San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is on track to receive a brand new on-airport hotel. This week, Grand Hyatt was granted approval to construct a four-star luxury hotel that is expected to open by mid-2019.
The $230 million project will be owned and constructed by SFO and is slated to break ground on the 4.7-acre site next spring. The building will be designed according to environmentally sustainable specifications that are compliant with LEED Gold Certification.
“The Grand Hyatt is recognized around the world for exceptional guest service, and with this approval we move one step closer in our vision to create the most innovative, luxurious and environmentally sustainable on-airport hotel in the world,” said Airport Director John L. Martin.
The property will have 350 guest rooms and 17,500 sq. ft. of meeting space. It will also offer full-service and casual restaurants, wine and sushi bars, a rooftop cocktail lounge, health club, pool and spa.
It will be situated next to an airport entrance with access to terminal buildings and parking garages via the AirTrain light rail system. The airport hotel will be the first for SFO since 1998, when a Hilton hotel was demolished for additional freeway onramps.
The Grand Hyatt was chosen out of 11 other hotel brands, including Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. The upscale hotel chain was eliminated due to already owning a four-star hotel within 10 miles of the airport. Although Hyatt’s nearest hotel is three miles from SFO, it holds three-stars.
Airport hotels are becoming increasingly more popular as attractive destinations. New properties inside terminals are boasting resort-style amenities, such as The Hyatt Hotel at Orlando International Airport (MCO) which has an expansive indoor pool. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) offers two upscale airport hotels, and Denver International Airport (DEN) recently opened a $600 million Westin hotel.
