Kimpton Hotels - Sophisticated Luxury with the local touch

There are many reasons Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants has become among the best-loved boutique hotels in the global hospitality industry.

The Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, LLC is a San Francisco, California-based hotel and restaurant brand owned by IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG). The Kimpton brand was founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton. Today led by old hand and CEO Mike DeFrino, the group operates many hotels across the globe with more than 14000 bedrooms.

Kimpton Hotels did an impressive job of positioning and marketing itself as a destination for savvy travelers who are always looking for luxury and unique experiences coupled with unmatched service quality.

The Kimpton chain is one of the fastest-growing boutique hotel companies globally. Its unique blend of service and artistic flair makes it a popular destination for business and leisure holiday travelers from across the globe.

A Devout Brand Ambassador a Passionate Team

Mike DeFrino, CEO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, says, ”We believe that heartfelt, human connections make life worth living. So we come to work every day eager to engage with our guests and each other. It’s the first thing on our daily “to do” list. And we want to be more than your home away from home. We want to be the escape from home you never thought you needed – whether you’re on the road for business or pleasure.”

DeFrino’s career trajectory with Kimpton has taken him from a general manager (GM) to CEO in less than two decades. He joined the brand as the GM of the Alexis Hotel in Seattle in1997. DeFrino most recently served as Kimptons third COO in its more than 30 year history, during which time he oversaw operations across the entire brand, with responsibility for sales and catering, marketing, onproperty guest experience, and facilities oversight.

He enjoys traveling to the group’s hotels. He feels rejuvenated and draws energy from his visit to their global properties.

The senior leadership team comprises people who are tremendously passionate about their field, and their unwavering commitment makes Kimpton what it is in the industry today.

Kathleen Reidenbach, Chief Commercial Officer for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, is responsible for Brand & Communications, Customer & Loyalty Marketing, Digital Strategy, Revenue Management & Distribution, Sales & Catering, and Restaurant Marketing.

Kathleen and her team focus on the brand development and performance of new hotels and restaurants through the positioning, distribution, and marketing strategies executed by the Kimpton home office and local teams.

Kathleen began her career with Kimpton in 2002. She has received notable recognitions, including San Francisco Business Times’ “40 Under 40” (2017) and “The Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” (2018) awards, as well as the “Great Place to Work for All Leadership Award” (2018) from Great Place to Work.

The Pandemic Learning

Responding to questions about how the group saw itself through the pandemic, Mike DeFrino, said “the pandemic and downturn have necessitated a change for brands like ours to avoid falling into the loser category. We’re trying to be as efficient and effective with our resources as possible, and like many other management companies and hotel companies around the world, we’ve had to rightsize the business to the demand levels of today.”

Corporate restructuring has helped Kimpton grow more agile and more flexible. They are well aware of the challenge ahead for many companies, like scaling up most effectively as the industry and economy rebound slowly.

Employees say, “Kimpton truly goes to bat for its employees.” Though business was almost shut down due to the pandemic, Kimpton moved quickly to help furloughed Kimptonites find temporary jobs at companies scaling up during the difficult times. They even coordinated with almost every state’s unemployment agency to ensure people received their benefits.

The Winner Takes the Most

• In 2020 IHG hotels took home several accolades at the Scottish Hotel Awards, including ‘City Hotel of the Year’ for Hotel Indigo Dundee and ‘Luxury Brand Hotel of the Year’ for Kimpton Blythswood Square.
• For the tenth consecutive year, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants was listed on Forbes’ list of The Best Employers for Diversity 2019.
• Several IHG hotels were recognized in the Condé Nast Traveler reader’s choice awards 2019, including Kimpton Gray Hotel, US, and Kimpton Hotel Monaco, US.
• Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants was listed on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2019.
• More than 60 IHG hotels won at the Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards 2018. This includes InterContinental Budapest as Top Hotel in Central Europe, Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa as Top Hotel in the Caribbean, and Kimpton Van Zandt as Top Hotel in the US.
• Readers of USA Today ranked Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants on its 10 Best Readers’ Choice 2018 list for Best Luxury Hotel Brand.

Despite the slowdown in the global economy, the group is bullish and continues to expand and spread its wings globally.