BY DATHAN KAZSUK
For Anthony Zinani, general manager at Hyatt House Seaboard Station, which will open this fall, the journey began when he opened Raleigh’s first AC Hotel seven years ago. His vision was clear and ambitious: to create a truly unique and memorable experience in a burgeoning area. That was in March 2017, and the hotel’s defining feature was its rooftop bar, Level7—a first for the brand, and a bold move that would set the tone for its future. As the 20th hotel under the AC brand, the hotel’s concept and location made it an instant success. “We blew it out of the water,” Zinani recalls.
Today, Zinani is poised to open another hotel rooftop bar that has Raleigh’s interest piqued: Hyatt House’s High Rail Bar and Restaurant, which will open with the hotel in the fall. High Rail will focus on high-end cocktails and shared, small-plate dishes, and will offer an unparalleled view of the city.
As general manager, Zinani is poised to make the Hyatt House experience unique. His career has offered him a number of different hospitality roles that inform his choices. From his start as executive chef at the AC Hotel North Hills, he became food and beverage director, which led to his new job as opening general manager (GM) at Hyatt House Seaboard Station. Each role has been a box checked on his path to leadership. “I was an executive chef. I did that my whole life. And when I [became] food and beverage director at AC, I thought, what was next?” he says.
His work with food and drink, combined with his broad service experience, fuels Zinani’s enthusiasm about elevating the overall guest experience at Hyatt House. “If we don’t act like we’re in a select service box and we perform and go about our business with higher expectations,” he says, “[we] bring that level of service and elevation to everything.”
Zinani acknowledges a unique perspective that comes from his culinary background. His journey with food began in a large Italian family in the Northeast, with early experiences in kitchens and a strong work ethic instilled by his parents. His mother was a baker and server, while his father ran a slaughterhouse, teaching him skills from a young age.
“I was washing dishes at seven, eight years old, breaking down animals at 10 or 11,” he remembers. This foundation led him to work in restaurants nationwide, and he went on to attend Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island.
An extensive period of travel through Europe honed Zinani’s skills and broadened his culinary horizons. These experiences have shaped his approach to both food and hospitality, as he emphasizes quality, authenticity and local products.
“I believe in Raleigh’s agricultural strengths and in using local ingredients. It’s part of the fabric of what we do,” he says.
As the Hyatt House Seaboard Station and High Rail plan their opening date, Zinani and food and beverage director Jeremy Powers will emphasize a distinctive fall menu that reflects the season’s essence without resorting to clichés. “Everyone’s on this pumpkin train, but it doesn’t have to be pumpkin everything,” says Zinani. “It can be root vegetables, different cooking methods and flavors representing fall.”
This approach also extends to the beverage program, where Zinani plans to focus on craft and quality ingredients over gimmicks. “You can do great things with what we have around us,” he says. “It’s about standing by the products we support and love.”
The location of Hyatt House Seaboard Station in the historic Seaboard area of Raleigh influences Zinani’s approach to food and hospitality there. Seaboard Station was originally part of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, established in the late 19th century. The area was a central hub for the city and contributed significantly to Raleigh’s growth and development. The railroad declined in the mid-20th century, with passenger services ceasing and building use transitioning.
The location’s rich history, which includes one of the last remaining railway turntables in North Carolina, adds a sense of continuity and transformation to Zinani’s vision for Hyatt House Seaboard Station. “It represents the opportunity to change direction and start anew,” he reflects. This historical context blends with the hotel’s modern vision, creating a bridge between the past and the future.
Looking ahead, Raleigh’s potential for growth and development is immense. Seaboard Station is close to several vibrant neighborhoods like Smoky Hollow and Glenwood South that are likely to become more interconnected in the near future. “Developers have grand plans for the area, and Raleigh’s favorable corporate tax rates make it an attractive location,” says Zinani. He hopes the hotel and bar will be a part of the area’s growth and new energy.
As the hotel opens in the fall, guests can expect an elevated experience that blends culinary excellence, innovative cocktails and a deep respect for local ingredients and history. The rooftop bar is poised to become a new landmark in Raleigh’s hospitality scene. Zinani expects this latest chapter in Seaboard Station’s rich history to be as exciting as those that came before.
“It is the difference—the difference in the layout and the design, which is done very well,” Zinani says about what will make High Rail different from other local rooftop bars. “You see beautiful views at other bars, but everything is open to view for us. You can see the whole freaking skyline.”
