CHICAGO — Hyatt announced this week plans to grow The Unbound Collection in the Americas, including new openings, brand transitions, and development. The brand, which launched in 2016, currently includes more than 20 hotels worldwide, with additional properties slated to open in the next two years, including Hotel Kansas City and Mar Monte Hotel in Santa Barbara, Calif.
“Because Hyatt’s efforts are grounded in listening and fueled by care, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand has a unique position within the Hyatt portfolio, as each property has the opportunity to tell its own story,” said Heather Geisler, senior vice president of global brands, Hyatt. “As we continue to see the brand thoughtfully grow across the globe, we are excited to watch each story unfold, further driving brand loyalty to travelers looking for experiences unlike any other.”
The historic Chicago Athletic Association in Chicago’s business and cultural district joined The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand in November 2019. The property was restored from a 19th-century athletic club into a hotel in 2015, with the purpose of returning the building to Chicagoans following 125 years of members-only access. Today, the 241-room “urban playground” offers seven food & beverage outlets—including the Prohibition-era microbar Milk Room, Game Room, James Beard Award-winning Cherry Circle Room, and Cindy’s, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant and bar 13 stories above Millennium Park. The Chicago Athletic Association hotel also offers more than 150 events as part of its annual programming, ranging from pop-up roller skating nights in the hotel’s vintage gym to hands-on cocktail workshops with in-house experts.
Carmel Valley Ranch, a 500-acre, all-suite resort in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains on California’s Monterey Peninsula, joined The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand in January 2020. Unveiled as part of the resort’s 2019 reimagination, Carmel Valley Ranch offers a variety of interactive adventures including artisanal cheesemaking workshops at The Creamery, wine and cheese tastings at The Market, falconry, hatchet throwing, guided walks through its vineyard and gardens, and more. The property also includes Spa Aiyana and a signature restaurant, Valley Kitchen.
Mar Monte Hotel, located minutes from downtown Santa Barbara and between the Santa Ynez range and Santa Barbara beach, is set to join the collection in Spring 2020, rebranding from Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara after an extensive renovation. The 200-room hotel has been reimagined to establish a style of contemporary Santa Barbara with classic Spanish-influenced design. The property will include the beachside Costa restaurant, the poolside Café Lido, and social spaces including The Yard, The Living Room, and Oceanfront Terrace, which will be adjacent to the lobby and offer wine tastings and spaces for guest gatherings.
Two additional properties within The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand that are set to open in the United States in 2020 and 2021, respectively, include the 144-room restored landmark property, Hotel Kansas City, and a 64-room boutique hotel in Hollywood, Calif. Both properties are currently being restored to their original beginnings, with a focus on architectural details.
Globally, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand expanded its footprint in 2019, with the reintroduction of Hotel du Louvre, after completing a property-wide renovation in June 2019. In December 2019, the brand also debuted in the U.K. with the opening of Great Scotland Yard on the site of the former headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. Expected to reopen in summer 2020 is Hotel du Palais Biarritz, a palace built by Napoleon III for his wife Eugenia de Montijo. In addition, the latest development agreements within The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand include plans for Hotel La Compañia in Panama City, Panama, which is expected to open in 2021 and will be located in Casco Viejo (Spanish for “Old Quarter”), a UNESCO World Heritage site.
