Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

• 1. Founding And Early Growth

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  Bill Kimpton opened the first property in 1981. This San Francisco-based hotel and restaurant group grew to become the largest chain of boutique hotels in the United States by 2011. The company operated under his leadership until he stepped down from daily management roles. Mike DeFrino took over as Chief Executive Officer later in the company's history. By January 2024, the brand had expanded to operate 81 hotels worldwide. New properties were announced for cities including Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Paris, Barcelona, Charlottesville, Frankfurt, Grenada, Bali, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Rotterdam, and Sanya.

• 2. Corporate Acquisition And Restructuring

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  IHG Hotels & Resorts announced an acquisition of Kimpton on the 16th of December 2014. The deal valued at $430 million in cash closed shortly after the announcement. IHG retained the Kimpton brand name within the U.S. while expanding it globally. As a direct result of this corporate transaction, seven of Kimpton's nine hotels in San Francisco left the brand in July 2015. The remaining properties continued operations under the new ownership structure. The company now manages and operates hotels owned by other entities under contract agreements.

• 3. Brand Portfolio And Sub-Labels

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  The company launched two sub-brands in 2005 to diversify its offerings beyond core properties. Hotel Monaco opened locations in Baltimore, Denver, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Salt Lake City, and Seattle. Hotel Palomar established presence in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, and Miami Beach. Each property features a restaurant or bar marketed as upscale or trendy. Specific examples include the Kimpton Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco and the Kimpton Vintage Portland in Oregon. The portfolio also includes unique names like the Kimpton Shane in Atlanta and the Kimpton Arras in Asheville.

• 4. Global Expansion And Property Locations

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  Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants maintains an international footprint across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Properties exist in Grand Cayman, Toronto, Tulum, and Monterrey within the Americas region. European locations span Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester, and Frankfurt. Asian markets include Bangkok, Samui, Taipei, Tokyo, Suzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur. Sydney hosts the Kimpton Margot Hotel in Australia. New hotels are planned for cities such as Sanya and Grenada. The brand operates under contract with other entities while maintaining ownership of many key assets.

• 5. Employee Recognition And Workplace Culture

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  Fortune magazine ranked Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants at number 10 on their Fortune List of the Top 100 Companies to Work For in 2020 based on employee survey data. The company formed K-GLEN, the Kimpton Gay and Lesbian Employee Network, to advise on personnel and community outreach concerns. This committee meets quarterly and has representation from every region of the country. The company received a 100% rating on the Corporate Equality Index released by the Human Rights Campaign every year since 2005. It was included as one of ten best companies for gay and lesbian employees by The Advocate publication.

• 6. Environmental And Social Responsibility Programs

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  The company's environmental program is called Earthcare. Every hotel adopts standard environmentally friendly products and practices like eco-friendly cleaning supplies and recycling initiatives. Each year, the company sponsors a red ribbon campaign generating awareness and funds for local HIV service agencies. Local hotels make donations to LGBT charities and host events for local community groups. The company sponsors Dress for Success Worldwide, an international non-profit organization that provides professional clothing and employment search programs for women. These efforts define the brand's commitment to social responsibility beyond hospitality services.