Lack of Knowledge Prohibiting Americans from Using Etiquette to Their Advantage

Hyatt Place(R) partners with The Emily Post Institute and Anna
Post to share modern etiquette lessons that give today's professionals
a competitive advantage
CHICAGO--(Business Wire)--
Nearly three out of four people say they've noticed those who get
ahead in life practice proper etiquette, according to a new survey
conducted by Hyatt Place(1). Now, Hyatt Place has partnered with
etiquette expert Anna Post, great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post,
to provide travelers and today's professionals with contemporary
etiquette advice needed to gain a competitive edge.

The advice is based on one-of-a-kind First Place Training each
Hyatt Place Host has mastered. Post, who attended this training,
adapts its principles of respect, genuine interaction, and
relationship building to real-life professional and social
interactions through a series of etiquette tips, answers to frequently
asked questions, and more on TheEtiquetteEffect.com.

Survey Reveals Etiquette Could Be Missing in Daily Interactions

Hyatt Place surveyed Americans to find out how they approach
personal interactions and found they're lacking some etiquette skills
that could get them ahead:

-- Good listeners? Maybe not. 80 percent of Americans rate their
listening skills as good or excellent, yet 75 percent wish
others would check their PDAs less often when engaged in a
conversation

-- Interaction Avoiders. More than one out of four respondents
would never go to a party alone if they did not know someone
who would be attending

-- Confrontation Dodgers. Nearly 50 percent of people wish they
could handle saying no to a friend or colleague more
gracefully

"Etiquette plays a role in just about every personal and
professional interaction, and First Place Training includes so many
lessons that would benefit today's professionals," says Post. "The
advice found on TheEtiquetteEffect.com incorporates First Place
Training lessons and the philosophy taught at The Emily Post
Institute, which ultimately empowers people with a comprehensive
foundation of etiquette skills that can help them get ahead."

First Place Training Teaches the Etiquette Effect

During First Place Training, Hyatt Place Hosts master the skills
needed for success both professionally and personally - and learn how
to avoid common etiquette mishaps. The proprietary Hyatt Place First
Place Training provides Hosts with the tools to engage with guests
sincerely and effectively through real-life examples. Hosts learn
important lessons that are adaptable to their daily lives such as:
conversation skills; presenting your best self; how to make a
connection and more.

"Guest responses to Hyatt Place have been tremendously positive
and the majority of comments we receive focus on how the guest's
experience was enhanced by the service our Hosts provided," said
Alison Kal, vice president, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. "We recognized
that today's professionals could also benefit from the same skills
Hosts have mastered, so we partnered with Anna Post to show today's
professionals how they can benefit personally and professionally if
they leverage the same modern etiquette principles on which First
Place Training is founded."

TheEtiquetteEffect.com

To help today's professionals realize the effect modern etiquette
has on daily professional interactions, TheEtiquetteEffect.com offers
a comprehensive look at what is appropriate in today's workplace,
including:

-- A column from Anna Post on a variety of topics related to
modern etiquette, such as why etiquette makes a difference,
workplace scenarios and technology dos and don'ts

-- Practical business etiquette tips from Anna Post

-- A weekly poll of consumers' personal and professional
etiquette issues and timely insights from Anna Post about the
results

-- The opportunity for guests to post a message recognizing a
specific Hyatt Place Host or hotel for extraordinary service

Hyatt Place Host Awards

First Place Training is a proven success, and Hyatt Place receives
daily praise from guests who are impressed by the level of service
they receive. To acknowledge the Hosts who make a difference in the
guest experience, Hyatt Place is asking guests to nominate a Host or
hotel who used these skills to make their stay as pleasant and
productive as possible. Guests can submit their service story about a
particular Hyatt Place Host or hotel on TheEtiquetteEffect.com.
Nominees will be featured on the site and all those who submit an
experience are eligible for a chance to receive a free night stay at
any Hyatt Place in the country.(a)

Hyatt Place Background

Hyatt Place was inspired by the changing landscape of
contemporary, multi-tasking business travelers, who have successfully
adapted to today's "24/7 lifestyle," seamlessly merging personal and
professional activities. To that effect, Hyatt Place ranked Highest in
Guest Satisfaction Among Mid-Scale Hotel Chains with Full Service
according to J.D. Power and Associates. To help guests achieve this
satisfaction, Hyatt Place offers an atmosphere of casual hospitality
with a balanced mix of comfortable and functional amenities.

-- Guestrooms: For work, guests can take advantage of the
complimentary Wi-Fi, oversize desk and ergonomic chair in each
room. And when it's time to relax, they can stretch out on the
eight-foot Cozy Corner sectional sofa-sleeper and watch their
favorite shows on the room's 42-inch flat panel,
high-definition television. Each room's innovative Hyatt Plug
Panel(TM) also allows guests to connect their own
entertainment media to the television, including laptops, MP3
players, DVD players or any other portable device. At bedtime,
the signature Hyatt Grand Bed(TM) ensures guests will enjoy a
peaceful night's sleep.

-- Gallery: An innovative welcoming arrival area where guests are
greeted by a Gallery Host who assists guests with everything
from check-in to providing tours of the hotel, the Gallery
offers two self-registration kiosks, an intimate coffee and
wine cafe and bakery, free Wi-Fi, a TV den and an "e-room"
with free access to public computers and a printer with secure
print-ahead technology.

-- Mealtime: Guests at Hyatt Place may purchase signature hot
breakfast entrees along with Starbucks(R) specialty coffees or
enjoy a free continental breakfast. Hyatt Place also offers a
variety of freshly prepared, cafe-quality items, including
made-to-order entrees, sandwiches, soups, salads and pizza,
which guests can order 24/7 via a touch screen menu in the
Guest Kitchen or from a Gallery Host.

-- StayFit@Hyatt: To help guests stay physically and mentally
productive, each Hyatt Place offers a StayFit@Hyatt gym
featuring state-of-the-art Life Fitness(R) equipment.

About Hyatt Place

Hyatt Place is a new kind of Hyatt for today's relaxed lifestyle.
Hyatt Place is ranked Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Mid-Scale
Hotel Chains with Full Service according to J.D. Power and Associates.
Catering to today's discerning travelers, Hyatt Place combines The
Hyatt Touch(R) with stylish design, purposeful amenities and
forward-thinking technology. Hyatt Place is a brand of Global Hyatt
Corporation that currently offers nearly 120 locations nationwide and
will offer 130 hotels by year-end 2008. For Hyatt Place information or
to make a reservation, call 1-888-HYATT-HP (888-492-8847) or visit
www.HyattPlace.com.

About Anna Post

Anna Post is an author, etiquette expert and business etiquette
seminar presenter for The Emily Post Institute. Her media interviews
include USA Today, The New York Times, the Associated Press, the Wall
Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, and Modern
Bride magazine. The Emily Post Institute was founded in 1946 and is
run today by third and fourth generation family members of Emily
Post--America's most trusted and best known arbiter of etiquette. The
Institute includes more than twenty books, published by HarperCollins
on topics from wedding and business to children and everyday life;
columns in Good Housekeeping, Parents, InStyle Weddings and the Boston
Globe; and business etiquette seminars. The Posts do hundreds of media
interviews each year. Visit www.emilypost.com.

About Global Hyatt Corporation

Global Hyatt Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is one of the
world's premier hotel companies. The hotels owned, operated, managed
or franchised by its subsidiaries provide authentic hospitality to
guests in 45 countries through a passionate commitment to personalized
service, cultural relevance, and the environment. Global Hyatt
subsidiaries own, operate, manage or franchise more than 365 hotels
and resorts worldwide under the Hyatt(R), Hyatt Regency(R), Hyatt
Resorts(TM), Grand Hyatt(R), Park Hyatt(R), Hyatt Place(R), Hyatt
Summerfield Suites(R) and Andaz(TM) brands with additional properties
under development on five continents. Global Hyatt Corporation is also
the owner of Hyatt Vacation Ownership, Inc., operator of Hyatt
Vacation Club(R). The success of Global Hyatt is driven by the
commitment and energy of the approximately 90,000 men and women around
the world who provide exceptional service to hotel guests. From the
U.S. and Canada, reservations for any Hyatt hotel worldwide may be
obtained by calling 1-800-233-1234 or visiting www.hyatt.com.

Hyatt Place received the highest numerical score among mid-scale
hotel chains with full service in the proprietary J.D. Power and
Associates 2008 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study(SM).
Study based on responses from 53,453 guests measuring 12 mid-scale
hotels with full service and measures opinions of guests who stayed in
a hotel May 2007-June 2008. Proprietary study results are based on
experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed June 2007-June 2008.
Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.

(a) HYATT PLACE(R) ETIQUETTE EFFECT SWEEPSTAKES. NO PURCHASE
NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Open to individuals, 21 years
or older, who is a legal resident of one of the 50 United States of
America or Canada (excluding Quebec) at the time of entry. Sweepstakes
begins at 12:01 a.m.(ET) on August 21, 2008, and ends at 11:59(ET) on
December 1, 2008. To enter the Sweepstakes you must share your Hyatt
Place experience via the on-line Hyatt Place Etiquette Effect page
theetiquetteeffect.com. You will be asked to provide your first and
last name, e-mail address and name of the hotel where you experienced
Hyatt Place. To enter by mail for free, hand print your first and last
name, complete address, city, state, ZIP code, daytime telephone
number, date of birth, and e-mail address (if available), on a 3 x 5
card and mail in an envelope to: Hyatt Place Etiquette Effect
Sweepstakes, Attention: Public Relations, 71 South Wacker Dr. 16th
Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60606. Subject to official sweepstakes rules
located at www.theetiquetteeffect. Prize: odds of winning depend on
the number of eligible entries received. Thirty- (30) winners will
receive a certificate for one free night at any Hyatt Place hotel.
Sponsor: Select Hotels Group, LLC, 71 South Wacker Dr. 16th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60606.

(1) On behalf of Hyatt Place, StrategyOne conducted a nationally
representative online study of 1,000 Americans, ages 18+. The survey
was conducted between July 14-17, 2008.

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Amy Patti
(312) 780-5620
amy.patti@hyatt.com
or
Edelman
Lisa Hadesman
(312) 552-1165
lisa.hadesman@edelman.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008