SouthPark is bustling these days, and one of the newest additions is Hyatt Centric SouthPark. The 175-room hotel opened in June at Apex Charlotte — the new development across from the mall on Sharon Road that’s home to Steak 48, SouthPark Church and Tiff’s Treats, with more to come.
Hyatt Centric is the hotel group’s millennial-focused brand, with locations mostly in vibrant cosmopolitan areas. The sleek interiors feature wood tones, lots of natural light, a vibrant living wall in the lobby and a dramatic curved staircase leading to the second-floor cocktail bar.
By now, you’ve probably heard about Mizu, the hotel’s splashy new rooftop restaurant featuring robata-grilled meats, vegetables and seafood. We recently spent some time exploring the rest of the hotel, including lobby bar IRO. Here’s a look around.
IRO (Japanese for “color”) boasts a stellar cocktail menu with Japanese-inspired snacks and shareables. For a citrusy, easy-drinking refresher, order the Hazel Made Me Do It (below right), made with vodka, lemon, strawberry-nigori syrup and hazelnut olive oil.
Indigo Road Hospitality Group — other Charlotte properties include Oak Steakhouse, Indaco and O-Ku Charlotte — manages the food and beverage program at the Hyatt Centric. Snack on sweet and salty green beans with local Cloister Honey (a staff favorite) or the French-cut tangy chicken wings with Gochujang hot sauce, black sesame and scallions (above left). The Buddha bowl (center photo) is bright, healthy and flavorful – arugula, watermelon radish, tomatoes, cucumbers, butter beans, quinoa, roasted butternut squash, edamame, with a carrot-ginger dressing. Other mains include fish tacos with a ginger-chili aioli, shredded cabbage, micro cilantro and lemon kosho hot sauce; and a poke bowl with Ahi tuna, salmon, edamame, yuzu ponzu and more.
You’ll notice subtle nods to Charlotte all over, with artwork featuring Queen Charlotte and the crown in unexpected places. Check out the installation in the lobby by Charlotte artist Hilary Siber Edwards, featuring 100 handmade porcelain mining pans representing the region’s history as the first place gold was discovered in the U.S.
You can’t miss this 6-foot metal peacock sculpture in the lobby, left. The peacock was chosen “to reflect the symbol of beauty and dignity to encourage hotel guests to feel proud of themselves.” Look for other peacock-inspired art around the hotel, right.
The hotel has more than 4,000 square feet of event space, including a ballroom that accommodates up to 300. A wall of windows allows in natural light if preferred, and ultra-short throw projectors and a sophisticated lighting system provide all your group’s audio-visual needs. Celeb appeal: Former Carolina Panther Thomas Davis had his retirement party here. (Take a look at the photos.) A smaller 300-square-foot glass-enclosed boardroom accommodates up to 10 people.
Weekly events at IRO include Wine Down Wednesdays, with $5 glasses of wine all day and live music from 6-8 p.m. (Or bring a glass to your room for a low-key night in). Turn it Up Thursdays feature live music and signature cocktails on the first and third Thursday of the month.
IRO is also open for coffee and breakfast from 7-11 a.m., with a full coffee menu, pastries and hot items like French toast or steak and eggs.
Hyatt Centric SouthPark is located at 3100 Apex Drive hyattcentriccharlottesouthpark.com
