Hyatt Regency Atlanta Souvenir

The miniature souvenir building of the Regency Hyatt House in Atlanta Georgia stands 2.5 inches tall and was made in the 1960’s. One of these rare building replicas sold on eBay recently for $133. The real Hyatt Regency in Atlanta was constructed in 1967. The John Portman-designed building was the original Hyatt Regency property to be centered on an atrium and has influenced hotel design since. When it was built, the Regency Hyatt House, as the hotel was originally called, instantly became one of the most recognized buildings in Atlanta. The building consists of the main "Atrium Tower" and two extensions, completed in 1971 and 1982, containing a total of 1,260 rooms. Its open-air atrium and revolving rooftop restaurant called Polaris located just beneath the blue domed-shaped structure which gives the hotel its distinctive profile. This was John Portman's 1st revolving restaurant of many. When the hotel first opened, the restaurant gave diners an ever-changing panoramic view of the entire city. However, as taller buildings were erected on all sides of the hotel, the restaurant's view became increasingly constricted. Hotel managers cited renovation needs when the Polaris closed in August of 2004, but no plans to re-open the restaurant have been announced. In 1974, the Ivy Tower (now called Radius) was constructed next to the hotel. In 1996, International tower was added which is the same as the original design but has expanded rooms and suites.