June 21, 2010--Four Seasons will officially part company today from the Aviara resort in Carlsbad and will now be known as a Park Hyatt hotel.

The changeover follows what had been a months-long, acrimonious dispute between the hotel owner, Broadreach Capital Partners, and the hotel's longtime operator, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Although Broadreach had sought to immediately remove Four Seasons more than a year ago, alleging that it had failed to run the property in a "cost-effective manner," the matter ultimately went to arbitration.

In April, a three-member panel decided the two parties should terminate their relationship, but also concluded that both sides had "contributed to the demise of the business relationship." It further ordered Broadreach to pay Four Seasons compensation.

Hyatt Hotels Corp. representatives insist that guests at the 329-room resort will notice no difference after the Aviara becomes a Park Hyatt, which is the Hyatt chain's upscale, contemporary brand. All signage will be changed during the first two days of the changeover, they said.

"We are thrilled to be managing one of California's most beautiful resorts," Chuck Floyd, Hyatt's chief operating officer for North America, said in a news release. "Park Hyatt Aviara Resort will be a wonderful addition to our luxury Park Hyatt portfolio and Hyatt Resort properties worldwide."

The Aviara represents Park Hyatt's first West Coast property. Despite the high-profile split between Broadreach and Four Seasons, there is no mention of the breakup in Hyatt's news release.

On Four Seasons' website for the Aviara property, it referenced its impending departure, noting that it "had been very proud to manage Four Seasons Resort Aviara for the last 13 years." The luxury hotel operator will continue to manage Aviara's 132 time-share villas.

Both the hotel owner and Four Seasons have declined to comment about their dispute since going into arbitration last year. A Hyatt spokeswoman said that 95 percent of employees will remain at the hotel.

Before going into arbitration, Broadreach had hoped to replace Four Seasons with New Jersey-based Dolce Hotels and Resorts, a less well-known management firm.

Lori Weisberg: (619) 293-2251; [email protected]

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