Hyatt Will Open 4 New Hotels in Pakistan

Of all the major hotel chains, Hyatt has one of the smallest global footprint. The vast majority of its properties are in the US, and they are really only mostly present in prominent world class foreign cities. They are hoping to expand into new markets though, and today announced that they will be opening 4 brand new hotels in Pakistan.

These hotels will be owned by private real estate developer Bahria Town. Peter Norman, Hyatt SVP of Acquisition and Development in Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Southeast Asia said, via a press release:

We look forward to collaborating with the Bahria team to open the first Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency hotels in Pakistan. Following last year’s announcement for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), we are optimistic about the growth of Hyatt’s brands in Pakistan. The opening of these hotels will serve as a testament to the global appeal of the Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency brands as they continue to expand worldwide and offer more choices to our guests.

This will be Hyatt’s first entry into Pakistan, which is pretty exciting. Here are the four announced properties:

• Grand Hyatt Islamabad, 400 rooms, expected to open 2023
• Hyatt Regency Karachi, 200 rooms, expected to open 2023
• Hyatt Regency Lahore, number of rooms TBD, expected to open 2022
• Hyatt Regency Rawalpindi, 165 rooms, expected to open 2022

Rendering of One Constitution Avenue, formally named Grand Hyatt Islamabad. Source: One Constitution Avenue

Interestingly, the “Grand Hyatt Islamabad” appears to have been in the works since 2005. It was going to be two towers connected by a skybridge, located on 1 Constitution Avenue. However, the project faced multiple issues, including conflicts with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. Earlier this year, Capital Development Authority terminated Grand Hyatt’s lease, citing building and layout violations. The complex has since been renamed “One Constitution Avenue,” and it’s unclear whether it is where the now-formally-announced Grand Hyatt Islamabad will be located.

Either way, I’m excited that Hyatt is entering new markets and expanding their global footprint. At this rate, some day they might even earn the “Globalist” title!  😉