tl;dr – Could this mean better redemption opportunities for Mrs & Mrs Smith properties?
Hyatt recently appointed Tamara Lohan as its global brand leader for its luxury portfolio. Though the appointment is on an interim basis, the news caught my eye because Lohan is co-founder (alongside husband James Lohan) of Mr & Mrs Smith, the UK-based platform offering direct booking access to over 1,500 boutique and luxury properties worldwide that Hyatt acquired in April 2023 for £53.0 million. Lohan joined the Hyatt ranks as part of the acquisition.
Aside – it really bothers me that anytime I go to search for Mr and Mrs Smith (forgetting to attach ‘hotels’), I end up with results of the eponymous terrible 2005 “Brangelina” (sorry, had to) movie. Either that or the random Donald Glover show that Amazon put out last year. Mr and Mrs Smith really is the ‘I can fix her’ of spy thriller media. We get it, they are married, and they want to kill each other. Let it go, people.
Back to it – in the great partnership swaperoo of 2024, which saw SLH shack up with Hilton (leaving Hyatt) and Hyatt run into the arms of Mr and Mrs Smith, there was hope that Mr and Mrs Smith’s large boutique portfolio would present a bonanza of new points-ready luxury properties. As the redemption rates for many of these properties are way out of whack, that sadly did not turn out to be the case. Might Lohan’s appointment mean change is on the horizon?
I still think no. So for starters, I’m sure Hyatt sees much more in Mrs & Mrs Smith than the layperson points and miles enthusiast (myself included) who is most interested in the opportunity to earn and redeem points at snappy properties. Secondly, given the fact that most Mr & Mrs Smith properties tend to be boutique, independent properties, I would imagine one of Lohan’s specialities is identifying ways to uplevel the hyper-focused luxury experience. (How Park Hyatt-y should a Park Hyatt be?)
Hyatt has been on a tear the last few years, between acquisitions and launching new brands, and we know there’s a concerted effort to focus on the luxury segment. I can imagine there might be a need for some fine-tuning to ensure that each luxury brand’s portfolio has a defined standard in place, particularly as the hotel chain continues to execute on its ambitious growth goals.
