AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Hyatt Studios is the newest hotel brand to join the ranks of other extended-stay properties, with the first built-from-scratch locations originally scheduled to open by the end of 2024. However, that date has been pushed back, though other updates on Hyatt Studios include some positives and negatives, as well as details on the first two locations of this new brand and how it will participate in the World of Hyatt program.
Page Contents
What Is Hyatt Studios?
Hotel chains seem to be in a race for who can announce the most brands for ever-growing portfolios. Many of the new brands are focusing on extended-stay, home-away-from-home properties.
These cater to the location-independent entrepreneur, the digital nomad, the longer work trips, and extended vacations (both solo and family). Properties usually have separate rooms, a kitchen Preview Changes (opens in a new tab)or kitchenette, and amenities for long-term stays, such as washers and dryers, communal facilities, etc.
Competing brands include Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy and the Hilton LiveSmart brand.
Hyatt already has other select service brands in the same pricing band. Those include Hyatt House, Hyatt Place, and Caption by Hyatt. These brands each have a targeted audience. Not everyone needs a separate kitchen, a 24-hour co-working space, or a pet-friendly room.
Currently, there are over 100 Hyatt House properties and over 300 Hyatt Place properties in the U.S. There is only one Caption by Hyatt location in the U.S. so far, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Another brand in this price point is UrCove — an “upper midscale” Hyatt brand with its only locations in China.
The original press release for Hyatt Studios in 2023 stated:
“Guestrooms will marry form with function and offer suites with kitchen amenities to provide comfort during extended trips away from home. The Hyatt Studios food and beverage experience will include a complimentary grab-and-go breakfast and a best-in-class, 24-hour market with a wide variety of options to satisfy extended-stay guests – from health-conscious snacks and ready-made meals to sweet and savory staples to fulfill travel cravings, all of which can be prepared and enjoyed in the guestroom’s kitchen featuring a multi-function convection microwave.”
Details on Hyatt Studios
The best way to describe Hyatt Studios is exactly as the name implies: studio apartments in a hotel property. This appeals to a specific type of traveler. There are some interesting features mentioned, such as the combination of a kitchen for cooking your own meals plus grab-and-go breakfasts.
At launch, over 100 hotels have signed letters of interest in the brand. And the first hotels were originally planned for late 2024.
First Hyatt Studios locations
The Hyatt Studios Mobile / Tillmans Corner in Alabama will open on July 1, 2025. It's listed as a Category 1 property.
The second location should be the Hyatt Studios Marysville, California, north of Sacramento. It's now showing on Hyatt's website yet, however, but it should open in 2025. It will race against a planned location in Portland, Maine to see which opens first.
World of Hyatt and Hyatt Studios
There's a mixed bag of news here. Let's start with the positive side. The Hyatt Studios page lists benefits that include earning elite night credits at the standard rate (a night equals a night), stays counting toward Milestone Rewards, redeeming points and free night awards, bonus points for World of Hyatt elite members, and a welcome benefit choice for Globalists: either 500 bonus points or a $15 credit (per stay) to use at the 24/7 Market at the hotel. Stays will also count toward Brand Explorer, which is great news.
And now, for the bad news: You'll earn half the points normally awarded at Hyatt properties. Typically, you'll earn 5 points per dollar spent at Hyatt properties; elite members can earn even more when their bonuses kick in. At Hyatt Studios, you'll still get the bonuses, but they'll apply to a lower base rate. Travelers earn just 2.5 base points per dollar here. This matches the slashed earnings we've seen Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy apply to their extended-stay properties. Though this earning rate isn't much of a surprise, it's still a bummer.
Our Take
With only a small press release and three renderings available from the original Hyatt Studios announcement, there wasn't much to go on. Now, we know more. It sounds like Hyatt is very interested in making these studios as user-friendly as possible. However, the concept is still up to the individual developers.
Travel is changing. More travelers are booking staycations, extended vacations, or traveling as digital nomads working on the road. Having a workspace is vital for these trips. The kitchen facilities can be valuable also, and the updates on locations give us some insights on where Hyatt is focusing its efforts.
We've also gained some positive news in terms of elite night credits, Milestone Rewards, and Brand Explorer. Those accompany the halved earning rate at these properties. Overall, it seems like a net positive when taking it all together.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.