Hyatt Hotels & Resorts has announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with Tavros Investment Holding for a Hyatt Regency hotel in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Expected to open in 2017, Hyatt Regency Almaty will mark Hyatt’s return to Kazakhstan.

“We are delighted to re-establish a Hyatt brand presence in Kazakhstan,” said Peter Norman, senior vice president, acquisitions and development for Hyatt – Europe, Africa, and Middle East.

“The development of this hotel represents a significant step for Hyatt as the company continues to expand its brand footprint in Central Asia.”

Hyatt Regency Almaty will be located in the heart of the city centre between Satpaev Avenue and Esentai River, offering easy access to the business district, Almaty International Airport and the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange.

The 270-room hotel will sit on a 62,800 square feet (6,800 square meters) site and will include 41 suites, three restaurants and bars, a spa, and a fitness centre.

The hotel will also offer more than 16,000 square feet of meeting facilities, including a 6,450 square foot ballroom.

“Given the strength and appeal of the Hyatt Regency brand, as well as the city’s location in one of the key financial centres in Central Asia, we believe the new hotel will connect both business and leisure travellers from across the region.

“Almaty’s growing economy provides an opportunity to introduce a globally recognized brand that will resonate with the burgeoning base of business and leisure travellers,” said president, Tayfun Doskaya of Tavros Investment Holding.

Hyatt Regency Almaty will join more than 145 Hyatt Regency hotels currently open around the world, including locations in China, India, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.