IHG is trying to redefine luxury on more playful , and less traditional , terms . It ’ s taking its Kimpton brand upmarket into a 5-star space , starting with the Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa , which opens in November on Grand Cayman , and with renovations elsewhere including the Eventi in New York and the Epic in Miami .

The strategy has evolved over the past five or 10 years . “ We ’ ve always felt that there ’ s been an opportunity for us to push into that area and bring what we love to say , Kimpton ’ s sensibility , charm , sense of humor and joyfulness into the luxury space ,” says Kathleen Reidenbach , Kimpton ’ s senior vice president of marketing and brand .

But she ’ s not calling Kimpton a luxury player . “ We ’ ve pushed out a new look and feel , brand identity and a new approach to digital and social media and activations ,” she says . “ We ’ ve done a lot of that in response to the

new types of hotels that we ’ re bringing online . It ’ s been something that has happened organically … It moves into a new era , from 60 hotels and restaurants based in the United States to , let ’ s say , 100-plus hotels and restaurants globally .”

It will take a property by property , bespoke approach . “ We never want to overshoot the market ,” she says . But demand is there : “ From an ADR index perspective , we are at historical

highs across the board .” Next up are more projects like Seafire and introducing the brand to international travelers via expansion in Europe – Kimpton ’ s first hotel on the continent , in Amsterdam , is scheduled for early next year ; Paris is due up in 2020 .

“ There ’ s a significant demand , and I would expect more announcements , not only in Europe but also in North and South America ,” Reidenbach says .

WE DON ’ T PUT UP HUMMINGBIRD FEEDERS OR FRUIT FOR THE ANIMALS TO COME CLOSE . IT CHANGES THEIR BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS , HOW THEY INTERACT … IN ( SOME ) AREAS , THE ANIMALS ARE ALMOST CO-LIVING . I THINK IT ’ S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE AND WHAT YOUR IMPACT IS . IN THE BEGINNING IT ’ S A HARD SELL . BUT WE HAVE MADE SOME HUNTERS HOTEL GUIDES , AND THEY ’ RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE NOT TO HUNT ANYMORE .

– HANS PFISTER , PRESIDENT OF CAYUGA SUSTAINABLE HOSPITALITY , WHOSE EIGHT CENTRAL AMERICAN CAYUGA COLLECTION RESORTS INCLUDE THE LAPA RIOS ECOLODGE IN COSTA RICA , WHERE THE MANTLED HOWLER ( ABOVE ) IS FOUND

14 hotelsmag . com October 2016