Hyatt House opens its doors - #lakewoodnews

It took 12 years for Belmar's first --; and only --; hotel to open, but it finally happened.

On March 16 the Hyatt House Belmar, 7310 W. Alaska Drive, opened its doors to visitors, business travelers and those in need of a longer stay.

"We're an extended stay property, which means people can stay anywhere from one night to months or longer if they need to," said Kristi Wersel, director of sales at the Hyatt House. "Belmar is a great place for us because people can walk to everything from a movie theater, restaurants and shopping."

Not only is this the first Hyatt and Hyatt House in Lakewood, it has long been the Belmar plan to have only one hotel in the development.

"A hotel like Hyatt House was in the plan from the beginning and now is realized even better than what people imagined back in the day," said Robert Smith, Lakewood's economic development manager. "The downtown Lakewood market is gaining strength and the Hyatt's investment in Belmar is proof positive that our community dreams big and supports our business environment."

The hotel employs about 30 people.

The Hyatt offers 135 rooms in four options --; den-inspired guest rooms, studios with kitchenettes, one-bedroom kitchen suites and double queen one-bedroom kitchen suites. The kitchens help extended stay guests feel at home and do any and all cooking they need, Wersel said.

"Guests stay with us for a nightly rate, but there are discounts for guests who do an extended stay with us," she added. "Also guests who stay more than 30 days are able to do so tax free."

The ideal ratio is about 40 percent extended guests, Wersel explained. Who these guests are vary --; there are families searching for a home in a new area and need a temporary place to stay or are having work done on their primary residence. Extended stay is a good option because guests don't need to worry about furnishing the rooms or signing a lease.

"It's really intended to make feel guests feel comfortable whether they're on a family vacation or in town for a week-long business conference," Smith said. "The suite style of the rooms give visitors the space to stretch out and relax."

Other features of the hotel include the H Bar on the ground floor, a year-round saline pool, and more than 2,000 square-feet of business space.

"We're just getting started building our base, but we're anticipating a busy summer," Wersel said. "The community here has been really welcoming, especially since a hotel means more foot traffic for everyone. We're excited to see what we'll do for the Belmar economy."

Neighbors like Doug Wells are also excited for the Hyatt to be open. Wells has lived in Belmar for eight years, and said he knew the hotel was part of Belmar's original vision.

"It's really pleasing to see a high quality project like this come to fruition," he said. "We're really seeing what Belmar will look like when it comes to full bloom."

From an economic development standpoint, Smith said the hotel is another signal of the area's booming success.

"All of these success stories in the Wadsworth and Alameda corridors show Lakewood has great leadership with our public officials," he said. "We have a staff diligently working to realize the community's vision."

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