Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel is a high-rise building in San Diego composed of two towers. The towers are the third and seventh tallest buildings in the city. It is the tallest building on the waterfront on the West Coast and with over 1600 rooms, it is considered Southern California's largest hotel. Because of its proximity to the waterfront, as well as its amenities, the Manchester Grand Hyatt is referred to as a spa and resort. It was developed and is owned by Doug Manchester.
Description
The Manchester Grand Hyatt is comprised of two towers, the 40-story Harbor Tower built in 1992 and the 33-story Seaport Tower which was added in 2003, prompted by the positive response to the space already allocated for private meetings. A four-story building with a rooftop pool connects the towers to each other. The hotel has 1,625 340-square-foot (32 m 2 ) guest rooms. Every guest room has at least partial water or city views and many offer panoramic vistas of the Pacific Ocean. All rooms are equipped with Wi-Fi Internet access and iPod docking stations.
The hotel has two bars: the Top of the Hyatt and the Grand Lobby Bar. The third floor holds the hotel pool and the Kin Lounge, which is an outdoor nightclub only available seasonally and on weekends.
Top of the Hyatt
The 40th and top floor of the Manchester Grand Hyatt is known as the Top of the Hyatt. Instead of a traditional penthouse suite, hotel owner Papa Doug Manchester decided to create an upscale bar with panoramic views of San Diego, Coronado Island, and Mexico. The bar was awarded the title of "Best Upscale Bar" by SignOnSanDiego.com and is considered "an unparalleled spot from which to watch the sunset."
Kin Lounge
The Kin Lounge opened in July 2008, and is located around the 3rd floor pool. The rooftop lounge, described as "upscale", includes bottle service, exclusive cabanas, and a live DJ.
Location
The Manchester Grand Hyatt is located on the Gaslamp Quarter’s waterfront, a few blocks away from the Gaslamp Quarter, Seaport Village, as well as the San Diego Convention Center. The San Diego Trolley stops near the hotel which connects to several lines to reach the majority of the San Diego metropolitan area. The hotel is located less than a mile from Petco Park, an Amtrak train station, and Woodbury University's San Diego campus.
Proposition 8 controversy
Doug Manchester, Chairman of Manchester Financial Group, sparked controversy in 2008 when he backed California's Proposition 8 with financial support in the amount of $125,000. The money was donated before Proposition 8 was a ballot initiative. Before a proposition can be officially placed on a ballot for voter consideration, 700,000 signatures need to be gathered. The $125,000 donated was used by supporters of the proposition to pay professionals to acquire signatures in an effort to solidify the initiative's place on the ballot. When asked about his contribution, Manchester was quoted as saying, "When they say that we cannot say that a marriage is between a man and a woman, that's where I draw the line." While Manchester has admitted that he "supports" his employees who are gay and lesbian, he cites the fact that he is Catholic as a motivation behind his actions.
Boycott
The support caused an immediate response from gay-rights organizations, including GLAAD, which canceled any events that were to be held at the hotel. Labor unions, including Hotel Workers Union Local 30, publicly admonished Manchester for his actions, with one member describing Proposition 8 as "pure and simple discrimination." In addition, a boycott from Proposition 8 protesters quickly followed. The boycott was originally intended to last one-year, but subsequent protests of other Hyatt locations continued after that duration.
Even though Manchester is the owner of and developer of the Manchester Grand Hyatt, the Global Hyatt Corporation has made an attempt to separate his views from that of the managing corporation. The Global Hyatt contends that Manchester does not speak on their behalf, and that they have a proven history of supporting gay and lesbian rights. In addition, the Global Hyatt Corporation has issued a statement that asserts many Hyatt hotels, including the Manchester Grand Hyatt, offer benefits to domestic partners of employees, which is optional for businesses. Californians Against Hate, a gay-rights activist group, has estimated that the boycott resulted in a loss of over $7 million, despite Manchester's attempt to reach out the gay community through room credits and donations. The marketing manager for the hotel, Kelly Commerford, has confirmed that cancellations resulting directly from the protest, cost the hotel $2.4 million. This figure does not include estimates for those who choose other accommodations due to the boycott. The developer, Manchester, claims that the boycotting unions are using gay marriage support as a screen "to cover real goal of organizing" the hotel's workers.
See also
- List of tallest buildings in San Diego
References
- ^ "Make a Grand Entrance - Rappel 33 Stories from the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego". California Chronicle . http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/view/109434 . Retrieved 2009-07-20 .
- ^ a b "Manchester Grand Hyatt". San Diego Union-Tribune . http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/places/manchester-grand-hyatt/ . Retrieved 2009-07-20 .
- ^ "Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego". San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau . http://www.sandiego.org/listing/Visitors/2775 . Retrieved 2009-07-20 .
- ^ Karger, Fred. "First Anniversary of Boycott Against Doug Manchester". HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fred-karger/first-anniversary-of-boyc_b_239054.html . Retrieved 2009-07-20 .
- ^ "Expanded Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego now is hotel on Southern California coast". Los Angeles Business Journal . http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-22087866_ITM . Retrieved 2009-07-20 .
- ^ "Lounges/Bars". Hyatt Corporation . http://manchestergrand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/lounges/index.jsp . Retrieved 2009-07-20 .
- ^ a b Chinn, Derrik. "Kin Lounge". San Diego Union-Tribune . http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/places/kin-lounge/ . Retrieved 2009-07-20 .
- ^ "New Year's Eve". Union-Tribune . http://www.signonsandiego.com/feature/495/nye/hotels.html . Retrieved 2009-07-20 . ...
San Diego Hotel | HARD ROCK HOTEL San Diego is a Stylish Hotel in San ...
Black Eyed Peas Suite; Guestroom Features; Packages & Promotions; Dining & Nightlife ... But it's our Crew that truly differentiates Hard Rock Hotel San Diego. Whether you're coming ...
San Diego Hotels: Deals on Hotel Reservations in San Diego, CA
Vagabond Inns $53: W Hotels $99: Westin Hotels $96: Woodfin Suite Hotels $111 ... The Handlery Hotel and Resort San Diego is located in the Mission Valley area of San Diego and is ...
San Diego Hotels | User Reviews | San Diego Travel Ideas
These include Marriot San Diego Hotel and Marina located on the bay in downtown San Diego and Sheraton San Diego - an all-suite hotel situated in one of the most posh areas of ...
Select a Hotel
SAN DIEGO - MISSION VALLEY 2270 HOTEL CIRCLE NORTH SAN DIEGO, CA 92108 UNITED STATES Distance from city center ...
San Diego Hotels: Radisson Suite Rancho Bernardo Hotel in San Diego ...
Radisson Hotel in San Diego, California: Our San Diego hotel’s prime Rancho Bernardo location is near great shopping and golf courses. Visit the Radisson Rancho Bernardo Hotel on ...
San Diego Hotels - discount and cheap hotels in san diego
San Diego hotels with great discounts - Search by amenities, region or class at San Diego hotels by Guide to Hotels ... Comfort Suite; Country Inn & Suites; Courtyard ...
San Diego Hotels: Area information and hotels in San Diego, CA from ...
Marriott's conveniently located San Diego hotel accommodations offer both beauty and value ... A Suite Deal for Weekend Stays at Residence Inn
Hotels in San Diego. Hotel Reservation Guide: Discount up to 70%
San Diego Hotels Discounts works in partnerships with major hotel and ... Woodfin Suite Hotel Hotel: 10044 Pacific Mesa Blvd: Town And Country ...
Radisson Suite Hotel Rancho Bernardo San Diego (CA) - HotelTravel.com ...
GUARANTEED LOWEST RATES at Radisson Suite Hotel Rancho Bernardo. REVIEW - Comfortably located within the shopping area, the Radisson Suite Hotel Rancho Bernardo is just 25 minutes ...