Hyatt Hotels: Wellness as a Collective Effort

Hyatt tapped top minds to introduce healthy experiences for groups

When Hyatt Hotels and Resorts announced the formation of a Wellbeing Collective Advisory Board of experts in March to elevate well-being initiatives, the company rolled it out not just for leisure visitors, but also to support meetings and events. The list of experts now offering input on how to care for groups include spirituality pioneer and founder of Cyberhuman.ai Deepak Chopra, Emmy-nominated poet and master convener IN-Q, Peloton instructor Ally Love and Miraval Resorts & Spas mental health expert Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble.

The announcement included this aspirational quote from Chopra: “In the way people gather at hotels, we discover not just places, but opportunities for connection, transformation and renewal. By nurturing the mind, body and spirit, we can create immersive experiences that leave individuals feeling rejuvenated and inspired, fostering a deeper connection with themselves and those around them.”

The insights add to the brand’s already established Wellbeing Collective, a curated list of experiences meeting professionals can incorporate into their agendas. One is “Reiki in the Redwoods” at Alila Ventana Big Sur. The outing of up to two hours is described as a connection between nature, spirit and self in the forest, and it comes with a description of group size and adventure level, making it easy for planners to determine suitability. Other turnkey experience packages included “Bespoke Blend Ceremonies” at Park Hyatt Dubai, “Becoming a Barista” at Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo and “Outrigger Canoe Experiences” at Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort.

 

“In the way people gather at hotels, we discover not just places, but opportunities for connection, transformation and renewal.”

—  Deepak Chopra, Hyatt Wellbeing Collective Advisory Board member

I had to learn more about the philosophy behind these resources, so I booked a flight to Hyatt headquarters in Chicago to meet with TJ Abrams, vice president of global well-being with Hyatt. From a glass-sided room adjacent to the employee Fuel Cafe that’s suspended over North Riverside with views of the Chicago River, I asked Abrams how a poet and Peloton instructor can help meeting planners reach their KPIs.

To answer, he went back to the beginning…1957.

Caring is Sharing

Abrams, who has a hospitality brand marketing background, left the industry during Covid to work at the human performance company Exos, joining Hyatt in 2022 to develop well-being experiences across the portfolio. He saw an opportunity to proactively address growing levels of stress and loneliness by helping to connect people with resources.

Abrams pointed to the wall near the barista station, which displays an illustrated Hyatt history. He said it contained the root of the current focus on holistic support.

When Jay Pritzker purchased the Hyatt House motel in 1957 and began to grow the business, he instilled the values of respect and well-being he credited to his late mother, Sue Pritzker. The philosophy is now summarized in the company’s World of Care motto, which includes taking care of employees with resources such as Headspace subscriptions, caring for the planet through environmental conservation in operations and practicing business responsibly.

“We care for people so they can find their purpose and be their best. We don’t just care who you are but how you are,” he said. “That foundational mantra guides how we thought about building differentiated experiences.”

That approach extends to the Together by Hyatt meetings and event operations. The goal is for attendees to feel better when they leave than when they arrive. As Abrams told me, “Hyatt recognized early on that well-being at events is the best way to support the goals of meeting professionals.” (See sidebar: 7 Principles of Mindful Meetings.)

A hotel meeting environment can be daunting, Abrams acknowledged. People are out of their comfort zones, and an agenda built on the business need and not human needs can leave them exhausted. “We want people to feel grounded, connected and fulfilled rather than depleted and overwhelmed.”

He added, “We’re on a mission to demonstrate a healthier way of meeting.”

To deliver on the measurable of making people happy, fulfilled and feeling cared for physically, mentally and emotionally, the brand knew it had to provide more than a room with a bed and a three-meal-a-day restaurant. “The unlock for us was experiences,” he said. During Covid when everyone was confined, the company started thinking about how learning new things could keep people going. Thus, forest bathing, coffee ceremonies and canoeing excursion packages were born.

A Personalized Approach

Abrams recognized that what looks like wellness to him may be different for me or each one of your attendees. “What’s challenging but exciting is that the well-being space is so personal and dynamic,” he said. That’s why there are so many different resources and brands.  Hyatt encompasses some 32 brands, not all of them starting with the letter H.

Miraval is the shining star when it comes to wellness brands, but luxury properties flying the Alila and Andaz brands mentioned earlier have embraced the idea of offering unique experiences. I stayed at Hyatt Regency Chicago during my stay, which offered a 24-hour fitness center and spa with a steam room and pool. Over at Park Hyatt Chicago, a well-being suite is equipped with a Tonal smart-gym, sound machines that generate different “colored noises,” from white to pink (gentle, event tones) and brown (deep bass tones), an AI-powered Bryte Balance bed and essential sleep oils.

Read More: Fitness on the Go

Hyatt Regency properties offer a library of 130 complimentary guided workouts at every fitness level through a partnership with Future, a personal training platform. A QR code in your guest room or the gym opens a menu that offers everything from a surfside strength session in southern California’s Huntington Beach to a bridge city circuit session in Portland. Even the brand’s select-service extended stay hotels, such as Hyatt House, include workout rooms.

“We can meet people wherever they are,” Abrams said.

The same goes for meals. While guests can order protein-packed smoothies and creative vegetarian entrees, they can also do the breakfast buffet with bacon and waffles, depending on whatever fills their happiness tank.

Building on a Wellness Foundation

“It all started with our founder and purpose and through strategic acquisitions such as Miraval Group in 2017,” said Abrams. “We are taking the learning model of what Miraval does and moving people from recreation to education for real transformation.”

Visibly enthused, Abrams gave a snapshot of what that looks like in action. Well-being ambassadors across the globe are launching experiences such as “Exploration of Wine Through Scent and Taste” at Alila Napa Valley, “Songwriters in the Round” at Grand Hyatt Nashville and “Le Petit Chef” immersive table theater at Grand Hyatt Atlanta. “These experiences are immersive and designed to help guests feel healthy, happy and fulfilled, and they’re changing the game for what we offer groups.”

Then Abrams brought the concept home. “We think about well-being as the destination and wellness as a road map to get there.”

Pausing for moment to gather his thoughts, he continued, “People have a desire to be their best selves and to pursue health, happiness and fulfillment together. It is holistic. There are tools along that journey that are needed, and wellness focused on the physical body’s needs is one part of that. A broader ambition allows us to deliver what is relevant to all our stakeholders.”

“People have a desire to be their best selves and to pursue health, happiness and fulfillment together. It is holistic. There are tools along that journey that are needed, and wellness focused on the physical body’s needs is one part of that. A broader ambition allows us to deliver what is relevant to all our stakeholders.”

—  TJ Abrams, Hyatt VP of global well-being

This article appears in the May/June 2025 issue. Subscribe to the magazine here.