The first Hyatt Regency will open in Rome in 2025

"Tourism in Italy is experiencing a strong recovery and the market represents an extraordinary growth opportunity for Hyatt, both through organic development and through major acquisitions and collaborations" Javier Águila, president of the Hyatt Group Europe, Middle East and Africa, interviewed by Il Sole 24 Ore, tells us that in 2025 "the opening of the first Hyatt Regency in Italy, in Rome, is planned and represents an important milestone in the overall strategy. We are excited to expand our brand's presence in the country, contributing to the strengthening of its luxury segment. We believe there are great opportunities for growth in Italy's major urban areas, where there is already a Hyatt hotel, and in secondary destinations, where we are looking to open new properties, enhancing Italy's unique attractions. Our goal is to become the brand of reference for local and international travellers". And looking at upcoming opportunities, Águila mentions Sicily, Sardinia and Puglia, but also Naples and Genoa, Turin and Bologna.

As anticipated last spring to the existing 200 facilities, another 75 will be added in the coming years, 14 in the current year. Among the new additions in 2025 is a Roman one, which will breathe new life into what was once the Radisson Blu, close to the railway line near Roma Termini. Within the next two years, again in the capital, another hotel in the Hyatt Hotels galaxy will also reach the finishing line: on Via delle Botteghe Oscure (the historic headquarters of the Italian Communist Party) the Thompson Rome will open, the brand's second in Europe after the Thompson Madrid, which opened in 2022.

Five new Hyatt hotels have opened in Italy since 2019, quadrupling the number of rooms in the market. There are six properties in five cities: The Tornabuoni Hotel, which is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, in Florence, 7Pines Resort Sardinia, which is part of Destination by Hyatt, in Baja Sardinia and The Tribune, which is part of JdV by Hyatt, in Rome (all part of Hyatt's Independent Collection), Hyatt Centric Murano Venice in Murano, Hyatt Centric Milano Centrale in Milan and Park Hyatt Milan. "
"The next one in Rome will be the seventh," says president Javier Águila, "and in the next five years we expect to triple the number.

The Hyatt Regency Roma Termini revisits a structure designed by architects Jeremy King and Riccardo Roselli in the early 2000s, featuring an extraordinary rooftop with an outdoor pool, bar and restaurant with terrace. In addition to 238 rooms, the hotel has more than 1,000 square metres of versatile meeting and event space, with large conference rooms that can be divided into several rooms, all with natural light, and indoor and outdoor foyers offering great flexibility for meetings and exhibitions. Partners in the project are Garnet Hospitality Partners, as management company, and Investire Sgr, owner of the property.

"In 2024," says the chairman, "we have opened more than 10 hotels in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, including highly anticipated properties such as the Hyatt Regency Harare The Meikles, our first entry into the Zimbabwean market, the Park Hyatt Marrakech, the Park Hyatt London River Thames and the Dreams Madeira Resort Spa & Marina, our first resort in Portugal. And we still plan to open several new properties in the coming months, including Hyatt Centric Malta and Hyatt Centric Cairo West." The current portfolio in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, understood as hotels already signed and not yet opened, comprises more than 70 properties and approximately 16 thousand rooms. "About 20 per cent of our portfolio in Europe, Asia and the Middle East is lifestyle and 23 per cent is leisure," comments Águila.