As Hyatt continues brand growth in Africa, Park Hyatt brand debuts on beachfront in historic center and UNESCO Heritage Site in Stone Town

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced the opening of Park Hyatt Zanzibar, marking the first ever Hyatt hotel on the idyllic East African island and the 36th Park Hyatt hotel worldwide. Park Hyatt Zanzibar reflects the intimate and understated elegance of the Park Hyatt brand while embracing the rich culture, heritage and historical significance of Zanzibar’s unique Stone Town.

Park Hyatt Zanzibar is situated on the beachfront in Stone Town, the historical center of the city and a designated UNESCO Heritage site. As the cultural heart of Zanzibar, little has changed in Stone Town over the last 200 years. The town’s unique blend of Arabic and African cultural influences originate from the 19th century when Zanzibar Island served as a center for the trade of spices. During this period, Zanzibar, also known as the “Spice Island,” was the most important trading hub along the east coast of Africa. Today, the streets of Stone Town are filled with rich aromas of spices, perfumes and local handcrafts.

Park Hyatt Zanzibar is housed in two buildings, one of them Mambo Msiige, a UNESCO heritage building steeped in history, grace and mystique with roots dating back to the 17th century. Mambo Msiige is a typical Zanzibari mansion and an architectural gem, featuring intricate carvings and centered around a peaceful courtyard. The name alone meaning “not to be copied or imitated,” embraces true uniqueness. The new and purposefully built Zamani Residence of the hotel connects to Mambo Msiige, blending old history and contemporary charm, while embracing Swahili culture with a blend of Arab, Persian, Indian and European influences.

“We are delighted to be bringing the Park Hyatt brand to the culturally and historically rich island of Zanzibar, and in particular, to be housing the hotel within Mambo Msiige, a building of such extraordinary significance,” said Marcela Herrendoerfer, General Manager of Park Hyatt Zanzibar. “The Park Hyatt brand is committed to creating rare, intimate and unforgettable experiences, and we are thrilled to have our doors open and welcome guests from around the world to this very special location.”

Park Hyatt Zanzibar provides the ultimate haven amongst Stone Town’s labyrinth of winding alleys, bustling markets, mosques and famed Zanzibari doors, featuring magnificent ornate wooden carvings. The town’s key attractions are easily accessible by foot from the hotel’s ideal location, including Forodhani Gardens, the Old Fort, the Old Dispensary, the Peace Memorial Museum, the Palace Museum and the House of Wonders.

Guestrooms

Park Hyatt Zanzibar features 67 spacious guest rooms, including 11 suites. Oceanfront rooms feature spectacular views of Dhow Harbour and the Indian Ocean. A perfect blend of contemporary style, modern technology, timeless regional accents and sheer luxury, all guestrooms reflect the Park Hyatt brand’s intimate elegance, providing an ideal place to stay for discerning business and leisure travelers.

Dining

Park Hyatt Zanzibar’s Zamani Residence offers a unique dining concept, featuring a range of authentic cuisines catering to all tastes. Zamani Residence includes a Library with Veranda, a Living Room and a Dining Room with an outdoor terrace, and a residential style kitchen, allowing guests to dine in a variety of different spaces. The hotel’s Pool Lounge specializes in local fish dishes complemented with traditional western sandwiches and salads.

Recreation

For those in search of rest and relaxation, guests are able to retreat to the tranquil sanctity of the hotel’s Anantara Spa and indulge in a selection of body treatments, massages and personal services within the spa’s hair salon. Guests can also enjoy the exclusive oceanfront infinity pool and a fully equipped fitness center featuring state-of-the-art cardio and strength training facilities.

Meeting & Events

Park Hyatt Zanzibar offers more than 1,700 square feet of flexible meeting and event facilities, accommodating anything from discrete board meetings and small, intimate social occasions to elegant cocktail receptions, sophisticated weddings and stylish state functions. All meeting and events rooms offer the latest audiovisual equipment and individually adjustable air-conditioning.

There are currently five Hyatt hotels open throughout Africa, including Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh Resort, Hyatt Regency Casablanca, Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam The Kilamanjaro, Hyatt Regency Johannesburg, and Park Hyatt Zanzibar. There are currently four hotels under development, including Hyatt Regency Arusha, Park Hyatt Marrakech, Hyatt Place Taghazout in Morocco, and Hyatt Dakar in Senegal.

For more information on Park Hyatt Zanzibar, please visit the hotel’s website.

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

About Park Hyatt

Park Hyatt hotels provide discerning, affluent business and leisure guests with elegant and luxurious accommodation and offers them highly attentive personal service in an intimate environment. Located in several of the world's premier destinations, each Park Hyatt hotel is custom designed to combine sophistication with a distinctive regional character. Park Hyatt hotels feature well-appointed guestrooms, meeting and special event space for groups, critically acclaimed art, food and beverage programs, and signature restaurants featuring award-winning chefs.

There are currently 36 Park Hyatt hotels in the following locations: Abu Dhabi, Beaver Creek, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Busan, Canberra, Carlsbad, Changbaishan, Chennai, Chicago, Dubai, Goa, Hamburg, Hyderabad, Istanbul, Jeddah, Maldives, Melbourne, Mendoza, Milan, Moscow, New York, Ningbo, Paris, Saigon, Sanya Sunny Bay, Seoul, Shanghai, Siem Reap, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Vienna, Washington D.C., Zanzibar, and Zurich. www.parkhyatt.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 develop, own, operate, manage, franchise, license or provide services to hotels, resorts, branded residences and vacation ownership properties, including under the Hyatt®, Park Hyatt®, Andaz®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Centric™, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Zilara™, Hyatt Ziva™, Hyatt Residences® and Hyatt Residence Club® brand names and have locations on six continents. As of December 31, 2014, the Company's worldwide portfolio consisted of 587 properties in 50 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.

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Source: Hyatt Hotels Corporation