A few weeks, I mentioned that the Kimpton Inner Circle free night benefit has changed for 2020. Instead of receiving a free night at each hotel during a limited window, you’ll now receive one free night that can be used at any time at participating Kimpton hotels. The free night benefit has now posted to your IHG Reward profile.
In This Post
What is the Kimpton Inner Circle free night benefit?
The Kimpton Inner Circle free night benefit is one of my favorite perks of having this elite status. You used to get one free night at each new hotel, but the availability was limited and the free nights were limited to a brief window of time. Now, members receive at least one free night each year to be used at the participating hotels.
I’ve used this benefit at numerous Kimpton hotels, such as:
- Journeyman Hotel in Milwaukee
- Everly Hotel in Hollywood
- Seafire Resort & Spa in Cayman Islands
- Overland Hotel in Atlanta
Who is eligible for the Inner Circle free night benefit?
To be eligible for the Kimpton Inner Circle free night benefit, you must meet the following two criteria:
- Be a current Kimpton Inner Circle elite member in good standing
- Have at least 3 Kimpton stays in the prior 12 months
Members who have Kimpton Inner Circle elite status also recently received good news that Inner Circle status has been extended until January 2022.
From what I heard, the Kimpton team opened up qualification a bit more than this so that 95% of Inner Circle members received a free night. I don’t know the exact criteria, but it seems that many people will receive a free night that wouldn’t normally qualify.
Although the Kimpton free night benefit provides one free night per year, Inner Circle members have the opportunity to earn additional surprise and delight free nights throughout the year. I don’t know what the criteria are, but if you continue staying at Kimpton hotels on a regular basis and interacting with Kimpton on social media, I think that will certainly help your chances.
Which hotels are offering Inner Circle free nights in 2020?
There are currently 10 hotels that have signed up to participate in the Kimpton Inner Circle free night benefit, but coronavirus travel restrictions leave a lot of this up for grabs. The U.S. still isn’t fully open and many other countries are in the same boat. And, even when each country’s citizens are free to move about, the country may still have restrictions in place for foreign tourists.
Before coronavirus hit, Kimpton was on pace to open up 17 new hotels in 2020. That schedule may slow down a bit if construction is delayed. But there are even more options coming soon!
With that being said, here are the 10 hotels that we may be able to use the Kimpton Inner Circle free night benefit (once travel restrictions are removed):
- Vividora Hotel – Barcelona, Spain
- Hotel Fontenot – New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. (now available)
- Fitzroy – London, U.K.
- Charlotte Square – Edinburgh, U.K.
- Clocktower Hotel – Manchester, U.K.
- Blythswood Square Hotel – Glasgow, U.K.
- Hotel Palomar, South Beach – Miami, Florida, U.S. (now available)
- Maa-Lai – Bangkok, Thailand (now available)
- Armory Hotel – Bozeman, Montana, U.S. (now available)
- Shinjuku – Tokyo, Japan
When will we be able to book rooms?
The Kimpton Inner Circle free night benefit will post to your account sometime today. For some people, the free night is already showing in your account as you read this. While others may have to wait until 6 pm for the free night to post to your account.
We will be able to book the first free nights in a few weeks as inventory for hotels begins to become available due to travel restrictions. The Kimpton Inner Circle free night benefit page will be updated on a regular basis as more hotels become available.
Four hotels are now currently available to book with your free night benefit:
- Hotel Fontenot – New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
- Hotel Palomar South Beach – Miami, Florida, U.S.
- Maa-Lai Hotel– Bangkok, Thailand
- Armory Hotel – Bozeman, Montana, U.S.
When do the Inner Circle free nights expire?
The Kimpton Inner Circle free night benefit for 2020 expires on January 31, 2021. You must book AND stay by this day, otherwise, it will expire.
The Bald Thoughts
Although we still can’t book our free nights, I’m excited to see Kimpton and IHG deliver on the promise of more free nights for Inner Circle members. This is one of my favorite perks because it encourages members to try out new properties and welcome them to the Kimpton brand. I’m not sure which property I’ll use my free night at but New Orleans and South Beach are definitely high up on the list.
Which Kimpton property are you most excited about using your Inner Circle free night benefit at?
