The former Belvedere Hotel motor lodge at the Virginia Beach oceanfront was replaced by the new Hyatt Place Oceanfront beginning two years ago, with the Hyatt opening its doors this past June. Within four days of opening, according to Matthew Krogsund, the hotel’s general manager, occupancy was sold out.
“Being in a seasonal market and on the north end of the strip (from 31st–40th Streets), where it is family-friendly and well-maintained, is great for us,” Krogsund says. “Our guests are first-time travelers as well as staycationers, and we have also seen a revitalization in corporate travel.”
In a post-pandemic climate, he notes, the hospitality realm has been on the upswing. Safety and health are always important to guests, and such protocols continue to be a part of life at the hotel. The Hyatt is a GBAC STAR-accredited facility, an industry standard for healthy environments. “If COVID has taught us anything, it’s flexibility,” says Krogsund. “No trash cans sit unchanged for more than eight hours and extra care is paid to high-contact public areas. And we no longer assume that a guest wants us to enter a room for housekeeping, but when we’ve asked, many guests would like to see their rooms cleaned again.”
In looking to grow its corporate traffic, the facility now views additional, previously ignored spaces as feasible for meetings. For example, open spaces such as those in the lobby are offered for meeting, training, and recruitment purposes, as well as the conference rooms. Many corporate guests are “burnt out” on remote travel, he adds, and they are excited to be back to convening face-to-face.
Other guests come from social events such as family and military reunions, wedding lunches and dinners for the wedding party (for groups under 64 individuals), and hosting of small events. Still, other guests stay at the Hyatt because of the hotel’s ability to provide blocks of rooms for sports groups such as sand soccer players and those who come to the area for the sportsplex that the city just built, according to Libby Ross, the hotel’s director of sales.
The owners also have the Hyatt Place Virginia Beach Town Center, named #1 Traveler Ranked hotel in Virginia Beach on Trip Advisor for a year and a half.
Brooke Coyner, the sales manager, says, “Virginia Beach is a tourist destination, so naturally, occupancy declines after Labor Day. With leisure travel decreasing, we are able to take more sports and tour groups than in the summer. Wedding season also peaks in the fall, so we partner with local venues nearby to be offered as a ‘preferred vendor’ for their clients’ wedding guests.”
For more information, visit hyatt.com and search “Virginia Beach” or call Hyatt Place Virginia Beach/Oceanfront (757-300-5045) and Hyatt Place Virginia Beach Town Center (757-431-7000).
–Debbie Burke