What the heck is an Andaz? Is it a Park Hyatt with a twist? Is it the only hotel brand with the option of a drag queen bringing room service? Why might the PR guy get the guest a club sandwich?

Hyatt, which was known as an industry innovator in the 1980’s, is seeking to make waves again with its new Andaz brand – hoping that a luxury experience with quirks will bring in the younger and more fashionable travelers everybody seems to be after.  The heart of Andaz, according to Hyatt, is “casual luxury – which means the removal of all formal barriers that traditionally separate and create divides between the guest and the hotel host.”   

• “This has become the space in east London for art parties and fashion shows – always with a twist. And we will do things like having drag queens deliver room service – on request, of course. Performance artists of every kind will come to your room and chat if you like.”
• “Andaz is enjoying rates just under the Park Hyatt range,” (which is pretty high indeed).  
• “The lobby has no front desk. Staff members with PDA’s are waiting to check you in. They wear no uniforms or name tags because we want to project a personality and to understand the guest’s personality. If they like, guests can be checked in on their way to their rooms; or leisure guests might want to stay in our living room and we’ll bring them wine and olives or coffee and chat awhile. Some of our British guests expect a queue when they come in and can find it strange – but get to like it.”
• “As part of our training, various theater performers have given staff projects to perform that are as far from their jobs as possible. It is a tool to inspire them and show them how they can relate to the guests.”
• “Demographically, we’re looking for the 60-year old who might usually go to the Mandarin, and the 25 year old looking for the hottest clubs.”
• “Nobody on the staff has a title. If you look at the way luxury is changing so quickly, we have to be different from the traditional approach. If a guest approaches me and asks for a club sandwich I will get it for them even though I’m the PR person.”
• Andaz Studio is a private event space with an open kitchen where guests can go and talk to the chef or even make their own dessert.”
• “Transparent pricing is in effect with no extra charge for wifi, laundry, breakfast, mini-bar, local calls and movies. Operationally, it’s difficult but you know what you’re going to get, with all the core items included.”
• “The hotel’s art tours are very popular and allow guests to tap into the arts community. The artists are friends of the hotel and take them out on tours. We do them once a week for 60 pounds per person.”
• ”iPod playlists are created by local people like policemen, as well as celebrities.”
• ”Nobody cares that Andaz is a Hyatt product except the media; the Hyatt name is nowhere to be seen in the hotel.”

    Soon to come: two Andaz hotels in New York (1 in midtown, 1 on Wall Street);  and another in Austin.