Hyatt Hotel Closed on Thursday

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

On the Orlandosentinel.com states that the Hyatt Hotel on Hotel Paza Blvd cosed this Thursday and that the Four Points Sheraton will colse in Nov03. Any thoughts to this?.

Tigger2ntinkerbell

 

[mickeyfan1]

hotels closing

 

[sgtdisney]

Here is a link to a story in the Orlando Sentinal..

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...12,0,655540.story?coll=orl-business-headlines

Also, the Hyatt Orlando is off of 192 and isn't located on Hotel Plaza Blvd..

The Hyatt Orlando has been suffering for quite a long time, financially, so I cannot say that this is a surprise.. Having stayed there a number of years back, I really felt it was more along the lines of a Holiday Inn as opposed to a Hyatt.. What is terrible is that the people staying there were told to be out by noon today. I wonder if Hyatt or the hotel management are finding new places for these people to stay in? I can't imagine being on vacation and now having to find a new hotel to stay in mid-trip..

 

[ecmommy]

I'm probably the only one out there that is like this...but I am a bit sad to see this hotel close. I grew up in Lakeland, (about 45 miles west of Disney) and the Hyatt Orlando was a huge landmark for me when I was a little girl. We would come up I4, pass Circus World (later Boardwalk & Baseball) and go on the off- ramp by the Hyatt and I knew that I was almost at Disneyworld! It used to be one of THE places to stay in Orlando and was the first real "resort" in that area (outside of the Disney Village hotels and on-property hotels). My Junior prom was held there and we had a blast!

It's too bad that Hyatt wasn't able to maintain this property. I'm sure it's hard to compete with the World Marriott, Gaylord Palms and Grand Cypress so close...not to mention Disney itself. I think it's a great location...just off I-4 and a short hop over to the parks and Celebration.

Here's hoping that those laid off will be able to find jobs quickly. The local news here in Orlando said that Hyatt will be offering severance pay and assistance finding jobs.

 

[DisFlan]

How sad. That's where we stayed on our first-ever trip to Disney World in April, 1977. We attended a medical conference at the "new" Hyatt and there weren't many hotels, yet. That was a before-kids trip - very romantic! There was only the Magic Kingdom back then, Orlando was still pretty small and the airport "terminal" was (literally!) a quonsut hut on a not-very-well-paved road. Wow! That seems a long time ago.

Time marches on (sigh).

 

[sgtdisney]

It seems that the Owners of the hotel and the Hyatt Corporation tried to keep this hotel open but the lenders pulled the plug on the interim financing that would have kept it open a little longer so they could have at least announced a future closing date and allowed people more time to change plans......

This is from the hotel's web page..

http://hyattorlando.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announces the impending closure of Hyatt Orlando located at 6375 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee, Florida. After more than 30 years of service to the traveling public and the Orlando area community as a member of the Hyatt family of hotels, the hotel will close to the public on Friday, September 12, 2003. Due to the unavailability of funds to maintain operations, the hotel is compelled to close. Since the initiation of bankruptcy proceedings by Orlando Hyatt Hotel Associates Limited, owner of the hotel, on April 24, 2002, Hyatt attempted to maintain normal hotel operations at Hyatt Orlando.

In the face of anticipated operating shortfalls, hotel ownership secured financing to cover shortfalls expected over the final months of 2003. Hotel ownership and Hyatt recently were advised by representatives of Lennar Partners, acting in their capacity as representatives of the hotel lender, that it was directing the filing of a motion to withdraw the committed interim financing.

Following efforts by Hyatt and hotel ownership to discuss an orderly transition or closure plan with Lennar Partners and the bankruptcy court's subsequent decision not to hear an emergency motion to compel the funding of the previously committed financing this week, hotel ownership directed Hyatt to commence the immediate closure of the hotel as directed by the owner and lender.

Efforts to avoid a sudden closure have been unsuccessful, and hotel ownership and Hyatt have been left no alternative but to close the hotel. Hyatt has no information as to the future of the hotel, which will be resolved through the bankruptcy proceeding.

Hyatt remains committed to Orlando and is grateful to the community for the many years of support to Hyatt Orlando. Hyatt values its relationship with the employees of the Hyatt Orlando and, to the degree possible, will attempt to offer employment at other Hyatt hotels in the Orlando-area where positions are available.

Guests with current reservations at Hyatt Orlando will be contacted by Hyatt's customer service department. Hyatt's Central Reservation Center in Omaha will no longer be accepting reservations for Hyatt Orlando as of the night preceding the closure date.

 

[BonnieA]

I also remember the Hyatt Orlando from way back in the late 70's. We passed it daily on our visits to Disney. It was quite the place to stay back then but we couldn't afford it. I finally did get to stay there last November and I'm glad I did. It was nice and I enjoyed my stay. I suppose there is always a chance another hotel may buy the property and open it again under a different name.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

Thanks for posting this! We went via Priceline and have reservations for Oct.

I called Priceline and they are going to refund my money. I had that option or they could relocate us but they didn't know to where yet.

 

[FLeisure]

I was talking to Hyatt's marketing director last week and it did seem grim. Have to say I wasn't expecting this, this quickly. There again with debts reported to be $29m it shouldn't surprise me. The fact the property tax bill is $ 590,000 makes me wonder how they survived so long after 9/11.

The thing that really annoys me, is the fact that the Hyatt management only gave their staff 1 days notice that the place was to close. Is this just reward to those staff that have been there 30 plus years ? Is this the way to treat people ?

This has been handled badly by Hyatt and I hope that all the employees and the guests staying there this week find new jobs and new accommodations without too much trouble.

Seems a strange time to be in the hotel business to me. In November, the Four Points Sheraton in Downtown Orlando will close with the loss of another 109 jobs yet the business leaders in the community, particularly those involved with Orange County Convention Center are crying out for new hotels !

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by FLeisure
The thing that really annoys me, is the fact that the Hyatt management only gave their staff 1 days notice that the place was to close. Is this just reward to those staff that have been there 30 plus years ? Is this the way to treat people ?

This has been handled badly by Hyatt and I hope that all the employees and the guests staying there this week find new jobs and new accommodations without too much trouble.

You should know better.
Read the articles that were posted
Hyatt doesn't own the hotel. The hotel is in bankruptcy. Financing didn't come through. Hyatt was told to shut the hotel immediately.

Hyatt had no choice.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by FLeisure
The thing that really annoys me, is the fact that the Hyatt management only gave their staff 1 days notice that the place was to close. Is this just reward to those staff that have been there 30 plus years ? Is this the way to treat people ?

According to the article, Hyatt and the Hotel's owners tried very hard to secure financing to keep the hotel open at least for a few months so they could give people notice about the hotel closing. It said the people financing the loans, refused any more loans which forced the owners to shut down immediately... Hyatt has said they will try to find places at their other properties for the employees but we know how that goes..

Either way, it is pretty bad for both the employees and guests. I wonder if and Dis'ers were at the Hyatt during this closing. From the sounds of it, they gave the guests less than 24 hours to get out of the hotel....

 

[FLeisure]

Lewisc,
I'm sorry but I still think the franchise owner Orlando Hyatt Hotel Associates Ltd., could have acted much better. These things don't just happen overnight as you appear to think. They obviously knew things were going down and instead of informing their employees they gave them just 24 hours notice. The General Manager was only told on Wednesday afternoon and he had to find accommodation for 350 guests not to mention worrying about losing his job.

I have read the articles and I still think that shabby management has contributed to the problem. Quite rightly the backers said enough is enough......but I'd have been asking questions long before the debt ever got to 29 million.

So, in my opinion Hyatt did have a choice. This hotel should have closed down long ago and the staff still had a right to be treated properly.

 

[stego]

for a Saturday night. Nothing amiss on the outside. I'd gone for a weekend trip to visit my best friend. He was going to take his new girlfriend and daughter there next month.
My family stayed here in May 2001. That was when they were trying to handle the smoke & fires. I'd wake up in the morning and stepped outside to admire the landscaping...and smelled the smoke. We enjoyed the proximity to WDW very much, and also enjoyed the pool, hottub, and the staff & service were great.

I have a picture of my son standing outside in the parking lot in 1998 at the Hyatt. He has his pooh suitcase, with his hat on. It was right before his 3rd birthday, so I got him free that one day.
I'm going to have to dig that one up.

At least I got a chance to stay there one last time.

 

[FLeisure]

Today's Orlando Sentinel gives more coverage to the closing of the Hyatt and I'm delighted to report that the management of the Hyatt organised a job fair yesterday for the employees who have lost their jobs.

Over 60 of the areas employers attended the job fair and it is hoped that all employees will get new jobs quickly as a result.

Also, the Sentinel paid tribute to Mel Bettcher, the General Manager at the Hyatt and termed him "a class act". I absolutely endorse that and I hope he is soon in gainful employment. A nice man who didn't deserve what was heaped on him in the last week.

So, well done Hyatt....you came through. It's nice to say that in this day and age.