| Hyatt Corporation opened its first hotel on September 27, 1957. Today, there are 207 Hyatt Hotels and Resorts around the world, which are managed by two separate groups of companies. Subsidiaries of Hyatt International Corporation operate 61 hotels and 24 resorts in 39 countries, with an additional 17 hotels under development. Hyatt Hotels Corporation, a separate company, and its subsidiaries operate, lease and franchise 122 hotels and resorts in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.
Hyatt's first property at Los Angeles International Airport was originally named Hyatt House. The owner of Hyatt House was a local entrepreneur by the name of Hyatt R. von Dehn. Hyatt hotels expanded aggressively along the West Coast during the next decade. However, it wasn't until 1967, when Hyatt opened the world's first atrium hotel that the Hyatt name became known worldwide. The hotel's 21-story atrium tower lobby and dramatic departure from traditional hotel architecture changed the course of the lodging industry. The challenge to hotel architects was no longer to eliminate extra space; rather, to create grand, wide-open public spaces. |
