It was July 2022, we went to the California State Fair in Sacramento; it was the first time for both of us to attend any state fair. We also wanted to see a bit more of the city. So rather than a day trip, we turned this visit into an overnight stay. The hotel we chose was Hyatt Centric which is located downtown.
The hotel is relatively new and the reception is different from the usual Hyatts. The wall behind the reception is a bank of Marshall amplifiers/speakers (or at least the front panel) and shelves of vinyl records. Marshall speakers and amplifiers are well-loved by musicians and sport a trademark vintage look.
We saw this record at the reception, top shelf (photo above).
Click ▶ to play it.
A bright and modern bar/restaurant visible from the street is located right next to the reception. There is a rooftop bar/restaurant – Clayton Club, named after a famed jazz club of yesteryears.
Jazz clubs in the downtown area were active from the early days of ragtime through the big-band swing era and the bebop jazz of the Beat Generation.
Interestingly, the music theme extends to our room which exudes a jazz club vibe.
The headboard of the bed is shaped like a guitar pick. Above the bed is an artfully framed picture of a whiff of cigarette smoke. We can imagine a Rita Hayworth type in opera gloves, black dress lounging on one side of the bed with a slim cigarette holder.
A row of brass knobs used in Marshall amplifiers are installed on the edge of a mirror as decoration. The light fixtures are brass-hued.
Heavy-duty Marshall brass knobs are used as pulls for a set of bedside drawers.
Once we saw these little features, we started exploring the room for other subtle jazz nightclub motifs. At the corner of a table, there is a guitar pick placed under a glass top.
On the inside of the wardrobe door we found this graphic.
While the face of the woman is not visible, its resemblance to the front cover of the BILLIE album which we saw earlier at the reception is unmistakable.
While the flowers are floating away from her head (or floating down in front of the singer) in the graphic, blocking her face, the earring seems identical. We suspect the graphic on the door is based on an original photo of Billie Holiday, while the record cover is an imitation of the original photo, the singer is posed by the actress in the biographic film.
BILLIE is the companion thirteen-song soundtrack to the James Erskine-directed documentary on Billie Holiday. We hope you are enjoying the Spotify playlist presented at the top of the page.
When we pulled out a shallow drawer, it turned out to be a serving table, the bottom of which is lined with a piece of glass decorated with a musical note. A few coasters for cocktail glasses would have completed the picture.
The wooden floor in the room was covered by a rug with a design that mimics a guitar chords chart.
While the jazz theme and objects are retro in mood, the representations in the decorative touches are modern and sleek by design.
The last feature we spotted is a bedside table that was shaped like a double bass.
There may very well be other hidden suggestions of jazz club ambiance in the room.
It was fun discovering these tastefully executed touches in the room.
The Billie documentary film was made in 2019.
According to a 2015 corporate blurb, Hyatt announced a chain of hotels branded “Centric” which was inspired by the mission of putting its guest at the center of the action with a cosmopolitan vibe.
Hyatt’s research identified “a multigenerational group comprised of travelers (“Modern Explorers”) who view their hotel as more than a place to stay. Rather, their hotel is the hub of their experience, connecting them to unique experiences, the best of what the destination has to offer – experiences that lead to great stories.”
Well, we had a very positive experience at this Sacramento hotel and are curious what themes are presented at other Hyatt Centric hotels.