Hyatt, SFO Airport Shake Hands for New Trophy Hotel

By Bogdan Odagescu, Associate Editor

John Martin, SFO Director, and Mark Hoplamazian, CEO of Hyatt

San Francisco—Hyatt Hotels Corp. and the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) recently announced that a Hyatt affiliate has signed an agreement for the branding and managing of a 350-key new Grand Hyatt hotel. While Hyatt will handle day-to-day operations and branding, the hotel will be built and owned by SFO.

Scheduled for delivery in mid-2019, the project strives to achieve a four star-rating and LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2016. Webcor Builders and Hornberger + Worstell Architects will work closely with the airport and Hyatt’s design team in an effort to develop an innovative and environmentally friendly facility to rival the world’s most ambitious airport hotels.

“We are excited to work with Hyatt, a world-renowned brand in guest hospitality. (…) With this agreement, we take the first step forward in our vision to create the most innovative, luxurious, and environmentally sustainable on-airport hotel in the world,” said SFO Airport Director John Martin.

In terms of annual passenger counts, SFO managed to break record after record during the past six years, topping the streak by hitting an all-time high of 50 million in 2015. Directly connected to 40 international and 77 domestic destinations, SFO hosts a total of 47 carriers, and the hotels’ immediate vicinity offers dozens of diverse accommodation solutions along US 101.

The 350-key Grand Hyatt San Francisco International hotel will be erected on airport grounds, with the 4.7-acre site strategically located close to the terminals and parking garages. An AirTrain station will provide direct access to terminal buildings. Additional planned facilities include 17,500 square feet of meeting space, a 24/7 business center, a health club and spa, indoor pool, sauna, and a rich selection of food and beverage options.