Originally Posted by
robertwcook16
I always call the front desk ahead of time to confirm my reservation and assure that my InTouch number is designated on the reservation. I also ask for any dining or tourist recommendations in the area, as well. Being nice and friendly goes a long way. My first stay was at the Monaco, Alexandria as noted above. We were treated like premier guests who had tons of loyalty points. I had actually signed up for InTouch just after booking on Hotwire, just like you did. Also, look into a status match if you have any status with any other hotel brand. I had platinum with Priority Club and emailed Kimpton for a status match and my InTouch was upgraded to Inner Circle which comes with a great list of perks. I think it is just the Kimpton way of business to treat every customer fabulously. Always ask nicely for an upgrade at checkin. If you don't ask you don't get...
Thanks for the info. I already called them once today (to confirm and alert them to a couple of simple requests for our stay) so I'll call back in a day or two to add my new Inner Circle number. As far as I can tell (from their promo material and from my limited interaction with their staff) it does sound like better guest treatment is "just the Kimpton way." I've always been really interested in their properties, but their small (domestic only) footprint has kept me away from them. However, with the latest round of devaluations, I'm starting to think that the other chains are only good for credit card spend and free stays. I'm not going to be attached to a loyalty program for paid stays anymore - I'll either book the hotel I absolutely like the most (maybe a Kimpton property or an independent) or priceline / hotwire it and try to get a good deal. In this case, I got both so I'll give them a try.