LOS ANGELES—Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has launched a social experiment called “Room 301,” seeking to uncover the intersections and variances of the human experience.
This is the first time Kimpton has done a social experiment. With Room 301, the brand was inspired by the idea that commonalities and connections exist between all people—no matter their background or life story.
“This is an extension of an overarching, brand-wide campaign Kimpton launched earlier this year called ‘Stay Human,’” said Kathleen Reidenbach, chief commercial officer, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. “The campaign recognizes that in our world of rapid innovation and technology, we’re actually feeling more disconnected. We know people are craving authentic connection, personal experiences and more surprises—in short, more humanity. The hospitality industry at large is often focused on the latest technological innovations. We know there’s a time and place for technology in the hotel experience—but believe that heartfelt human connections are what truly make hospitality special. That’s something technology can never replace.”
One of the first goals of the project was to have a sense of place. They asked, “Can guests staying in the same room at different times feel that sense of community with one another?” Each element within the room is designed to spark creativity, encourage self-reflection and explore what makes people uniquely human.
“We plan to take these insights and results from this experiment and release them at the conclusion. We’ll also use them to inform how we continue to build community and design these immersive guest experiences at our hotels and restaurants,” said Reidenbach.
The Kimpton Everly will serve as the launchpad for the experiment, as the brand has previously used this property for similarly aligned projects, such as the “Stay Human” campaign, which launched in January. The brand’s first H.U.M.A.N.S video, providing a playful take on real-life people replacing technology, also was filmed on-property.
“With Room 301, we picked Everly because it’s in Los Angeles, a highly creative city in its own right, and we knew that there would be interesting perspectives from our guests checking in there,” she said. “Other Kimpton hotels—including Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel in Portland, OR; Kimpton Taconic Hotel in Manchester, VT; Kimpton Aerston in Nashville, TN; Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia; Kimpton Brice Hotel in Savannah, GA; and more—have also rolled out cool programs to encourage human connection among guests and across Kimpton properties nationwide.”
The Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia recently debuted Room 6o2 this week. In partnership with Hoffman Design Group, the guestroom invites guests into a limited-time, botanical-inspired oasis.
“The room has been transformed into a lush green space to escape that chilly East Coast winter. With an abundance of natural light, textures, patterns and living art throughout, guests who experience Room 6o2 (a nod to oxygen) will be in for a really special experience,” she said.
In this modern age of robotic butlers and hyper-connected guestrooms, guests still want and crave human connections. Kimpton has zeroed in on the needs of the people it serves.
“Kimpton is known for making travelers feel genuinely cared for through heartfelt human connections. We like to say we have a ‘luxury without the attitude’ approach that welcomes, acknowledges and celebrates the individual, and focuses on the intangible travel experience,” she said. “Our employees are empowered to make decisions in the moment and create a bond with our guests; that is what truly sets us apart from others in the hospitality industry. While we’re not discrediting technology, a robot can’t gauge when a guest is having a bad day or when there’s cause for celebration; that’s all humans, and it’s what Kimpton does best.”