I don’t know if it’s a phase or what, but “big box” hotels and mega chains have begun to grate on my nerves. For sure, the big chain hotels sometimes make sense depending on where you are, but more often than not lately, I’m finding myself in a Kimpton Hotel when one is available. My travel patterns have evolved over time, and I find myself traveling to bigger cities much more often where Kimpton has a property (or 9) as opposed to pondunkville where a Hampton Inn is the equivalent to a 5-star hotel. Granted, nothing wrong with Hampton Inns in a lot of cases. đŸ™‚

I have a handful of reviews in the pipeline, but after a few Kimpton stays this year, I’ve come to appreciate the little things they do that set them apart from the other chains. Social media interaction is fun, but where it really matters is at the hotels themselves and the interaction with people. Further, while I love consistency of service, I like a little variety and uniqueness when it comes to hotel properties. Kimpton wins at all of these. Of course, there’s a merger to be done with IHG, and I can’t help but wonder how that will impact the Kimpton experience, but for now, I couldn’t be happier.

2015 is a year of transition for a lot of us in loyalty. While airlines tend to get all the attention lately, I’m playing the field with hotels too, and so far, Kimpton is winning with me. Have your hotel loyalties evolved along with your airline loyalty habits?

-MJ, June 1, 2015

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