HYATT Regency Saipan marks its 42nd year as the first international hotel in the Marianas today, December 1. It is being celebrated with the annual lighting of its Christmas Tree significantly demonstrating its renewal of commitment of service to the community.
This year’s celebration is different in comparison to the previous years as Hyatt gears towards a somewhat fresh start after a global lockdown due to the pandemic and the renewal of its land lease agreement last 2021.
The hotel is also joined by newly hired General Manager Guillame Delamarle, FNB Director Hani Min and Executive Chef Matteo Fracalossi.
Hyatt’s existence in the CNMI is filled with love, care and support to the community which its team and management will leave beginning from 40 years ago, to the present time and beyond as a legacy.
This year, let us look at the hotel’s milestones from the past 42 years.
Formerly the Continental Hotel Saipan
On December 1, 1980, Hyatt Regency Saipan officially took over Continental Hotel. During the unveiling of the first international brand, there were only 180 rooms and no changes except for the for the sign at the front of the hotel.
The then humble 183-room hotel was bought from the Los Angeles-based airline by a Hong Kong family corporation that owned 77 .5% of the shares and Saipan attorney Jack Layne, who owned the remainder of the shares.
That time, Hyatt was only given 15 years to lease the land.
Now after 42 years, Hyatt Regency Saipan stands on a 14 acres property at the heart of downtown Saipan and remains the strongest hotel brand in Micronesia.
“It is our goal to make sure that Hyatt, the first international brand in Saipan, remains the preferred hotel for our visitors and even the local community,” its GM Guillame said.
A historical land site
The establishment of Hyatt was built in 1972 and was last renovated in 1989 making it one of the oldest and historical establishments on the island. In fact, the history notes that law makers from the US stayed in the rooms of Hyatt before the Marianas become a Commonwealth of the United States.
Hyatt Supports Musicians
Ever since it was established Hyatt has been supportive of local talents such as musicians on the island. The hotel has been a place for local talents such as the Saipan’s famous 1980s indie rock band named False Alarm.
The band has played several times for the guests of Hyatt from1989 to 1992.
Roger Cadua, a famous entertainer in Saipan in the late 1990s and the early 2000s has also performed several times in Hyatt.
Skills Challenge for Bartenders on the island
In the previous years, Hyatt has hosted several competitions for community members working in the hotel industry.
In 2011, the hotel hosted the Northern Marianas Bartenders Association’s bartending competition.
The hotel continuously supports in the development of the local workforce by partnering with the Northern Marianas Technological Institute.
The best Angus Beef on the island is in Hyatt!
In 2013, Hyatt Regency Saipan is awarded International Independent Certified Angus Beef® Marketer of the Year!
Hyatt won this prestigious award out of 1,500 licensed international restaurants from over 35 countries.
The 2016 Marianas’ Trench Photo Exhibit was held in Hyatt
In 2016, The Friends of the Mariana Trench, together with the Marianas Visitors Authority and the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Island hosted a photo exhibit of the Marianas Trench, the Earth’s deepest oceanic trench.
The photos were provided by the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research and were taken during their 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas.
Hyatt is Typhoon Yutu Responder
During the aftermath of Typhoon Yutu in 2018, the hotel opened its doors to community members who were left homeless and needed electricity even to just charge their mobile phones. While the employees are taking care of the guests and the community members who took refuge in the hotel, the management also opened some rooms for the family members of their employees. Employees and their family members were given rooms to take baths, rest and also use the electricity powered by the hotel’s generator system.
Land lease renewed in 2021
After several years of negotiations, Hyatt’s land lease was renewed in 2021 locking the assurance that the Hyatt is here to stay in the community, continue to serve the people and support the CNMI tourism industry for the next 40 years and more.
Hyatt Regency Saipan receives Rising Star Award
Of more than 900 Hyatt hotels across the globe, Hyatt Regency Saipan was awarded the Rising Star Award by Hyatt Corporate for garnering World of Hyatt membership in an active and consistent pace. World of Hyatt is a loyalty and rewards program of Hyatt chain of hotels worldwide. Under this loyalty program, guests who stay and dine in Hyatt enjoy discounts and perks offered in-house by the hotel.
“Hyatt is here to stay for the next 40 more years, not just as a business but to continuously support our community,” GM Guillame said.
