Hyatt Buys Wellness Brand, Exhale
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Hyatt is proving once again that they are committed to taking health and wellness very seriously with the purchase of another wellness brand called Exhale. This company was founded in 2002 and features 25 locations throughout the United States and the Caribbean, offering fitness classes and/or spa services.
This is the second wellness-related acquisition Hyatt has made just this year. Previously, it acquired Miraval Group, a wellness resort and spa company, back in January. Hyatt plans to integrate the Miraval brand into their portfolio by offering experiences, amenities, and other exclusive offers to their members.
Hyatt has similar plans for the Exhale brand, Hyatt’s global head of capital strategy, franchising, and select service, Steve Haggerty discussed:
“The big story is, going forward, what we can do to leverage this brand that will be in our hotels and in storefronts. It’s also further strengthening the value of our World of Hyatt [loyalty] proposition. The second way in which we will integrate this is through our existing hotel portfolio. That will be on a case-by-case basis how that actually materializes in each hotel. It’s really, in our view, quite plausible to deliver certain elements of the Exhale experience within the hotel without necessarily having a full-blown storefront in the hotel environment. We think the strength of the brand and the performance of the brand speaks for itself.”
The Exhale brand was chosen by Hyatt because it is known for servicing everyday wellness needs where you live as well as where you regularly travel. The majority of the Exhale locations include Los Angeles, New York, and Miami. Hyatt hopes to open locations in resort setting as well.
Annbeth Eschbach, CEO and founder of Exhale, commented that accepting Hyatt’s acquisition was a dream of theirs:
“Our business is working with hospitality partners. We know how to do it and we thrive in this environment. We wanted a strategic growth partner who can fuel growth of the brand. We’re a very unique wellbeing brand that needs to reach a larger global audience. This is a good cultural and strategic fit, as we’re philosophically aligned with Hyatt. Another big win for us is that Exhale will continue to operate as a distinct standalone brand and continue to serve our exiting guest base in freestanding locations and throughout the Hyatt platform where appropriate.”
Exhale has existing hospitality partnerships that will continue following the acquisition.
Currently there is specific date that Hyatt guests and members can start to see influences from Miraval and Exhale, but the company is working to move quickly. Hyatt may choose to incorporate Exhale into the guest experience with an “adjacent space” investment. This allows guests special access to classes and memberships near their home stay.
Wellness has become a mainstream concept in luxury hospitality. Learn more and get updates regarding how Hyatt is incorporating both Miraval and Exhale into the guest experience by visiting their official website.