antonius66

I've been advocating for buying Radisson as well for a while. I would have liked to see both honestly. That would have made Hyatt a dominant European player.

Fabo.sk

Damn. This had made me sooo excited.

I've just been in a Hyatt property in Paris, and it's reminded me why I love the brand so much.

Massive shame they have so little footprint in Europe. I'd love to give them more love... and if they took over NH, that would have been possible.

ElmhurstNick

Aww, too bad. I stayed at the NH Collection in Donostia this year. Solid European 4*, would fit in with or slightly better than the Hyatt Centric level properties.

christianj

Just because we complain about a lack of status benefits or similar things at lower end properties.....it doesn't mean that it would not make sense to purchase NH from a Hyatt corporate perspective or that it would not make sense to buy a chain where not all of the properties are up to snuff with Hyatt. As long as the purchase works from a numbers perspective for them it likely is something they will consider. They probably are not sitting in a room looking at a purchase thinking of how their WoH members are going to feel about the benefits they are going to give at those properties. Footprint expansion can't be bad IMHO. Just think of all the complaining when they raised the elite qualifications under WoH and people said it was impossible due to the limited footprint.

notquiteaff

craigthemif

Corporately speaking it doesn't really work. Limited synergies to strip out - you can fire everybody in Spain but then spend more to manage the business from Chicago. Cultural differences to figure out. Limited value of selling the "NH" brand to new franchisees in the US / Asia. You be banking on some unquantifiable rush of Americans now staying at NH hotels in Europe instead of elsewhere.

It isn't easy to make the numbers work for takeovers, unless the CEO is simply empire building...

antonius66

Well Hyatt made it clear they wanted to buy it and thought it would be a good value. Appears only reason they aren't is because Minor owns almost half the company now, making it impractical.

notquiteaff

I guess instead those Americans now have to rush to Arizona and Texas to stay at a transcendent destination where "nurturing specialists curate mindful experiences to help them discover their best self" (https://www.miravalresorts.com/resorts/)

CHOPCHOP767

I beg to differ here. Cheapening the brand can be very problematic both from a consumer's perspective and a shareholder's perspective. Look at Tiffany & Co.

Fortunately, most of my travel these days is to NYC and DC, so I'm covered there; however, I do still travel for work to much more remote places where it's Residence Inns, Four Points, Hamptons, and HPs. Merely adding foot print a la HP isn't going to convince me to book with WoH. First, some of them are real dogs... real dogs. Second, as you correctly pointed out, both Hilton and Starriott do maintain a large portfolio of brands. But, chances are that portfolio in a single location will include both a full service Marriott/Westin/Sheraton and perhaps a JW or an RC as well as Fairfields, RIs, etc. With WoH, you often don't have that choice.

So yes, additional properties in Europe would have been welcome, but given the choice between a mediocre property affiliated with WoH or HHonors or Starriott for that matter, and an unaffiliated luxury property, I'll take the luxury property.

christianj

How are you cheapening the brand if you buy a portfolio and continue to operate the hotels that don't meet your brand requirements under a different banner? Hasn't virtually every hotel chain done this over history?

I would take the luxury property as well but you and I are not the reason they were looking to buy the portfolio.

If Marriott could do it with AC why couldn't Hyatt do it with NH? I don't think anyone on FT would have thought that Marriott would ever sell the AC brand to new franchisees in the US/Asia either but they sure are popping up now all over the US now with close to 50 properties.

CHOPCHOP767

Admittedly, I zero experience with the NH brand, so this is pure speculation based upon my consumption of WoH products. But, let's say you were in San Diego, CA and stayed at either the Andaz or the Grand Manchester. Both excellent properties IMHO. Then, you have to go exurban Richmond, VA and you stay at the HP Chester. The HP is Chester is one of those dogs, btw. Based on my experience with the HP, I would be less likely to use WoH properties having experienced the wide disparity in quality. I think of it kind like buying wines. I know I can't go wrong with Duckhorn, but I'm a bit more hesitant to try new offerings from other California vintners. So, yes, Hyatt would have the Park Hyatt Zurich and Vienna, but they'd also have some 3 star NH hotel.


You're right, fair point.

I avoid ACs because they have no worthwhile benefits for Plats and they tend to be pretty mediocre. But, again, fair point.

59Impala

notquiteaff

CHOPCHOP767

The silver lining for WoH loyalists is that Hyatt seems to recognize the imperative that is growth. I'd consider them as a viable alternative to Starriott if they were able to achieve this feat with Radisson, especially the Radisson Blu brand.

vudoosj

NH at LYS ^