Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga marks the first Hyatt Place hotel in the Middle East

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2014-- Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) and wasl Hospitality, a subsidiary of wasl Asset Management, today announced the opening of Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga, the first Hyatt Place hotel in the Middle East and the fourth Hyatt-branded hotel in Dubai.

The Gallery at Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga (Photo: Business Wire)

The opening of the 210-room hotel marks a significant milestone for the Hyatt Place brand as it continues to expand outside the United States. Hyatt Place hotels have recently opened in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, India, Mexico, Armenia, and The Netherlands, as well as throughout the United States.

“We are delighted to introduce the Hyatt Place brand to yet another part of the world with Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga, and to provide travelers with more Hyatt-branded hotel options when visiting Dubai. We believe that both business and leisure travelers will embrace the high-tech, stylish design that seamlessly meets 24/7 lifestyle requirements,” said Pablo Graf , senior vice president of operations, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Southwest Asia.

“The opening of this hotel further strengthens our relationship with Hyatt, which currently includes three of wasl’s properties, including Park Hyatt Dubai, Grand Hyatt Dubai and Hyatt Regency Dubai,” said Chief Executive Officer Hesham Al Qassim , wasl Asset Management Group. “The Hyatt Place brand offers an innovative service concept and a modern design that we believe will be very successful in Dubai and throughout the Middle East. wasl remains committed to providing affordable and modern accommodation and facilities to cater to Dubai’s increasing demand for mid-range tourism in the years leading up to EXPO 2020.”

About Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga

Located in the culturally rich and bustling Al Muraqabat neighborhood in the dynamic district of Deira, Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga provides a refreshing choice for business and leisure travelers visiting Dubai. The hotel is in close proximity to the city’s historic attractions including dhow boat cruises, bustling souqs and museums and the fashionable downtown district with world-class dining, shops and galleries.

Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga offers:

• 210 roomy rooms, all of which feature a swiveling 42-inch HDTV, plush Hyatt Grand Bed® and Cozy Corner with sectional sofa-sleeper
• Free Wi-Fi everywhere
• Free Gallery Kitchen Breakfast for guests served daily, featuring hot breakfast items, a variety of fresh fruits, hot and cold cereal, yogurt, breads, premium coffee and an assortment of juices
• More than 2,500 square feet of flexible, high-tech meeting/function space
• 24/7 Gallery Menu serving made-to-order entrees and apps around the clock
• A Coffee to Cocktails Bar featuring specialty coffees, premium house beverages and cocktails
• A Gallery Café featuring sit-down dining for lunch and dinner hours

Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga is part of a mixed use development established by wasl properties, making it the latest addition to wasl’s portfolio of hotels. The project is in line with the United Arab Emirates’ new government directives/policies to develop mid-range hotels in an effort to diversify Dubai’s hospitality and tourism offering.

Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga Leadership

Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga is under the leadership of General Manager Vishal Mehra and Director of Sales Pranav Vohra . In his role, Mehra is directly responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the hotel, including overseeing the hotel’s associates and ensuring guests encounter the purposeful service for which Hyatt Place is known. Vohra is responsible for providing sales service and support to travelers and meeting planners frequenting the Dubai area.

“Dubai is a charming and culturally rich city that provides a unique business and leisure environment for its visitors, and we are proud to be opening Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga,” said General Manager Vishal Mehra , Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga. “Our business and leisure guests demand high-tech, stylish hotels that cater seamlessly to their 24/7 lifestyles, and that is what Hyatt Place delivers.”

About Hyatt Place

Launched in 2006, the Hyatt Place brand brings to the upscale select service hotel category the authentic hospitality for which Hyatt is known. Inspired by multitasking travelers’ 24/7 lifestyle, Hyatt Place hotels combine style with casual hospitality. Featuring spacious guestrooms with the Cozy Corner, free Wi-Fi, the 24/7 Gallery Menu, Coffee to Cocktails Bar, and free hot breakfast with your stay. The Odds & Ends program also has guests covered with items they may have forgot and can buy, borrow or enjoy for free. Specially trained Gallery Hosts are on hand to offer assistance with everything from directions to check-in to a freshly made meal.

Hyatt Place, a brand of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, offers more than 195 locations in the United States, Armenia, Costa Rica, India, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Netherlands. For Hyatt Place information or to make a reservation, call 1-888-HYATT-HP (888-492-8847) or visit www.hyattplace.com.

About wasl Asset Management Group

wasl Asset Management Group, one of the largest real estate management companies in Dubai, was established by the Dubai Real Estate Corporation (DREC) in 2008 to oversee the management of its assets and grow its real estate portfolio. Through its three subsidiaries; wasl properties, wasl hospitality and dubai golf; wasl operates in various real estate, lifestyle, leisure, hospitality, and business sectors. wasl’s main objective is to strengthen Dubai’s position as the premier hub to live and work in and at the same time be the ultimate destination for tourists.

For further information please visit: www.wasl.ae.

About wasl Hospitality

wasl Hospitality manages a portfolio of several hotels and over 2,200 rooms. The Dubai-based portfolio includes three Hyatt-branded hotels, including the award-winning Grand Hyatt Dubai, Hyatt Regency Dubai and Park Hyatt Dubai, and four under Starwood Hotels and Resorts including Le Méridien Dubai, Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, Le Méridien Fairway in addition to Jumeirah Zabeel Saray and the Westin Dubai Beach Resort & Marina. wasl also owns the Grand Cineplex movie theater complex located adjacent to Grand Hyatt Dubai, and acts as the Owner’s representative to oversee the management of Dusit Thani Dubai hotel.

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 Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Zilara™ and Hyatt Ziva ™ brand names and have locations on six continents. Hyatt Residential Group, Inc., a Hyatt Hotels Corporation subsidiary, develops, operates, markets or licenses Hyatt Residences® and Hyatt Residence Club®. As of March 31, 2014, the Company's worldwide portfolio consisted of 554 properties in 47 countries. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-Looking 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. 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 economic downturns; levels of spending in business and leisure segments as well as consumer confidence; declines in occupancy and average daily rate; if our third-party owners, franchisees or development partners are unable to access the capital necessary to fund current operations or implement our plans for growth; changes in the competitive environment in our industry and the markets where we operate; our ability to access the capital markets; and other risks discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which filings are available from the SEC. 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.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation or one or more of its affiliates.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140505006434/en/

Source: Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Siân Martin
+1 312 780 5797
sian.martin@hyatt.com
or
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts – Southwest Asia
Yasmin Poonegar
+971 50 1891 262
yasmin.poonegar@hyatt.com