Restaurants and Bars

Restaurants and bars at Andaz Shanghai showcase the vibrant local neighborhood and adhere to the "market-to-table" philosophy of offering fresh, seasonal local produce. The accompanying wine lists offer the best of boutique vintners and include international selections.

The Andaz Lounge is the heartbeat of the hotel, a casual, all-day space where guests and visitors can congregate for a convivial drink or snack. The signature drink in the Andaz Lounge is the Kir Royale, made with original crème de cassis liqueur from France.

Adjacent to Andaz Lounge is Éclair, a patisserie which, as the name suggests, specializes in the classic French pastry, as well as freshly baked breads, cakes, homemade ice cream and refreshing drinks.

The main dining and wining outlet in the hotel is Hai Pai (a local phrase meaning "modern Shanghainese spirit"), which is a four-level hub positioned to become Shanghai's premier dining and entertaining destination housing two restaurants, a bar and private dining rooms, which cast a beckoning, welcoming light across the surrounding streets.

With terrace views overlooking Xintiandi, the restaurant aspires to be a friendly, neighborhood eatery offering unpretentious Shanghainese and French comfort food. Four private dining rooms with seating for six to 16 people, are available for guests who prefer privacy, and in these rooms, tailor-made menus can be offered for special occasions.

Events

Three floors of sophisticated event space provide unique venues for meetings, social occasions, fashion shows and weddings.

Three Meeting Andaz Studios measuring from 538 sq ft (50 sq m) to 1,119 sq ft (104 sq m) are ideal for intimate meetings or events, while the 5,845 sq ft (543 sq m) Ballroom can hold cocktail receptions for 460 people or cater to 300 guests for banquets.

At the end of the year, the residential-style Andaz Garden Studio will open, featuring fourevent rooms and a spectacular Glass Pavilion surrounded by water - an ideal "wedding chapel" or red-carpet event space - and two organically shaped outdoor terraces. From the Glass Pavilion, a glass elevator will descend directly into the Ballroom, creating a dramatic entrance for a VIP or wedding couple.

Recreation

Andaz Shanghai offers more than 23,000 square feet (2,200 square meters) of relaxation facilities, featuring a translucent indoor pool, which glows with internal LED lighting and a 24-hour gym with the latest cardio workout equipment to help drive away stress and enable guests to stay fit while traveling.

Opening at a later stage, Optime Spa, like its legendary city, will draw on both old and new, paying homage to proven Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) methods while adopting the best of modern holistic and wellness practices to offer cutting-edge, anti-aging and results-oriented treatments.

Art

The artwork at Andaz Shanghai - all by artists with a strong connection to the city - was selected around the theme of "Collective New Media Art," referencing the hotel's unique location, and exploring themes of past and present, new and old, deconstruction and reconstruction. The artwork aims to challenge the conventions of art in a hotel space and break down boundaries for visual experiences, allowing guests not only to observe, but also to interact with pieces. The diverse mixed media used, from LED lighting to sensors and from video projections to recycled materials, combine to create an eclectic and refreshingly unconventional collection.

"We look forward to introducing the Andaz brand to Asia and welcoming guests to experience our personal, flexible, authentic hospitality first hand," said Wilson Lee, general manager of the hotel. "Andaz Shanghai is for people who want to truly discover the city while enjoying all the comforts of a leading international hotel brand. We want our guests to experience Shanghai and our hotel the way they want to, while we are doing everything we can to cater to their andaz."

Andaz Hotels

Global in scale while local in perspective, Andaz delivers an innovative hospitality experience and attentive, uncomplicated service designed to accommodate guests' personal preferences. Hotels in this unique collection reflect the spirit of their locale and are dedicated to creating natural and vibrant living spaces where travelers can indulge in their own personal sense of comfort and style.

Hyatt's Andaz brand has earned a devout following among global travelers since its introduction in 2007, and has developed a reputation for delivering opportunities for guests and neighbors to engage in creative inspiration, most recently with the launch of the Andaz Salon. A regular series of events and discussions to be held at every Andaz hotel under the guidance of a unique event host, the Andaz Salon gives guests an experience of seeing the local scene through the eyes of leading cultural arbiters.

Andaz hotels kicked off the Andaz Salon series by focusing on the following themes: culinary and cocktails, performance and fine arts, and fashion. Each salon will reflect a hotel's local culture and creative landscape. In addition to on-property cultural events, the Andaz Salon can be experienced on the road on the Andaz Facebook page, which is designed to connect and inspire creativity digitally. In the future, salons will also focus on music, the written word and other themes.

With locations in London, New York, San Diego, West Hollywood, and now Shanghai, the brand is gaining a foothold in the key gateway cities where its guests travel. Additionally, Andaz hotels are under development in Amsterdam, Netherlands; Papagayo, Costa Rica; Providenciales, Turks and Caicos; Delhi, India; Sanya Sunny Bay, China; and Maui, Hawaii.

For more information and reservations, visit www.andaz.com.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a proud heritage of making guests feel more than welcome. Thousands of members of the Hyatt family strive to make a difference in the lives of the guests they encounter every day by providing authentic hospitality. The Company's subsidiaries manage, franchise, own and develop hotels and resorts under the Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Placeand Hyatt Summerfield Suitesbrand names and have locations on six continents. Hyatt Summerfield Suites is being rebranded as Hyatt House. Hyatt Residential Group, Inc., a Hyatt Hotels Corporation subsidiary, develops, operates, markets or licenses Hyatt Residencesand Hyatt Vacation Club,which is changing its name to Hyatt Residence Club. As of June 30, 2011, the Company's worldwide portfolio consisted of 456 properties in 44 countries. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include statements about our plans, strategies, financial performance, prospects or future events and involve known and unknown risks that are difficult to predict. As a result, our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the rate and pace of economic recovery following the recent economic downturn; levels of spending in business and leisure segments as well as consumer confidence; declines in occupancy and average daily rate; hostilities, including future terrorist attacks, or fear of hostilities that affect travel; travel-related accidents; changes in the tastes and preferences of our customers; relationships with associates and labor unions and changes in labor law; the financial condition of, and our relationships with, third-party property owners, franchisees and hospitality venture partners; risk associated with potential acquisitions and dispositions and the introduction of new brand concepts; changes in the competitive environment in our industry and the markets where we operate; outcomes of legal proceedings; changes in federal, state, local or foreign tax law; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; general volatility of the capital markets and our ability to access the capital markets. A more complete description of these risks and uncertainties can be found in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts - Corporate Office
Katie Rackoff, 312-780-5361
katie.rackoff@hyatt.com
or
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts - Asia Pacific
Daniella Wu, 852-2768-1271
daniella.wu@hyatt.com