Intercontinental Hotels : IHG Expands its Presence in Mainland China’s Luxury Boutique Hotel Market with the Official Launch of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

October 26, 2022, SUZHOU, IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, today celebrated the launch of its luxury boutique hotel brand, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants (Kimpton), in mainland China. The Kimpton brand launch was attended by actress Sun Li and Managing Director of IHG Greater China, Daniel Aylmer, at an official ceremony at the Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou.

Founded in San Francisco in 1981, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is one of the world's first international boutique hotel brands. Kimpton spaces and experiences center on their guests, offering inspiring designs that evoke the curiosity and forward-thinking flavors that feed the soul. Each and every detail is thoughtfully curated and artfully delivered, so that the guest experience remains meaningful, unscripted and personal. A pioneer in unique, distinctive, design-forward hotels, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is now part of IHG Hotels & Resorts Luxury & Lifestyle collection.

Kimpton arrives in mainland China at a time when travelers are placing an increasing premium on personalized and highly aesthetic experiences. Kimpton perfectly captures this growing demand for high-quality travel and customized hospitality experiences by inviting guests to experience delightfully surprising Kimpton moments through extraordinary hotel design and heartfelt services.

For the brand launch event in mainland China, Kimpton invited actress Sun Li to the Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou to experience Kimpton moments for herself. Known for her love of animals, Sun brought her pets along to enjoy the hotel's pet-friendly amenities, making her Kimpton moments that extra bit personal. This pet-friendly theme was further emphasized by a large animal-inspired outdoor installation set against the charming backdrop of the Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou.

"As boutique hotel experiences become more sought after in destinations worldwide, we are delighted to bring the unique and dynamic Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to mainland China," said Daniel Aylmer, Managing Director of IHG Greater China. "The arrival of the Kimpton brand will further strengthen IHG's portfolio of world-leading hotel brands and boost our competitiveness in the luxury boutique category as we strive to provide consumers with high-quality and highly personalized service. As an 'In China, For China' business, we will continue to work together with our partners while leveraging our global industry experience and our ability to constantly stay ahead of the curve to create real value for the Chinese market."

Creating Comfort with Heartfelt Service

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants prides itself on offering truly personalized service to curate unique but inclusive experiences. As the venue for the Kimpton mainland China brand launch, Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou perfectly encapsulates the essence of the brand. With its inspired design, the hotel highlights the Kimpton spirit of understand luxury peppered with ingenious details and convenient design and services. Referencing the architectural style of the nearby Prince Zhong Mansion, Kimpton artfully incorporates elements of Suzhou architecture and icons of the ancient watertown to create a simple and elegant space with modern sophistication.

Pet-friendly

As a pioneer of pet-friendly hospitality, Kimpton has been welcoming pets of all kinds with a series of pet-friendly amenities since 1992. When it comes to pets at Kimpton, the only rule is 'if your pet fits through the door, we'll welcome them in'. Nowhere could this be more true than Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou, which offers pet-friendly suites with double courtyards, pet cutlery, pet parties, and even pet weddings to ensure that guests of all sizes enjoy their stay in Suzhou.

Wellness

Human wellness is central to the Kimpton experience, where dedicated hotel teams work to provide a sanctuary in which guests can both recharge both body and mind. At the Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou, the FIT gym is equipped with advanced fitness and Pilates's equipment to help guests maintain their physical and mental health, while the heated indoor swimming pool is connected with an atrium where guest can relax and enjoy the beauty of the Jiangnan Watertown.

Destination Restaurants & Bars

Restaurants and bars are another highlight of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, with each dining concept tapping into local flavors and collaborating with renowned chefs to create authentic cuisine based on local ingredients. At Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou's The Grove restaurant, guests can savor creative Suzhou and Huaiyang cuisine featuring fresh ingredients from local and surrounding areas or enjoy seasonal omakase menus at Japanese restaurant KAPPO. Surrounded by the serenity of water on three sides, the Suzhou architecture Bar 168 makes the perfect setting for a craft cocktail at the end of the day.

Creative Meetings & Events

Kimpton creates personalized travel experiences that foster genuine human connections, and with 1,074 square meters of event spaces Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou is the ideal place for guests to hold creative activities, weddings, art exhibitions and more.

Social Hour & Morning Kick Start

Another of Kimpton's renowned tradition is the Kimpton Social Hour, where guests can make human connections by meeting fellow visitors in the hour before dinner. At Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou, Kimpton Social Hour is held in the HONOR BAR and offers a variety of drinks and seasonal cocktails to welcome guests. In the early morning, guests can also enjoy snacks from the buffet-style snack table to give themselves a Morning Kick Start before their run, business event, or day of exploration around the city.

Strategic Vision Forging the Future Map in China, Kimpton Treating Customers with Sincerity

As China's leisure market continues to upgrade towards greater personalization, IHG aims to provide its guests with True Hospitality for Good, working with its partners to build a series of boutique hotels that guarantee both quality and customization. As a luxury boutique hotel brand under IHG, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants plays an important role in IHG's goal to develop the luxury boutique hotel category in China and diversify the country's leisure market.

Greater China is IHG's fastest growing market in the world. The brand launch of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and the opening of Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou mark two significant milestone for IHG's growth in mainland China. Going forward, IHG will continue to accelerate its expansion to bring more surprises to guests in the country. Following the opening of Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou, new Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants are already in the pipeline in first-tier cities and tourist resorts, including Shanghai, Nanjing, Sanya, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Through its continued expansion and dedication to curating wholly unique experiences, Kimpton and IHG will continue to unlock the potential of China's hospitality and tourism market.