PEOPLE CENTRIC

BT: Hyatt has many great lifestyle brands including Andaz in cities around the world. What makes Hyatt Centric different?

GEISLER: Hyatt Centric is a Millennial-minded brand that is meant to be found in the heart of the happening neighborhoods. The goal is to put guests at the center of the action to see, taste and explore everything a city has to offer, and the concierge staff – often young and connected with the community – are familiar with the latest and greatest happening around the city. We want it to be the launch pad for an entertaining experience in the city whether that is the main focus of your visit or during your free time before or after meetings.

BT: Since the properties are located in business, yet bustling, neighborhoods, business travelers are an important focus. What amenities will these travelers find in rooms?

GEISLER: We have designed the rooms to be as user-friendly as possible, and designers took a Millennialminded approach of including everything they need and nothing they don’t when crafting each space. This means that rooms have large dining tables that double as desks with power outlets within easy reach. Bedside USB and power outlets are standard as well as night lights that are motion sensitive beneath the bed. All rooms come with free bottled water, Bluetooth-enabled electronics, laptop-sized safes, irons and ironing boards, and espresso machines.

BT: You conducted a lot of research to ensure that the hotels addressed “pain points” for travelers. Tell us about some of those.

GEISLER: We heard from many travelers that hotel hairdryers are never of decent quality. We partnered with Dry Bar to provide salon-quality blow dryers in the bathrooms. Toiletries are all-natural from BeeKind, and glass shower stalls have specially designed handles that allow you to turn on the water and adjust the temperature without getting wet. We have also removed the clutter from hallways. Housekeeping teams – they visit twice daily – use compact, hand luggage-style trollies that wheel into the room to keep public areas sleek and free from unsightly carts piled high with dirty towels.

BT: Food and beverage factors into the Hyatt Centric brand. What does this mean for travelers? GEISLER: We know that guests are busy when traveling for work, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t eat well even if at the hotel. Our restaurants are designed to attract locals to the hotel and often have wellknown local chefs while our lounge and bar spaces are meant to draw in those in the neighborhood once the sun starts to set.

BT: There are 22 Hyatt Centric properties in major cities including three in South America – Montevideo, Santiago, and Lima. What are the growth plans going forward?

GEISLER: At the moment, there are 15 in the pipeline for the next two years with more in the works.