The original Park Hyatt gets a new life, Nashville goes luxe and other hotel news you missed in June
The heat is here, the sun is shining and hotels around the world are buzzing with guests as people travel despite the complications of this sold-out summer.
In June, there was a lot of hotel news to tell you about, like how Aman, which is opening up in Manhattan in August (at least that's what they say!), is also setting up shop in Beverly Hills in 2027. And we shared how the U.S. dropping its entry COVID-19 testing would affect summer travel — and your next hotel stay.
At the start of June, my fellow hotel reporter, Cameron Sperance, and I went to a hospitality conference in New York City and heard firsthand what the CEOs of major hotel chains such as Hilton, Hyatt and Marriot think about daily housekeeping and mini bottles of shampoo.
Let's just say, their opinions haven't changed since the last time we asked them about it.
But between all of those stories, there were plenty of others that we've been excited to share. From new hotel openings to the conversion of one of Washington, D.C.'s most contentious hotels, here's the hotel news you might have missed in June.
Hi, Park Hyatt
If you didn't know, the Park Hyatt Chicago was the very first one in the collection, and it opened more than 40 years ago on Chicago's Magnificent Mile.
Now, four decades later, the hotel is reopening after closing for a $60 million renovation that added 23 new suites plus entirely new categories of suites, an updated lobby, updated dining and drinking venues and a refreshed spa. In June, the Park Hyatt Chicago started accepting reservations for July 1 and beyond.
On the other side of the world in South Africa, Hyatt shared the exciting news that the Park Hyatt brand has found a new home in Johannesburg. Set to open early next year, the Winston Hotel in the Rosebank suburb will be converted into the Park Hyatt Johannesburg following a refurbishment of the 30-room property.
If you can't wait until early 2023 to visit Africa's newest Park Hyatt, you could plan a trip now to the Park Hyatt Zanzibar for a taste of luxury right on the water.
Music City turns up the volume on luxury
Everyone's always talking about their trip to Nashville, and why wouldn't they be after eating incredible barbecue, bar-hopping downtown and maybe even hitting a show at the Ryman Auditorium?
Now, a new set of ultra-luxury hotels has everyone talking about how Nashville is growing up a little.
In June, the Conrad Nashville opened up in a slightly less rowdy part of the city, away from the honkey-tonks and hustle and bustle of Lower Broadway.
This luxe new hotel gives Hilton Honors members an exciting new place to earn and redeem points. It was also the first of the city's new high-profile luxury hotels to open in the city this year.
Back downtown, the Four Seasons Nashville is now taking reservations for stays starting in November, though the hotel is expected to open sooner, maybe as early as September. When it does, the Four Seasons Nashville will likely be the fanciest — and most expensive — hotel in town. It'll introduce Mimo Restaurant and Bar, an Italian restaurant with Southern flair, to Nashville's vibrant culinary scene, along with 193 rooms and 42 suites.
Related: 10 cool Nashville hotels to consider for your next trip to Music City
Nearly 85% of Hilton hotels are pet-friendly
I love to travel, but I hate leaving my 2-year-old corgi behind.
Thankfully, Hilton is once again doubling down on its efforts to help pet owners travel easier. To do that, Hilton and its partner, Mars Petcare, are expanding the partnership they launched last year.
Now at Canopy, Embassy Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton, Tru Homewood Suites and Home2 Suites, pet owners in the U.S. and Canada can get virtual support from Mars Petcare via an online service that can help answer questions related to travel. The feature is now available at 4,600 hotels.
InterContinental everywhere
InterContinental is a classic, storied brand that changed everything we knew about hotels back in its heyday. Now, the brand is roaring back to life with a slew of announcements of new hotels in some pretty exciting places.
In 2025, InterContinental Penang Resort will open its doors on a beautiful beach in Teluk Bahang, Malaysia. The company broke ground in June on the InterContinental Grenada Resort, set to bring 150 rooms and 30 suites to La Sagesse Beach, also set to open in 2025.
Other new openings planned include the InterContinental Tirana in Albania in 2025 and the InterContinental Tashkent opening later this year in Uzbekistan.
IHG joins forces with Unilever
As I mentioned before, hotel CEOs have a lot to say about miniature bottles in bathrooms. Back in 2019, IHG made a commitment to remove all miniature bottles as part of its pledge to eliminate single-use items by 2023.
Now, the company has announced that large bottles of Dove shampoo, conditioner, body wash and hand soap will be placed in all bathrooms at IHG's Essentials and Suites collections, including Holiday Inn Express, Avid Hotels, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.
A pooch got treated to a dream hotel stay
Last but certainly not least, meet Shillow, a stray dog found by Christy Graham of Christy's Critters Pet Sitting in Savannah, Georgia.
Shillow, in need of some serious tender love and care, was given a head-to-toe makeover by Dapper Dan's Dog Grooming and then treated to a VIP hotel stay at the pet-friendly hotel The Alida.
During the stay, Shillow was treated to berry-infused water, a day of relaxing in a poolside cabana, plenty of toys and treats, a luxury meal at the restaurant Rhett (chicken with celery and carrot puree and a dessert of maple-bacon creme brulee topped with dog treat crumble) and even a "pupjito" made with water, muddled strawberries and a dash of mint.
Shillow is now up for adoption at the Coastal Pet Rescue but, to be honest, we think she should get a full-time job being the official pup greeter at The Alida.
In other news
- Trump DC hotel reopens as a Waldorf Astoria — but be ready to pay up
- Dolly Parton just turned her glittery tour bus into the ultimate Tennessee hotel suite
- You can now earn Marriott Bonvoy points and elite nights by renting houses in Australia and New Zealand
- IHG joins Marriott and Hyatt in cutting ties with Russian hotels
- Carbon monoxide poisoning and Legionnaires’: Why hotel guests have more legal options this time around than with COVID-19
- The Ned arrives in New York: An early look at Soho House’s sister brand
- Choice Hotels plans to acquire Radisson’s Americas operation for $675 million
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.