Just wanted to send this back to the front page to see if anyone has heard more. (My apologies if this is discussed elsewhere; I searched through the forum and haven't found a more updated thread).

The most I've been able to find is a tweet from IHGCare on April 23 stating "updates will soon be published regarding the integration"

I have a Kimpton booking in June, and it would be nice to earn IHG points on that stay. My guess is the earliest will be July as it could happen at the same time as the launch of the new IHG Rewards tier

I think the very earliest will be July, quite possibly by September and perhaps realistically given their IT systems, January 1, 2016.

As a Kimpton IC, I hope never! Kimpton sold its soul for $ to IHG. Hotel prices are sky high now, they soon will crash again, like everything else in this really strange economy. Kimpton stockholders have done well. Maybe when the industry dies, they can buy their part back for pennys on $.

If there are going to be changes to the Kimpton IC program, I hope that what will be announced shortly is a timeline/roadmap for changes or integration, to be effective January 1, 2016 (for earning status for 2017) and for full implementation in 2017. The problem is that we are already almost half way through 2015, and Karma members have certainly been planning stays based on expected benefits for the 2016 status year.

GOT and DW,

Doubtful and doubtful.

I expect integration by no later than 1/1/2016, otherwise, their desire to grow the brand outside of the USA, as well as to fill glaring holes in their US city downtown locations will not be maximizing the cost that they paid for the hotels.

I am sure that they will integrate them into IHG Rewards and I think that it may be more than coincidence that the Ambassador kits are delayed. @:-)

I think that it will come with the announcement of the new tier. I suspect that all IHG programs to be rolled into a single program with current Ambassador and KK IC customers getting the new top tier for the remaining of the year. Maybe IC will roll into Platinum, because the qualification requirements are the same as the new Platinum.

The biggest issue with the timing is that it is done in the middle of the year and about half year of stays are gone and cannot be planned any more. I think that lots of ex-Kimpton IC would have a hard time making the 75 night threshold

I very much hope this is not the case. If RA goes away from IHG I probably do to.

No other programs out there have any equivalent, so it is likely that RA will go away and for a good reason, since the qualification requirements for RA are less than those for the new higher tier (60 nights vs 75 nights + the brands)

I think that was my tweet to which IHG replied! :)
Given the recent 75K point status, I am not sure they will roll out anything til the fall or end of this year.

+1

Not quite same as first one needs to enroll as Ambassadir before any IC branded hotel nights and then stay at least 20 qualifying rate paid IC hotel nights

If an Ambassador or RA stays at other IHG brands then Amb/RA status has no relevance so no need to ditch RA when creating the 75night elite category

AND...... IHG already communicated RAs will on July 1st all get upped to the new 75night tier which kind of States RA is continuing
Obviously RA's will reach new tier goals on points before nights anyway in their Ambasador years

Stays at IC's only give value for paid Ambassador elites who may do not do enough nights to reach RA either in total or at IC's. I can see where it is worth buying Amb status for upgrades even if only making 10 IC nights per year

RA's who make the plus 20 IC nights per year only benefit from the RA status on the IC portion of nights

I don't see IHG corporate giving up the Ambassador yearly fees which they pocket and do not pass on to hotels. Whilst I may be wrong I am believing RA wil carry on along sides @rewards as per las xx years

I don't do USA nights where Kimpton hotels are located but I would not expect any Kimpton program merge r into @rewards until at least Jan2016, the IT used just won't let IHG do such a merge easily or quickly

I very much doubt that will happen, but to add fuel to the rumour fire I am at the IC BUD now and instead of an Ambassador check in area at the front desk, they have an IHG Gold and Platinum check in area at the front desk. :eek:

I had thought RA was by invitation only based on some secret criteria?

It's a pretty open secret these days since the criteria are published. You must be an AMB to qualify however so the OP is right.

Kimpton CEO Mike DeFrino says something about IHG and Kimpton Rewards Programs integration....or does he??

http://skift.com/2015/06/22/kimpton-...g-integration/

The question is: to what extent current Kimpton hotels's customers are the basis of the brand growth (reason why IHG has acquired it)?

The answer might be not.

Still, it is not difficult to imagine an IHG Rewards Club that takes into account both IHG Elite status AND number of Kimpton nights to please everyone (in the case Kimpton guests NEVER stay elsewhere and still want to be rewarded for their loyalty at Kimpton).

I wouldn't be surprised to see something that parallels IC Amb/RA-- points earning and redemption at Kimpton will be integrated into IHG Rewards, but they will continue their own elite program (Inner Circle) with its own set of qualifying criteria, and there will be no official on-property recognition of IHG elites

The beginning of the end of Kimpton as we know it.

Hotel Monaco SF - gone

Hotel Palomar SF - gone

Prescott Hotel SF - gone

Argonaut and Tuscan - at risk

Buchanan and Sir Francis Drake - probably safe for now (already subject to union contracts).

Some of these were the founding cornerstones of Kimpton.

Ouch. And, to think that the SF properties were the ones I was most excited about! :(

I don't see how they can avoid giving some sort of Spire recognition at Kimpton/IC, ranking below RA/IC. I'd like to see AMB comped for Spire, but folks here seem to think that won't ever happen.

Well, there are still four Kimpton properties in San Francisco.

Two now - another two went today. IHG interim results confirmed today that 7 have left

Well, I am not quite sure to understand all the fuss about Kimpton hotels.
I have never stayed at one of them, but looking at pictures, they look mainly as renovated Crowne Plazas with so-call creative interior design (actually more corporate design than creative one).
In another words: good hotels, but nothing extraordinary.

Is service that great? At IHG hotels, I am generally very well welcomed and never had to complain about service.

Some properties are leaving the Kimpton network, certainly for more financial reasons than anything else.

The point is: Kimpton need to be developped and would certainly receive more from IHG (commercial and marketing power) than what it might lose.

If only Inner Circle members count, so that after Jan 1st an IHG Spire means nothing, except perhaps 20 ppd, what difference does it make?

Seven Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants properties located in San Francisco exited the InterContinental Hotels Group system due to union issues, according to Richard Solomons, IHG’s CEO.

http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/mobile/a...rticleid=16375

They were a different class of hotel. I don't mean higher or lower. I just mean different. They were a chain of boutique hotels that (although I haven't stayed in one in quite some time) didn't feel anything like staying at a member hotel from a corporate monstrosity. They were founded in San Francisco and them, along with Joie de Vivre did a fantastic job when they started, turning places that needed help from poopoodoodookaka holes into places people wanted to stay and return to. Kimpton did quite fine even with the labor market issues in San Francisco. It was one of the first to make excellent dining a cornerstone of a hotel experience. It will be interesting to see how the departed hotels perform, but I expect quite well. SF has some of the highest average room rates in the US (probably second to NYC, but at times, seasonally first). I'm just surprised so much of the Kimpton portfolio is gone, so quickly.

It's not surprising when you think about the union issues and managing a portfolio of over 4000 hotels. Taking aside the existing IHG properties in SF, where the union issues have been accounted for for many years, I'm sure IHG didn't want to deal with the mess of adding new hotels where the staff had significantly higher pay and benefit and overall cost issues. It not only screws up their financial modeling, but also can lead to personnelle difficulties down the road.

It seems crazy that what are as I understand it individually managed hotels under a relatively loose umbrella are deemed to be part of a larger corporate in this way, and I thought that union issues in the UK were screwed up!

And the message to the rest of the Kimpton chain is, in the words of the Borg "You Will Be Assimilated. Resistance is Futile"

The thing is that the Kimpton portfolio has a large percentage of its properties in labor-friendly cities (some where most if not all hotel workers are unionized). SF, Boston, Chicago, NYC, Seattle, Portland, DC - all labor friendly places. Kimpton was able to make a living with this portfolio. To shed so much so quickly ... perhaps the model was to own the Monaco brand and before we know it, that will be the new IHG sub-brand for the properties that stay, and anything else they want boutiquey.

This news is very disquieting. As a Kimpton IC, I have stayed at all the hotels that have left the brand name and enjoyed them. I was not happy when IHG acquired Kimpton, so this just supports my negative thoughts on the acquisition. I am particularly troubled by the lack of notice to IC members. I haven't received any of these defection notices, probably because I have nothing booked there, so this is a complete and very unwelcome surprise.

About international developments:

About the integration within IHG and loyalty program:

- See more at: http://www.businesstravelerusa.com/n...xpansion#.dpuf

It certainly seems IHG are taking their time integrating Kimpton into IHG Rewards. Kimpton sent out an email to its members on Friday stating:

"Here's what you can expect in 2016:
Kimpton Karma Rewards will continue to serve as the loyalty program for Kimpton
You'll receive quarterly updates with details on how things are progressing as it relates to bringing the best of Karma Rewards & IHG Rewards Club together."

And for 2017:
"Kimpton will be going global, so get ready. Of course, we'll also have more to share as it relates to marrying Kimpton Karma Rewards and IHG Rewards Club"

It all seems a bit vague to me but indicates that IHG points will not be awarded for a number of months on Kimpton stays, which is too bad as I have a couple of Kimpton stays booked for early 2016 for which I was hoping to get IHG points - I'll probably reevaluate where I stay as as result of this - it seems to have taken a year to get nowhere.

Let's see if merger of the loyalty programs will be faster with SPG/Marriott and Fairmont/Accor

I'm a pretty patient guy but this merger seems to at a snail's pace. :rolleyes:

By perseverance the snail reached the ark. =)

From what I infer, the Kimpton gang are really pushing hard to make Inner Circle the same as (Royal) Ambassador, so that IHG elites get their points, and not much else in terms of benefits on a stay. On the other hand, IHG might be looking for a bit more integration than that.

We need integration here not continuation of a 3rd loyalty program!

Very very Unlikely for this suggestion, as then zero incentive for Plats. Spires, Ambassadors to stay at Kimpton brand... Or re iprocally for Kimpton elites to stay at IHG brands

Also to me , a boutique hotel, Kimpton are closest aligned with Indigo brand to my mind

Kimpton bennies are not like IC Ambassador bennies so most likely outlook is Kimpton become another brand sitting alongside the better rated IHG brands of CP and Indigo.

The only thing IHG really need decide if Kimpton bennies equate to IHG Plat or spire level and whether to give Kic elites Plat or Spire status