Hyatt Regency Trinidad and Tobago

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Hyatt Regency Trinidad is a luxury, high-rise hotel situated along the waterfront of the capital city of Trinidad and Tobago, Port of Spain.

The hotel is affiliated with the Hyatt Regency brand, part of the Hyatt Corporation based in Chicago, Illinois, US. The hotel's general manager since May 2024 is Michael Hooper. [1]

The hotel was announced in 2005 as a partnership between Hyatt, which manages the property, and UDeCOTT which is its owner and developer. [2] The builder/designer was Bouygues. The hotel opened in January 2008. [3] In 2011, Hyatt initiated an arbitration against the government of Trinidad and Tobago and withheld owner remittances after government actions left ownership of the hotel unclear. [4] The issue was resolved in 2014. [4]

In 2024, the Hyatt Regency announced that it would stop accepting Trinidad and Tobago dollars, the local currency, causing a controversy. [5] The hotel backtracked following public outcry. [6] In response, Colm Imbert, T&T's Minister of Finance announced that the ministry would investigate the hotel's attempt to avoid TT$. [7] [8] The hotel is owned by UDeCOTT. [9]

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References

  1. "Hyatt Regency Trinidad welcomes new General Manager | Loop Trinidad & Tobago". Loop News.
  2. "Architecture and Interior Design Unveiled for Hyatt Regency Trinidad". www.hotelnewsresource.com.
  3. "Opening of Hyatt Regency Trinidad renews focus on tourism". www.travelweekly.com.
  4. 1 2 "$.3b HYATT HITCH". Trinidad Express Newspapers. February 14, 2014.
  5. "Hyatt to stop accepting T&T$ from November 1". Trinidad Express Newspapers. October 5, 2024.
  6. "Hyatt GM apologises for 'premature', 'inaccurate' announcement". Trinidad Express Newspapers. October 5, 2024.
  7. "Govt to investigate decision by hotel to not accept local currency". www.guardian.co.tt.
  8. "Colm to probe 'currency aspect' of Hyatt TT$ fiasco". Trinidad Express Newspapers. October 8, 2024.
  9. "Hyatt hiccup". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. October 8, 2024.