Howard Group, a Northwest Florida-based portfolio real estate development company, revealed plans to develop an 84-room, five-story Hyatt Place hotel in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, Fla. The project team and local dignitaries attended a groundbreaking ceremony at the hotel’s future site at the west end of the town center.
Howard Group will develop and own the hotel. Howard Hospitality, a division of Howard Group specializing in hotel management, will manage the Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard. The project will bring an estimated 100 construction and hotel operation jobs to Walton County, and the hotel is projected to open in late 2018.
Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard is the first Hyatt-branded hotel in the South Walton area. Howard Hospitality is collaborating with HVS Design, a Maryland-based interior design firm specializing in the hospitality industry, to design the hotel interior. Paying homage to South Walton’s flourishing arts and culture community, the hotel will have a custom-designed theme of local artwork in the lobby, which will continue throughout the property's common areas. Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard will also have more than 1,600 square feet of meeting space for up to 100 people.
“The Hyatt Place brand is a natural fit and distinctive addition to Grand Boulevard’s Town Center. Hyatt Place hotels offer travelers a combination of stylish design, convenient amenities, forward-thinking technology, and thoughtful service,” Karen McNevin, VP of hospitality and human resources for Howard Group, said in a statement.
Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard hotel will have amenities such as free Wi-Fi and 24-hour food offerings, and will be in walking distance to the Grand Boulevard Town Center and its retail, dining, office and entertainment options including Grand Park, Boulevard 10 Movie Theater, Pottery Barn, Anthropologie and the upcoming opening of Emeril’s Coastal Italian Restaurant.
“Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard is a great example of our continued focus on growing premium hotels that will attract business and leisure travelers alike,” Jason Gregorek, VP of real estate and development for Hyatt, said in a statement. “I want to offer my congratulations and thanks to everyone at Howard Group and Howard Hospitality who collaborated with us in order to bring this development to fruition.”
Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard will include:
- 84 guestrooms with separate spaces to sleep, work and play, as well as a Cozy Corner sofa-sleeper
- Gallery kitchen breakfast, a free hot breakfast for guests available daily in the Gallery Kitchen, offering hot breakfast items, fruit, oatmeal, Greek yogurt and more
- 24/7 Gallery Menu & Market serving meals anytime, day or night
- Coffee to Cocktails Bar offering specialty coffees and beers, as well as wines and cocktails
- Odds & Ends program for forgotten items that guests can buy, borrow or use for free
- Free Wi-Fi throughout hotel and guestrooms
- 1,600 square feet of meeting/function space
- 24-hour gym including cardio equipment with LCD touchscreens
The lead lender on Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard is Trustmark National Bank. Crossland Construction Company, based out of Kansas, signed to build the hotel. The architectural design team is Slattery & Associates, located in Boca Raton, Fla.