Park Hyatt Foz do Iguaçu will become the first Park Hyatt hotel in Brazil

Press Realease

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management services agreement with 5 Star Empreendimentos Imobiliários Ltda for a Park Hyatt hotel in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. Park Hyatt Foz do Iguaçu will become the first Park Hyatt hotel in Brazil and is expected to open in 2017.

Park Hyatt Foz do Iguaçu will be located in the city of Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná in southwest Brazil. The city is home to Iguaçu National Park, a world heritage site that is world-renown for its waterfalls aptly named Iguaçu Falls. The national park shares its borders with Paraguay and Argentina, making it a coveted resort, eco-travel and meetings and incentives destination.

The hotel will be an important component of a mixed-use development that will be situated on a 98-acre parcel of land located on the riverbank of the Iguaçu River. The development will also include 30 Park Hyatt-branded two and three-bedroom homes, residential sites for single-family homes and a 25 acre protected nature reserve. Park Hyatt Foz do Iguaçu will offer the brand’s signature personalized services with 170 luxury rooms and suites, four restaurants and bars, a spa, a fitness center, an outdoor pool, and more than 16,146 square feet (1,500 square meters) of meeting and event space. The hotel is located 15 minutes from downtown Foz do Iguaçu and approximately six miles (10 kilometers) from Foz do Iguaçu National Park.

“In recent years, Hyatt has made a concerted effort to expand its brand presence in Brazil, and we couldn’t be more pleased to introduce the Park Hyatt brand in this world-class destination. We believe the brand’s reputation for personalized luxury and sophistication will be a welcomed offering to guests traveling to Foz do Iguacu,” said Pat McCudden, senior vice president, real estate and development, Latin America and Caribbean for Hyatt. “The development of the Park Hyatt Foz do Iguaçu is a significant step in our efforts to enhance guest loyalty by expanding the presence of Hyatt-branded hotels around the world to destinations where our guests are traveling.”

“We are delighted to work with Hyatt on this new development, which we believe will enhance Foz do Iguaçu as a premier destination for leisure and group travel,” said Armando Nasser, president, Fenicia Group S.A. “Hyatt shares our vision for creating a new sophisticated resort offering for travelers. We wish that our guests’ journey goes beyond the natural wonders of Foz do Iguaçu so they can also enjoy the enriching and memorable experiences Park Hyatt is known for creating.”

The Park Hyatt brand recently debuted its global flagship hotel, Park Hyatt New York, in Manhattan at 153 West 57th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, which is within walking distance to Central Park and across the street from historic Carnegie Hall. The hotel marks a significant milestone for the Park Hyatt brand, giving it representation in a key market and boosting the brand’s global visibility. In Latin America and the Caribbean, Park Hyatt hotels are located in Argentina with Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires and Park Hyatt Mendoza. In addition, Park Hyatt hotels are under development in Los Cabos, Mexico, the Riviera Maya in Mexico, and St. Kitts in the Caribbean.

Hyatt is currently represented in Brazil by Grand Hyatt São Paulo, a full service, luxury hotel. Currently, Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro is under construction and is scheduled to open in late 2015 in Rio de Janeiro’s Barra da Tijuca borough. In addition, Hyatt Place São José do Rio Preto is under design and it is scheduled to open in mid-2016 in the northwestern area of the state of São Paulo.

Hyatt continues to grow its portfolio across all brands globally. As of June 30, 2014, the Company's executed contract base consisted of approximately 240 hotels or approximately 54,000 rooms. For more information, please visit www.hyattdevelopment.com.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation or one or more of its affiliates.

About Park Hyatt

Park Hyatt hotels provide discerning, affluent business and leisure guests with elegant and luxurious accommodations. Guests of Park Hyatt hotels receive highly attentive personal service in an intimate environment. Located in several of the world's premier destinations, each Park Hyatt hotel is custom designed to combine sophistication with a distinctive regional character. Park Hyatt hotels feature well-appointed guestrooms, meeting and special event spaces for groups, critically acclaimed art, food and beverage programs and signature restaurants featuring award-winning chefs. There are currently 34 Park Hyatt hotels in the following locations: Abu Dhabi, Beaver Creek, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Busan, Canberra, Changbaishan, Chennai, Chicago, Dubai, Goa, Hamburg, Hyderabad, Istanbul, Jeddah, Maldives, Melbourne, Mendoza, Milan, Moscow, New York, Ningbo, North San Diego, Paris, Saigon, Seoul, Shanghai, Siem Reap, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Vienna, Washington D.C. and Zurich. For more information, visit parkhyatt.com.

About 5 Star Empreendimentos Imobiliários Ltda.

5 Star Empreendimentos Imobiliários Ltda. is the real estate and hospitality arm of Fenicia Group S.A. Founded in the mid 1980s, Fenicia Group S.A. operates in Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay through wholesale, retail and distribution of luxury brands. Fenicia Group owns and manages a luxury department store in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, called SAX (www.sax.com.py), which sells luxury clothing, accessories, home decoration, watches and food & beverage items under more than 170 prestigious brands, including Armani, Cartier, Dior, Prada, Nike and Godiva. In the optical industry, Fenicia Group owns Optosul, which is licensed to distribute premium brands in Brazil and Uruguay such as Bulgari, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Ray Ban and Vuarnet. They also own Universal Optical, a laboratory that specializes in the manufacture of lens and holds the Star Lens brand. Fenicia Group business partner for this project is Serena Group S.A. Serena Group holds exclusive distribution rights for Pioneer audio branded electronics in certain Latin America countries.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a proud heritage of making guests feel more than welcome. Thousands of members of the Hyatt family strive to make a difference in the lives of the guests they encounter every day by providing authentic hospitality. The Company's subsidiaries manage, franchise, own and develop hotels and resorts under the Hyatt®, Park Hyatt®, Andaz®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Zilara™ and Hyatt Ziva™ brand names and have locations on six continents. Hyatt Residential Group, Inc., a Hyatt Hotels Corporationsubsidiary, develops, operates, markets or licenses Hyatt Residences®and Hyatt Residence Club®. As of June 30, 2014, the Company's worldwide portfolio consisted of 563 properties in 48 countries. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “likely,” “will,” “would” and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the rate and pace of economic recovery following economic downturns; levels of spending in business and leisure segments as well as consumer confidence; declines in occupancy and average daily rate; if our third-party owners, franchisees or development partners are unable to access the capital necessary to fund current operations or implement our plans for growth; changes in the competitive environment in our industry and the markets where we operate; our ability to access the capital markets; and other risks discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which filings are available from the SEC. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Aurelia Vasquez, +1 312 780 5873
aurelia.vasquez@hyatt.com

Source: Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Book suggests that Hitler's daughter may have lived and died in Foz do Iguaçu,Brazil

Is it possible that Magda Goebbels may have escaped from Germany alive? Is it possible that she may have come to a country like Brazil? The answer to writers L.M.Franco and C.L.Pereira is yes. The story will be made public by the end of this month when the book K.B.K Biografia e saga de Holdine Kathrim e sua mãe Magda Goebbels, na América do Sul após a Segunda Guerra Mundial (K.B.K. the Biography and Saga of Holdine Kathrim and her mother Magda Goebbels in South America after World War II) Unfortunately there is no English translation to the work that will reach bookshops befor August 1st. Mother and daughter spent a lifetime of suffering in the Brazilian border town. I will leave a link to the Publisher's Blog and to the book's website just in case you want to either order one or be in touch with the writers. I will be back to this subject.

Poor Niagara! Has Eleanor Roosevelt ever been to Iguassu Falls?

Photo from the US Embassy Brazil's FLICKR Gallery showing Eleanor Roosevelt, with Natal's Bishop Marcolino Dantas and General Gomes (in uniform) possibly translating.

Upon seeing Iguassu Falls, Eleanor Roosevelt is reported to have said: Poor Niagara! You will find that in Spanish, Portuguese, French and possibly other languages. Everyone, when trying to learn about Iguassu Falls, will hear this Poor Niagara – Iguassu Story. What is happening hear now is that I have launched a campaign, through several of my blogs trying to find out whether this is true or false and what is the context in which the first lady said that.

US First lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited Brazil in March 14-17 in 1944. She flew from the US over the Caribbean, made stops at some islands and for sure visited Trinidad and Tobago. From TT the First lady flew to Brazil entering the country through Belem – at the mouth of the Amazon River. Eleanor Roosevelt’s Belem visit has been well documented in Brazil. Ukraine-born Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector that was visiting Belem on leave from her Rio de Janeiro newspaper job reported the first lady’s visit to the A NOITE newspaper. From Belem a USAF / Navy Base during WWII, she visited two other US Bases in Brazil: Natal and Recife. Reading Eleanor Roosevelt’s My Day columns on the web, thanks to GWU’s brilliant MY DAY PROJECT work, I have seen and read the first lady’s comments on this special trip and I have had the impression that it was basically intended to support the war effort, boost troops’ morale and to report back home what she felt about the whole process.

My question here is if Eleanor Roosevelt did not visit Iguassu Falls in this 1944 visit, does anybody know whether she ever made a second trip to Brazil? Has there been a second visit? When? And, supposing there has never been a second visit, when, then, did she utter the famous statement comparing the two world-known waterfalls? Did it happen over an official meeting when someone showed a photograph of Iguassu Falls and she said that? Is it a rumor? It would be really good to be able to learn the truth about this.

The Greater Tres Lagoas Area of Foz do Iguaçu

Photos: Tres Lagoas' Saint Peter's Parrish (Paróquia São Pedro) and Bairro (neighborhood) pioneer Edmundo Roberto Kinner


The city of Foz do Iguaçu is divided into 12 regions or areas - for administration purposes. Each region is identified by a number (R-01) or the name of the most prominent bairro in the region or area. For instance, R-01 or Region One is known as the Greater Tres Lagoas Area. The main neighborhood in this case is called Três Lagoas which started out with somebody selling smaller land parcels mostly chunks taken off a small agricultural property and sold to Class E, wage earners to be paid in soft and nearly never-ending 100-installment plans. Some of the bairros in this and in other city areas were the result of invasions or occupations (the choice of either word will denounce political or ideological preference). There are over 9.000 basic education students (from ages 2 to 9) enrolled at 9 city schools.

Touristically speaking the area owns some of the city's smaller attractions like the Itaipu Dam Beach Area, some clubs, ultralight aircrafts owners' association of a sort, a newly-built katamaram boat for sunset cruises and so on.

Also, sadly and infamously, the Três Lagoas Area of town also owns the city's correctional district with a hell-on-earth type of horrible jail - that will soon be closed off for good. A new top security State Pennitentiary has been built and as of lately also a State Prison for people awaiting judgement. There will soon be a Female Pennitentiary and I also heard about somnthing like a Teenage Jail for adolescent "offenders". The Jail Sector of the Tres Lagoas Area is called Três Fronteiras Residential Park - and this is the kind of real estate enterprise that didn't prosper. Thanks to the abundance of jailhouses around prices, for land and houses around are going down.

Also what is going down is the once-flourishing city red light district. This district prospered during the Itaipu Dam Construction Days when 48.000 Paraguayan and Brazilian male hands joined to build the world's largest dam.


List of the 12 Regions of Foz do Iguaçu - may be good to someone, who knows? Numbers following region's name are about number of barrios in the region.

Region 01 - Três Lagoas Area (38)
Region 02 - Via "C" Area (27)
Region 03 - San Francisco Area (21)
Region 04 - The Porto Meira Area (31)
Region 05 - Jardim San Paulo Area (22)
Region 06 - Jardim America Area (19)
Region 07 - Imperatriz Park Area (22)
Region 08 - Vila "A" - AKLP Area (24)
Region 09 - City Center and Vila Yolanda Area (20)
Region 10 - Campos do Iguaçu - Fields of the Iguaçu Area (29)
Region 11 - The Carimã Area (10)
Region 12 - Rural Area

The purpose of dissecting the city like this is to make a point about the importance of barrios (neighborhoods) for local economies. IN the same extant that we live in the "city" and not in the Republic; as far as cities are cncerned, our lives happen in neighborhoods. Most of the attractions people see belong at first to the neighborhood where they are. Sometimes you may stay in top five-star hotel located in a neighborhood that the tourist will never learn about. Some times it is bad for business.

There is a Rural Area North and a Rural Area South
In the case of Foz do Iguaçu, here is a list of the possession of the Rural Area South:
a) The Foz do Iguaçu-Cataratas International Airport (Yes, hyphenated)
b) Over 106 hectares of land within the Iguassu National park
c) Park's Visitor Center
d) The Cataratas Hotel
e) The World famous Iguassu Falls
f) The Conscienciology Research Center
g) The Cognopolis Neighborhood - comprising
h) City's fishing and leisure farms

How to say Iguassu Falls in 30 languages (up to now)

1.Cataratas do Iguaçu (Portuguese*
2.Cataratas del Iguazú (Spanish)
3.Cataratas do Iguazú (Galician)
4.伊瓜苏瀑布 (Chinese - Iguasu Pú Bú)
5.Cascades de l'Iguaçú (Catalan)
6.이과수 폭포 (Korean)
7.イグアスの滝 (Japanese - Iguasu no taki)
8.Iguassu Falls (English)
9.Chororo Yguazu (Guarani)*
اگوازو آبشار.10(Farsi)**
11.Chutes d'Iguaçu (French)
12.(Arabic - Shallalat Iguasu)** شلالات ايغواسو
13.Водопады Игуасу (Russian - Vadopadi Iguasu)
14.Thác Iguazu (Vietnamese)
اگوازو آبشار.15(Urdu)**
16.Водоспад Іґуасу (Vadaspad Iguasu - Ukrainian)
17.น้ำตกอีกวาซู (Thai)
18.இகுவாசு அருவி (Tamil)
19.Iguassufallen (Swedish)
20.Iguassun putoukset (Finnish)
21.Slapovi Iguazú (Sloven)
22.Wodospad Iguaçu (Polish)
23.Iguaçu-fossene (Norwegian)
24.Igvasu krioklys (Lithuanian)
מפלי איגואסו.25 (Hebrew - Mapalim Iguasu)**
26.Cascate dell'Iguazú (Italian)
27.Air terjun Iguazu (Bahasa indonesian)
28.Iguaçuwatervallen (Dutch)
29.Iguassu-Wasserfälle (German)
30.Iguazu ur-jauziak (Vasque - Euskara)
31.Akvofalo Igŭacuo (Esperanto)
32.Rhaeadrau Iguazú (Cymraeg - Welsh)
33.Cascate dell'Iguazu
34.Catadupas do Iguaçu (portuguese)

Note: you can help increase the list by letting me know how to say and write Iguassu Falls in your language or a language you know. By the way help is needed for Tamil, and Thai.

Bicycling in the Iguassu Falls extended area

Buying or eyeing Rhodochrosite in Puerto Iguazú

Found in Argentina only in Capillitas, Province of Catamarca, the rhodochrosite has been consacrated as Argentina's National Stone and Mineral. It is also known as the Rosa del Inca - The Inca's Rose. There is a national industry of Rhodochrosite jewels, carving, arts and handicraft. IN Puerto Iguazu the national stone of Argentina can be found nealry everywhere from top notch tourist traps to de luxe hotels. But also by smaller outfits found in not so commonly visited areas of town and mainly hardly visited by international tourists. Two places that I have in mind right now are the Joyeria Artesenal on Avenida Costanera (Avenue) and Tres Fronteras and mainly a place called Piedras Nativas on the Tres Fronteras Avenue. I will be going back to to Puerto Iguazú these days and will see whether things changed. See you soon!