Kimpton Inner Circle Request Items
Oct 17, 2013 | 11:18 am
#31
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 274
I asked for an IPA and got a Belgian White. Sort of a different end of the spectrum.
Oct 17, 2013 | 11:19 am
#32
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 274
My general suggestion is to ask for either wine or liquor, and specify the brand you want. If price point is that important to you, specify exactly what you want. I usually prefer to drink beer, especially if I'm by myself, and I usually receive two or three bottles of a microbrew of some sort. My request is "local IPA/pale ale micros," and while I don't always receive a local brew, I always receive either an IPA or a pale ale. I'm not too picky though. If you are very selective though, you need to specify, not just assume that they will take "nice red wine" to mean, "$50/bottle red wine."
Oct 30, 2013 | 12:03 pm
#33
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: JFK > LGA >> EWR
Programs: AA EXP 1.2mm, Kimpton IC, Starwood Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,188
Nov 6, 2013 | 11:56 pm
#34
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: Kimpton IC, Hyatt Diamond, Gold Marriott, Lifetime Platinum Starwood
Posts: 8,664
Phoenix Palomar, FireSky, Vintage Park, Monaco, and Alexis (Seattle)
Palomar provided their caramel popcorn (that has chili peppers on it), unsweetened iced tea with lemons, and fresh fruits and cheese. 2 bottles of wter
FireSky - Chuckles (gummy candy), Tortilla chips and guacamole, unsweetened iced tea, small bottle of vodka (airline size), 2 bottles of water
Vintage Park - bottle of Syrah wine (Chateau Ste. Michelle), bottle of water, water crackers (7 of them), 3 very small pieces of cheese, and a chocolate bar.
Monaco (Seattle) - by far the best thus far. Fresh guacamole, blue tortilla chips, bottle of red wine, and bowl of gummi bears.
Alexis - bottle of red wine, bag of blue tortilla chips, box of guacamole, bottle of water
FireSky - Chuckles (gummy candy), Tortilla chips and guacamole, unsweetened iced tea, small bottle of vodka (airline size), 2 bottles of water
Vintage Park - bottle of Syrah wine (Chateau Ste. Michelle), bottle of water, water crackers (7 of them), 3 very small pieces of cheese, and a chocolate bar.
Monaco (Seattle) - by far the best thus far. Fresh guacamole, blue tortilla chips, bottle of red wine, and bowl of gummi bears.
Alexis - bottle of red wine, bag of blue tortilla chips, box of guacamole, bottle of water
Last edited by ldsant; Nov 8, 2013 at 5:27 pm Reason: added more information
Dec 3, 2013 | 4:19 pm
#35
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: 2011 Air: AA (Plat) UA (Prem); Hotel: HGP (Dia), HH (Dia), KIT (IC); Car: HZ (PC) AF
Posts: 688
What's the point of having an amenity list if no one reads it?
I admit that I should probably e-mail each hotel before we arrive since I feel this is an important benefit to me. However, I do feel that goes completely against the spirit of this benefit. It's supposed to make us feel comfortable and at home whenever we arrive. If a team doesn't have 30 seconds to read my profile and I have to remind them, I don't feel very welcome.
I have called the FD when we get a totally wrong amenity selection and every time they've been very apologetic and quick to get us something, so I can't say anything too bad about the staff. Again, just seems to go against the nature of the benefit.
I admit that I should probably e-mail each hotel before we arrive since I feel this is an important benefit to me. However, I do feel that goes completely against the spirit of this benefit. It's supposed to make us feel comfortable and at home whenever we arrive. If a team doesn't have 30 seconds to read my profile and I have to remind them, I don't feel very welcome.
I have called the FD when we get a totally wrong amenity selection and every time they've been very apologetic and quick to get us something, so I can't say anything too bad about the staff. Again, just seems to go against the nature of the benefit.
I send a pre-arrival response e-mail for every stay reinforcing my requests and amenity preferences. Before I started doing this, I had a 40% "success rate" getting my preferences. That has now increased to 85-90%. There are still execution shortfalls that seem to depend on who is handling the amenities that night.
It doesn't take a lot of time. I have a draft copy of my standard e-mail in an MS Word document. I cut & paste into an e-mail and customize where needed. Takes 2-3 minutes. Worth the time to avoid disappointment.
Dec 3, 2013 | 4:21 pm
#36
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: 2011 Air: AA (Plat) UA (Prem); Hotel: HGP (Dia), HH (Dia), KIT (IC); Car: HZ (PC) AF
Posts: 688
Dec 3, 2013 | 4:27 pm
#37
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: 2011 Air: AA (Plat) UA (Prem); Hotel: HGP (Dia), HH (Dia), KIT (IC); Car: HZ (PC) AF
Posts: 688
I also view the suggestions as guidelines. I can't imagine being outraged that the potato chips or nuts were an incorrect flavor, or the wine delivered was a different brand than I requested.
If there are 10 Inner Circle guests per night, the concierge potentially could spend much of his day just fulfilling snack requests, in addition to attending to his regular job responsibilities.
It's not often I defend the hotel chain, but I believe we should cut them some slack. Especially since many of these rooms sell for $100-$200.
If there are 10 Inner Circle guests per night, the concierge potentially could spend much of his day just fulfilling snack requests, in addition to attending to his regular job responsibilities.
It's not often I defend the hotel chain, but I believe we should cut them some slack. Especially since many of these rooms sell for $100-$200.
And from what I'm told by local staff, there is rarely that many IC members checking in on a given night.
Dec 3, 2013 | 4:35 pm
#38
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 16
Does anyone know if Kimpton limits the number of free nights at new hotels for inner circle members?
Dec 3, 2013 | 4:44 pm
#39
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: 2011 Air: AA (Plat) UA (Prem); Hotel: HGP (Dia), HH (Dia), KIT (IC); Car: HZ (PC) AF
Posts: 688
Dec 23, 2013 | 7:01 pm
#40
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: Kimpton IC, Hyatt Diamond, Gold Marriott, Lifetime Platinum Starwood
Posts: 8,664
Portland Amenities this week
My profile is very specific about the things I enjoy. I am usually very pleased with my amenity so I'm not sure what happened this week.
Vintage Plaza - unsweetened iced tea, bottle of red wine, one bottle of water (no on my profile), pretzels, chocolates (definitely not on my profile). I returned everything but the iced tea and pretzels when I checked out this morning, said thank you but that I wouldn't use any of these items so they should use them for somebody else. They packed them in a paper bag and sent them over to the Monaco Portland for me
Monaco Portland - small jar of gummy bears, one bottle of red wine, two bottles of water
The amenities are a nice perk at the hotels that's for sure but I'm with others - I rarely get what I actually request but again, I think it's really a very nice touch!
Vintage Plaza - unsweetened iced tea, bottle of red wine, one bottle of water (no on my profile), pretzels, chocolates (definitely not on my profile). I returned everything but the iced tea and pretzels when I checked out this morning, said thank you but that I wouldn't use any of these items so they should use them for somebody else. They packed them in a paper bag and sent them over to the Monaco Portland for me
Monaco Portland - small jar of gummy bears, one bottle of red wine, two bottles of water
The amenities are a nice perk at the hotels that's for sure but I'm with others - I rarely get what I actually request but again, I think it's really a very nice touch!
Jan 27, 2014 | 10:48 pm
#41
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 470
Grand Hotel Minneapolis
The most generic welcome amenity I've yet to experience here. A cheese plate and two bottles of water. Not so much as a drop of alcohol, though my profile requests sparkling wine or scotch.
Jan 29, 2014 | 9:41 pm
#42
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Exploralist, Marriot Silver
Posts: 2,068
Triton SF: No amenities on check-in. They simply forgot, were apologetic, and did their best on short notice to put something together when I went out to dinner. In their defense, the staff did a pretty good job matching the request list. They genuinely work hard at trying to make your stay nicer. So water under the bridge.
Palomar San Diego: No amenities on check-in. When I asked, they were not apologetic. Just curtly said "We're working on in." Gee, thanks. Treatment like this really makes me wonder some times.
Palomar San Diego: No amenities on check-in. When I asked, they were not apologetic. Just curtly said "We're working on in." Gee, thanks. Treatment like this really makes me wonder some times.
Jan 30, 2014 | 5:57 pm
#43
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: Kimpton IC, Hyatt Diamond, Gold Marriott, Lifetime Platinum Starwood
Posts: 8,664
Triton SF: No amenities on check-in. They simply forgot, were apologetic, and did their best on short notice to put something together when I went out to dinner. In their defense, the staff did a pretty good job matching the request list. They genuinely work hard at trying to make your stay nicer. So water under the bridge.
Palomar San Diego: No amenities on check-in. When I asked, they were not apologetic. Just curtly said "We're working on in." Gee, thanks. Treatment like this really makes me wonder some times.
Palomar San Diego: No amenities on check-in. When I asked, they were not apologetic. Just curtly said "We're working on in." Gee, thanks. Treatment like this really makes me wonder some times.
I always figure that the amenity is a really nice thing to receive but if I don't receive it e.g., at Amara so what. There are so many other things Kimpton does so well. Also, I've found that most staff when told that you are waiting for your amenity they bring it to the room within 3 hours of check-in. Seems reasonable to me.
Jan 30, 2014 | 6:18 pm
#44
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Exploralist, Marriot Silver
Posts: 2,068
Makes you wonder what? I always figure that the amenity is a really nice thing to receive but if I don't receive it e.g., at Amara so what. There are so many other things Kimpton does so well. Also, I've found that most staff when told that you are waiting for your amenity they bring it to the room within 3 hours of check-in. Seems reasonable to me.
I always figure that the amenity is a really nice thing to receive but if I don't receive it e.g., at Amara so what. There are so many other things Kimpton does so well. Also, I've found that most staff when told that you are waiting for your amenity they bring it to the room within 3 hours of check-in. Seems reasonable to me.
Feb 22, 2014 | 6:11 pm
#45
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: AS MVPG, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold, Kimpton IC
Posts: 19
Stayed at 3 Seattle Kimpton properties in the month of February, summary below (My list includes red wine, water, and any munchies):
Alexis - Bottle of red, large water, and a nice fruit platter.
Monaco - Bottle of red, large water, chocolate bar, and potato chips
Vintage Park - Nil, Nada, nothing.
All in all, Alexis and Monaco had excellent service from the front desk to the conceirge. Vintage Park was still under construction and I had to take a elevator to a converted room on either the 2nd or 3rd floor to check in. Service was indifferent, not up to Kimpton standards. It was raining heavily, perhaps there is something to be said about it and people's mood.
Alexis - Bottle of red, large water, and a nice fruit platter.
Monaco - Bottle of red, large water, chocolate bar, and potato chips
Vintage Park - Nil, Nada, nothing.
All in all, Alexis and Monaco had excellent service from the front desk to the conceirge. Vintage Park was still under construction and I had to take a elevator to a converted room on either the 2nd or 3rd floor to check in. Service was indifferent, not up to Kimpton standards. It was raining heavily, perhaps there is something to be said about it and people's mood.