Under IHG, Kimpton Reaches New Heights
by Jessica Montevago
The luxury boutique brand is at its strongest in its 38-year history, with more than 25 hotels under development. Photo: Kimpton Hotels & Resorts
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is set to open more than 25 Kimpton hotels in new markets in the next three to five years, as the brand continues to grow, and is set to make its debut in a suite of new markets around the world including Germany, Grenada, Indonesia, Spain and China.
Since acquiring the boutique hotel company in 2015, IHG opened its first hotel outside North America in Amsterdam and has been rapidly expanding. The company also opened the first Kimpton hotel in the Caribbean, Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa in Grand Cayman; and debuted in the UK with a flagship property, Kimpton Fitzroy London.
“With IHG’s scale and network of owner relationships, we’ve unlocked the global growth of Kimpton Hotels & Resorts. We’ve seen incredible interest from hotel owners around the world, as well as from guests who can now experience the heartfelt service Kimpton is so famous for in new and exciting destinations,” said Elie Maalouf, chief executive officer, Americas, IHG.
Slated to open this spring, the Kimpton Da An Hotel will debut in Taipei Taiwan. The hotel’s interior design celebrates the area’s heritage with artistic modernity and traditional craftsmanship. Expect lush botanicals and light-filled spaces. A restaurant, The Tavernist, offers playful modern cuisine led by former Noma Chef, James Sharman.
Kimpton will also make its debut in Scotland. Consisting of seven interconnected, Georgian-style townhouses, the Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel opens in Edinburgh this spring. Overlooking a beautiful private garden square, located in the heart of the city center, everything from the glass-topped central courtyard to the locally loved Middle Eastern restaurant provides an ideal haven in the Scottish capital.
Marking Kimpton’s second Caribbean resort and slated to open in early 2020, Kimpton Kawana Bay Resort in Grenada will be a 220-room luxury hillside retreat located between tropical rainforest cliffs and the world-renowned Grand Anse Beach. All rooms feature spectacular ocean views and a number of suites have private pools. The name of the resort itself, Kawana Bay, pays homage to the area’s native leatherback turtles, named “Kawana,” which are a fixture on the Spice Island.
In 2020, the luxury hotel brand will also debut properties among the natural beauty of the Nusa Dua coastline and lush volcanic hillsides of Bali (the 50-luxury villa Kimpton Bali); the heart of the Langsuan area in Bangkok (the 349-room Kimpton Bangkok); as well as in Mexico City, Paris, and Barcelona.
