Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Announces Latest Addition to Collection and First Twin Cities Property
SAN FRANCISCO (Oct. 12, 2010) – Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announced today it has added one of Minneapolis’ most iconic and renowned properties, The Grand Hotel Minneapolis, to its portfolio of boutique hotels.
Recently acquired by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (“Pebblebrook”), the four diamond-rated hotel is located in the city’s downtown business district in a 14-story building originally constructed in 1912 to house the famed Minneapolis Athletic Club. Linked to the Minneapolis Skyway System, the property is connected to key entertainment, retail and convention venues. and sits in close proximity to the Walker Art Center, the Guthrie Theater, Target Stadium and the Riverfront District.
Featuring extensive meeting space and one of the largest ballrooms in the downtown area, The Grand Hotel Minneapolis is already extremely popular with travelers doing business in the Twin Cities. With its transition into a Kimpton hotel, which will take place over the next 30 to 40 days, The Grand Hotel Minneapolis will now also feature the personalized services, programs and amenities for which the Kimpton brand is known. Such programs include the hosted evening wine hour, Guppy Love (companion goldfish upon request for lonesome travelers), signature leopard print robes, luxurious custom Frette linens, Forgot It, We’ve Got It list of travel essentials, more than 100 eco-friendly EarthCare operating practices, pet-friendly services and more. In addition, the hotel will undergo some refurbishments to refresh the interior design and make it reflective of Kimpton’s personality and style. At the same time, a dozen or more guest rooms will be converted into Tall Rooms, Kimpton’s custom room design for very tall guests. The refurbishments are expected to be completed by early 2011.
This is the third Pebblebrook owned hotel to be managed by Kimpton. Pebblebrook also owns the Kimpton-managed Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco and Hotel Monaco in Washington, D.C.
“We are thrilled with the opportunity to take over the reins of such a revered Minneapolis institution and are confident that locals and visitors will enjoy the unique Kimpton offering we will bring to this beloved hotel,” said Kimpton CEO Michael Depatie. “We’re also thrilled to be partnering again with Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, with whom we have worked so successfully in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco.”
ABOUT KIMPTON
San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, a collection of boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurants in the US, is an acknowledged industry pioneer and was the first to bring the boutique hotel concept to America. Founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton, the company is well-known for making travelers feel welcomed and comfortable while away from home through intuitive and unscripted customer care, stylish ambience and having a certain playfulness in its approach to programs and amenities. Each hotel provides a range of exciting culinary experiences through locally-loved, top-rated, destination, chef-driven restaurants. Kimpton leads the hospitality industry in ecological practices through its innovative EarthCare program that spans all hotels and restaurants. Market Metrix, a recognized authority and leader in feedback solutions, consistently ranks Kimpton above other hotel companies in luxury and upper upscale segments for customer satisfaction. Privately held Kimpton operates 51 hotels and 54 restaurants in 16 states. For more information, visit www.KimptonHotels.com or call 1-800-KIMPTON.
ABOUT PEBBLEBROOK HOTEL TRUST
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (“REIT”) organized to opportunistically acquire and invest primarily in upper-upscale, full-service hotels located in large urban and resort markets with an emphasis on the major coastal cities. The company owns five hotels, with a total of 1,430 guest rooms.
