The Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation. Bisnow caught up with general manager Irby Morvant Jr. to talk about changes at the 650k SF hotel.

Owned by Host Hotels & Resorts, the 789-room hotel will gain two new ballrooms and will be able to handle groups of up to 2,200 people with more than 69k SF of flexible function space, including a seven-story atrium and poolside pavilion. With the changes will come a new culinary program, including grab-and-go, sit-down dining, small plates and packaged meals for in-room dining. The hotel is adding sustainability touches as well, from the way food is sourced to the use of reclaimed airline parts in the decor to energy savings.

Hirsch Bedner Associates and EDG Interior Architecture + Design led the redesign. The phased renovation is expected to be complete this summer.

Bisnow: How has it been operating during the renovations? Are there adjustments you've had to make to keep operating smoothly?

Irby Morvant Jr.: The transformation has been an exciting learning process for the entire Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport team. There were certainly adjustments, as we’re renovating on such a large scale. Listening to our guests and understanding their needs during this process has been the No. 1 priority. It has been pretty neat to talk with our guests about what’s important to them and then evaluate how we can deliver that through the renovation. We’ve really made them a part of the transformation in a way that wouldn’t have been possible had we closed our doors during this process.

Bisnow: What are you looking forward to the most from the renovations? What do you think will add the most value for traveler/event guests?

Irby Morvant Jr.: Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing this hotel in a whole new way. Many hotel renovations focus on more singular improvements, like renovating guest rooms or renovating the lobby, but our transformation will elevate every experience for every customer.

Among the most impactful changes for guests will be our renovated public spaces. We’ve redesigned the social space in our central atrium to be more intuitive, reflecting how people engage and interact in this new age with a big focus on connectivity. We also realize health and fitness are top priorities for our guests, so we plan to double the size of our fitness center and install state-of-the-art amenities and equipment.

Bisnow: Tell us about using recycled airplane parts. How are those incorporated?

Irby Morvant Jr.: In support of our local community and art scene, we’ve accented the hotel design with a collection of artwork by Bay Area artists. As a nod to nearby San Francisco International Airport, some of the artwork incorporates recycled airplane parts, like a piece made by local artist Laddie Dill, who used recycled aircraft aluminum to make a wall sculpture that represents the surrounding waters of the San Francisco Peninsula. We also have several sculptures by Chris Nelke modeled after parts of an airplane, including a turbofan engine, a cockpit and a wing.

Bisnow: What are some of the sustainability features?

Irby Morvant Jr.: We have a really striking feature wall behind the reception desk that’s comprised of 85% recycled content, and many more items, from the furniture to the materials, were built with similar ratios of recycled materials. We also selected insulating, double-paned windows for our renovated guest rooms with the specific goal of reducing wasted energy. The new windows, in conjunction with our newly installed INNCOM system—which features an occupancy sensing system to carefully monitor the energy output of each guest room—will significantly reduce energy waste.