Hyatt Hotels is to launch its JdV by Hyatt brand in the UK, signing the launch property in the Cotswolds, not far from Oxford.
The conversion property will be quick to market, meaning the rebranded hotel will open in just weeks, and before the end of 2026. The existing property is undergoing a substantial refurbishment, ahead of its new future as part of the Hyatt portfolio, as the Oxford Witney Hotel. Interiors of common areas, and the 130 bedrooms, will take inspiration from the area’s wool making heritage, and the spirit of the Arts & Crafts period of UK history.
A New Chapter for the Witney Asset
Investor CL Capital owns the hotel, which in recent years has been let under a government contract, used to house asylum seekers. Refurbished to suit the JdV by Hyatt brand, it will now be managed by third party operator InnPractice. Located in the town of Witney, the hotel is around 15 miles west of the university city of Oxford.
The Joie de Vivre brand started out in 1987 in San Francisco, an early pioneer of the boutique hotel genre. The brand grew to become a major operator of boutique properties across the US, and agreed a merger deal in 2018, joining forces with another hotel group, Two Roads Hospitality. Subsequent to that deal, the combined business was then absorbed via an acquisition by Hyatt, and the brand was modified to its current name of JdV by Hyatt.
The hotel will be a worthwhile addition to Hyatt’s UK portfolio. Currently the pipeline is focused on London, and in Scotland.
In the UK capital, the Hyatt Regency London Olympia has just opened, as part of the revitalised Olympia exhibition centre development. In 2027, the group will launch Hyatt Place London Paddington, a listed property that will be converted to the Hyatt format, with 87 rooms. And at another major London rail terminus, Liverpool Street, there are long term plans to redevelop the Andaz Hotel London Liverpool Street.
In Scotland, the pipeline includes Hyatt Centric Hotel Edinburgh Haymarket, a 362 room new build that will open in early 2028. And further north, plans are advancing for the Brae of Angus development, which will be a mixed-use hotel and resort development, planned for a 2029 opening.
Building the Brand Across Asia
Launching the JdV brand in the UK sees Hyatt setting out in a new direction with the format. Most of the brand’s current pipeline is in Asia, predominantly China. A recent opening has been the 210 room DC Hotel Hangzhou CBD, following a refurbishment.
Before the end of 2026, two more JdV properties will open in Asia. JdV by Hyatt Light City Penang will launch in Malaysia, while in Shanghai, Fila House Shanghai, JdV by Hyatt will open. This 117 room new build will also be the testbed for sports brand Fila, opening its first branded hotel in the world.
