I am Kimpton "Inner Circle" status, and am very satisfied with the benefits of the program and the personal attention I have received from Kimpton.

Kimpton has gone the extra mile to ensure that I am taken care of. They make me feel like a valued customer, unlike my experiences with Starwood. Memo to Starwood: "You're fired."

I like that one of the benefits of "Inner Circle" status is Kimpton provides me with direct line phone and email address info for Kimpton's CEO. A company that listens to its customers... and seeks to be accountable to its customers... imagine that!

As Snowbird posted here, the Kimpton "In Touch" loyalty program systems and processes appear to be not as automated or advanced as other programs. But I am sure that over time they will make enhancements.

Preferred reservations in hotel restaurants is nice, and the complimentary chef's course for the table is a nice touch. As an example, at the Hotel Monaco in Washington D.C., I needed last minute reservations for a party of 6 on a busy Friday night - and as an Inner Circle member, the hotel/restaurant came through, with a private dining room.

Speaking of the Hotel Monaco Washington D.C., my wife and I recently stayed there and we had a memorable stay. Here are details if they are helpful to other InTouch / Inner Circle members:

LOCATION: The hotel location in Penn Quarter is very convenient, with close access to restaurants, shops and Metro.

TRANSPORTATION: Upon arrival at National airport, I took a Metro train from the airport to the hotel. This was very convenient and cost effective. The hotel is just across the street from the Metro Station.

CHECK IN: My wife arrived earlier in the day and checked in. She tells me check in was friendly, professional and efficient.

HOTEL BUILDING: Hotel Monaco Washington D.C. is the former Tariff Building, a completely renovated Registered National Landmark built in the mid-1800s and the city's first all-marble building. The building is unique and has lots of charm. The lobby is relatively small but beautiful; the hall ways are wide and inviting. Overall, the Hotel Monaco Washington D.C. has the distinctive feeling of a boutique hotel that we wanted (vs. the cookie cutter approach of a larger branded corporate hotel chain).

OUR ROOM: We stayed in a "Robert Mills suite", which was a large two room suite, with 20 foot ceilings and ornate molding. The room was ultra-clean, comfortable, and decorated tastefully. The living room area was comfortable, with a TV, stereo with surround sound, a desk -- and free high speed internet access. The desk had easy access to a power strip, the design was well thought out for the business person who would need to use the desk. The bathroom was fabulous: large, clean, well-lit, lots of counter space, a separate shower surrounded by three walls of glass, and a very nice extra: a deep Jacuzzi tub. Like Starwood's W Hotels, there were a variety of Aveda bath products, which we liked and appreciated. I should note that the suite was much larger than the standard rooms we saw being made up by housekeeping; if you get a standard room it might be a little small, similar to a small room in NYC. Comparing with the W Hotels, our suite at Hotel Monaco Washington D.C., particularly the bathroom, far surpassed what I've seen at several different W Hotels.

SPECIAL AMENITIES: Hotel Monaco Washington D.C., like all the Kimpton properties, has an evening wine hour, during which guests fan socialize with each other. I really like this concept. The fitness center room is small but well appointed.

RESTAURANT: The hotel's restaurant, Poste, was very good. I won't spend a lot of time on the restaurant review except to say that our party of six enjoyed a dinner in a private dining room, service was excellent, and we enjoyed the food.

HOTEL STAFF AND MANAGEMENT: The staff and management were very attentive, friendly, courteous and professional. On several occasions, they went above and beyond to ensure we had a memorable stay. There were a few lapses in service and execution, but those were quickly fixed or professionally handled to my satisfaction. To the staff's credit, they seemed to genuinely want feedback and have a desire to continue to improve the guest experience, and I don't think you can emphasize the importance of those qualities.

ESPECIALLY HELPFUL: Angel, the guest services manager, who deserves special recognition for being customer focused and committed to customer satisfaction. It is because of employees like Angel that I will be shifting my business from a competitor to Kimpton properties.

CHECK OUT: fast and efficient.

WHEN BOOKING YOUR ROOM: Although not the hotel's fault, each night we could hear a significant amount of street noise from our third floor room, particularly cars driving by with their radios on loud, and what seemed like a constant thumping of the bass notes in the music in their cars. Recommendation: if you're sensitive to noise of cars with loud radios blaring, I would suggest a room overlooking the inner court yard of the hotel, instead of the exterior room we had.