Hyatt Accelerates Expansion of Its Essentials Portfolio Across the Americas
Hyatt Accelerates Expansion of Its Essentials Portfolio Across the Americas
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has stepped up the pace of growth for its Essentials portfolio, announcing new hotel signings and strategic leadership appointments aimed at expanding its presence across the Americas. The move underlines Hyatt’s commitment to strengthening its select-service brands while meeting the evolving needs of modern travellers seeking flexible, high-quality accommodations.
Strong Momentum in 2025 with New Select-Service Deals
In 2025, Hyatt’s Essentials portfolio reached a major milestone with the signing of over 20 new Hyatt Select deals. A standout contributor to this growth has been Hyatt Studios, the company’s extended-stay brand, which has now reached 70 signed deals since its launch highlighting strong and sustained developer interest.
These signings reinforce Hyatt’s confidence in the growing demand for efficient operating models and extended-stay offerings that balance comfort, convenience and value.
New Leadership to Drive the Next Phase of Growth
To support this expansion, Hyatt announced the appointment of Jason Ballard as Global Brand Leader for the Essentials portfolio. In his new role, Ballard will oversee the growth and performance of Hyatt’s select-service brands, including Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Studios and Hyatt Select.
His focus will be on deepening market penetration, enhancing guest experiences and ensuring brand consistency as the portfolio continues to scale across new and existing markets.
Expanding Hyatt Studios and Hyatt Place Brands
Hyatt has made notable progress across both the extended-stay and select-service segments. Hyatt Studios continues to gain momentum, with its second property opening in Huntsville, Alabama, in 2025. Designed for longer stays, the brand offers upper-midscale accommodations with kitchenettes and flexible living spaces tailored to today’s travellers.
Meanwhile, Hyatt Place is expanding its international footprint with new openings planned in Mexico and Canada. Properties such as Hyatt Place Cancun Airport and Hyatt Place Merida / Via Montejo will strengthen the brand’s presence in Mexico, while Hyatt Place Toronto Airport marks an important expansion in Canada. These hotels are positioned to serve both business and leisure travellers with modern design and streamlined amenities.
Strategic Entry into New Markets
A key highlight of Hyatt’s 2025 strategy is its targeted expansion into new U.S. markets. Notably, half of the new Essentials portfolio deals signed in the United States this year are in markets where Hyatt previously had no presence.
This approach allows Hyatt to introduce its select-service brands to underserved regions, offering developers flexible development options and efficient operating models while expanding brand reach.
A Developer-Friendly Model with Hyatt Select
Hyatt’s Essentials portfolio has become an attractive platform for developers seeking scalable, cost-efficient solutions. The introduction of Hyatt Select, a conversion-friendly hotel model, enables the transformation of existing properties into contemporary accommodations suited for both short-term and extended stays.
This strategy supports faster market entry and aligns with rising demand for convenient, high-quality lodging without compromising on guest comfort.
World of Hyatt Driving Loyalty and Performance
The success of the Essentials portfolio is closely linked to the strength of the World of Hyatt loyalty programme, which now boasts over 61 million members globally. In 2025, Hyatt’s Stay More, Earn More campaign generated more than 900,000 room nights across Hyatt Place, Hyatt House and Hyatt Studios hotels.
This strong loyalty engagement continues to drive repeat stays, boost occupancies and deliver tangible value for hotel owners across the portfolio.
A Purposeful Pipeline for Future Growth
Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, Hyatt’s development pipeline for the Essentials portfolio remains robust. The company is focused on identifying high-potential markets with limited intra-brand competition, ensuring sustainable growth while maximising returns for owners.
With flexible operating models and guest-centric designs, the Essentials brands are well-positioned to capture demand from business travellers, families and extended-stay guests across the Americas.
Strengthening Hyatt’s Position in Select-Service Hospitality
Hyatt’s accelerated expansion of its Essentials portfolio reflects a clear response to growing demand for select-service and extended-stay accommodations. Backed by strategic leadership, strong developer interest and the power of the World of Hyatt programme, the company is poised for continued success.
As Hyatt continues to innovate and expand, travellers can expect greater choice and consistently high-quality stays reinforcing Hyatt’s position as a leader in the global select-service hospitality space.
