Hyatt Place Asheville: Outstanding from top to bottom

You might know the Hyatt Place Asheville/Downtown best for its epic rooftop bar, The Montford. But there’s just as many outstanding elements from top to bottom at this luxury hotel. For Hyatt, hospitality means having a passion for people. “It cannot be taught or bought; but it is so strong that others can see it, hear it, and feel it from the way we present our property and ourselves,” says Marketing Manager Gray Johnson. See our Q+A with Gray below to learn more about what inspires the hotel’s service.

To start off, can you tell us a little bit about your business?

Built in 2016, the Hyatt Place Asheville/Downtown is meant to service both leisure and business guests in the Asheville market. We strive to create an outstanding customer experience by providing well-appointed rooms, luxury amenities, and proximity to all that downtown Asheville has to offer. We have unique guests suites, particularly our bride and groom suites, that are tailored to making our guests’ time with us truly memorable. Our property also features the best rooftop view in the city from our bar and restaurant, The Montford.

How would you describe your company culture?

The Hyatt Place Asheville/Downtown is owned and operated by Parks Hospitality Group. One of the fundamental aspects of staying at a PHG property is that regardless of the hotel brand or city that you are staying in, when you stay with us your experience should be nothing short of outstanding. This is achieved by creating a familial bond between our associates. Parks is a family-owned company and the members of our team should feel like part of the family. We don’t want our staff to feel as if they only work for the hotel – we want them to feel like they are a vital part PHG as a whole.

What does “hospitality” mean to you?

In a way, hospitality is a passion for the people that choose to stay with us. It cannot be taught or bought; but it is so strong that others can see it, hear it, and feel it from the way we present our property and ourselves.

What experience do you strive to create for your customers?

In a word, outstanding. In a few words, we want to create a luxurious and welcoming atmosphere that highlights the scenery of Downtown Asheville and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Which person or establishment inspires you the most?

One of our favorite quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson – “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” We believe that this speaks to our entrepreneurial spirit, and our willingness to leave no stone unturned when it comes to providing the outstanding guest experience that we strive for.

What do you enjoy best about working in your industry?

Simply put, the people. Whether it is a guest, potential client or member of our team, the best part of working in hospitality is the wide variety of individuals that we encounter. An interesting way to look at it is that everyone is in the midst of his or her own story; so, we want our chapter of said story, however short or long, to be a highlight.