Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 'Hotel of Hope' lives on

ATLANTA - There are more than 1,200 rooms at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, but there’s only one Coretta Scott King Suite.

The luxury suite — named for the civil rights leader and wife of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — is filled with photographs of the King family, including a framed 1953 wedding portrait. 

"It’s really an homage to the family," says hotel area vice president and general manager Derrick Morrow.

The hotel’s association with the King family dates back to its opening in 1967. Designed by visionary architect John C. Portman, Jr., the Hyatt Regency Atlanta wasn’t just a beacon of modern design — it also quickly became a beacon of hope.

"Martin Luther King and his folks were meeting at another hotel in the city and were subsequently asked to leave the hotel," explains Morrow. "And as they were leaving the hotel, they were walking around, and they looked at our hotel and said, ‘That could be our hotel of hope. We hope that that hotel allows us in to be able to house our meetings and does the right thing.’"

And, Morrow says, the hotel did. In August 1967, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference held its 10th anniversary convention at the hotel. Guests can still walk downstairs to visit the ballroom in which Dr. King spoke; the doors to that ballroom are currently reflected in a shimmering, mirrored civil rights-themed wall installation by artist Lillian Blades.

The hotel’s legacy of inclusion is also reflected in its menu thanks to a Hyatt initiative called Change Starts Here, emphasizes partnering with Black-owned vendors.

"There’s a lot of history behind spirits and different liquors and alcohols, and a lot of it is rooted in Black and Indigenous practices," says assistant food and beverage manager Jasmin Goldstein. "And most people aren’t aware of that. So, seeing … a lot more of these Black-owned brands becoming more popular is really beautiful because you’re getting to see a lot of those hidden stories are starting to come out."

In other words, with just about every sip of a cocktail, the hotel’s dedication to racial equality lives on; a 25-story constant amid an ever-changing city.

"It’s just such an iconic hotel," says Morrow. "It’s an iconic hotel within our brand, it’s an iconic hotel within the community, and it’s just such an honor to be able to come in and be able to tell all these stories."