Together with a brand new airport and the stunning new Hyatt Regency, Salt Lake City is poised to become a vital hub of the western U.S.
The Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City is the first of the chain’s Regency brand in Utah. The shiny, sleek 25-floor building rises high above the downtown area where it became joined at the hip to the existing Salt Palace Convention Center when it opened in October 2022. Fifteen years in the making, it sits in the footprint of under-utilized outdoor event space.
But being downtown doesn’t mean being obscured. The unobstructed views of the surrounding Wasatch Mountains are always with you, reminding you how close the city is to Utah’s famous ski resorts (35 minutes) and outdoor activities. Indeed, hiking trails are just outside the hotel’s doors, making it the perfect home base for adventurers as well as conventioneers. “Urban meets the mountain,” said Ryan Mack, spokesperson for Visit Salt Lake. “There’s nothing else that has that in the lower 48.”
Art at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City
The artwork by NINE Dot ARTS embraces the hotel’s urban setting as well as its proximity to the natural environment in pieces both large and small. The collection consists of six commissions and eight originals made chiefly by local and regional artists.
For example, artist Mike Lustig arranged 10,262 mirrored tiles along one long wall in the lobby, creating a sparkling hexagonal installation. However, it almost didn’t happen. Lustig’s mirror supplier lives in Ukraine. Shipping the mirrors was dicey as Lustig started the project just after Russia invaded and stopped all shipments out of the country. Eventually, they were able to be sent and they arrived intact and in time for the installation called “10,000 Points of Light.”
Portland Artist Rachel Denny dresses her “Domestic Trophies” in cashmere cable knit wool coats. You can see these poetic creatures on the wall above the entrance to the Hyatt Regency from the convention center.
Rooms at Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City
The hotel has 700 guest rooms and suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows accessing those amazing views. I’m in a king suite that I enter via a wide hallway. The living and dining rooms feature ultra-modern furniture in soothing earth tones with walls a combination of flat paint on drywall, textured wallpaper, and columns of exposed concrete.
The bedroom is spacious and the large windows make it seem even more so. The open closet that I find in most new hotels is just right for my needs. There are three drawers, plenty of hanging space, and a rack for my suitcase, plus a safe, iron, extra blankets, and pillows. On top is the complimentary coffee maker with coffee and tea. A small fridge sits in the dining area.
Moreover, the bathroom is equally roomy with two sinks, a large shower, and a separate room for the loo. They even thought of installing a bar in the shower to rest your foot while shaving your legs!
Dining at Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City
I learned about two new food dishes here. Funeral Potatoes is a midwestern carryover that has become a signature dish in Utah. The name comes from the dish families bring to funeral gatherings. This rich cheesy hash brown casserole is on the menu as a small-plate choice to pair with crafted cocktails, beer, or wine in Contribution, the upscale cocktail lounge in the hotel.
The other dish is a dipping sauce called Fry Sauce, a simple mixture of mayo and ketchup that Utahans must have on their fries. I found it at The Salt Republic, the main restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The dinner menu features a choice of protein with a selection of sauces and salts (where else but in Salt Lake City?). Chef Diego Bravo is from Peru, and he learned to make this delicious butternut squash soup from his grandmother. Maple cream gives it a distinct flavor.
The high-end, sophisticated restaurant here is Mar | Muntanya serving cuisine from the Basque and Catalonia regions of Spain utilizing products from local providers in and around the city. Tapas-style dining focuses on small plates, such as blistered shishito peppers, elk carpaccio on shepherd’s bread slathered with rosemary cream with forest mushrooms and manchego cheese on top; and a charcuterie plate. Here Funeral Potatoes are called “Funeral Croquettas,” prepared in more of a crunchy fritter style using cornflakes. Mar | Muntanya opens at 4 p.m. for cocktails and 5 p.m. for dinner Tuesday-Saturday and Brunch Wednesday-Sunday from 10:30-2:30. Every Wednesday, a Flamingo dancer and musician entertain diners twice during the evening.
There’s also a Grab ‘n Go market with a coffee bar just off the lobby.
Common areas
Besides 60,000 square feet of meeting space and business services, the lobby features sections of comfy spots to hang out.
On Level 6, a rooftop terrace with fire pits overlooks the mountain scene. Here also is an outdoor pool with cabanas and food service.
Within walking distance
Contrary to the popular perception of Utah, you can get an alcoholic drink just about anywhere in the Beehive state as long as you are 21 or older. Salt Lake City alone has 15 breweries. Within half a mile of the hotel, there are several great bars and restaurants. Historic Temple Square is less than a mile away, as is Clark Planetarium, Vivint Arena, The Depot concert venue, and the Family History Library where you can spend days researching your family for free. The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art is in the Salt Palace Convention Center.
If You Go
Salt Lake City International Airport is 7 miles/13 minutes from the hotel. Take I-80 East toward downtown Salt Lake. Exit 121, stay right and follow signs to 600 South. Continue on 600 South, then turn left on 300 West. Finally, turn right on 200 South. The hotel is on the corner of 200 South and West Temple
Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City
170 South West Temple
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
USA
801-596-1234
www. HyattRegencySaltLakeCity.com
Claudia Carbone is an award-winning travel writer and member of the Society of American Travel Writers, North American Travel Journalists Assoc. and Denver Woman’s Press Club. Currently, her work is published in The Denver Post, Colorado Expression Magazine, MTN Town Magazine, London Sunday Telegraph, GoWorldTravel.com and RealFoodTraveler.com. Her blog Sleepin’ Around covers any place you can sleep on vacation.
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