About a year ago I wrote about Kimpton’s Inner Circle program, which I had heard a ton of great things about. All of my friends that were Inner Circle members raved about how personalized the service is and how generally happy Kimpton employees are, so I was excited to give the brand a try.
Continue reading: Review: Hotel La Jolla — A Kimpton Property
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I've stayed at Kimptons in San Francisco and Seattle and have enjoyed my stays very much--it's a different mentality, all right. They do seem to specialize in revamping older properties, sometimes in slightly funky neighborhoods. I guess in La Jolla that means a 60s-era ex-Holiday Inn?
I've been using Kimpton for basically all my U.S. work travel now for the past two years… the properties I've stayed at have much nicer appearances than yours. They are particularly good in San Francisco… you definitely need to give more a try, cause the one you stayed at is atypical.
I think you need to consider withholding the tip from a restaurant server when they repeatedly make mistakes, and/or fail to follow through on service. While that "chef's creation" (an appetizer, I imagine) was going to be free, a top-level Kimpton member is entitled to it as a perk for being a loyal customer who spends a lot of money each year with the hotel chain. That's value that you lost after choosing to stay there over a competing hotel.
Would you have put up more of a fight if you opened the minibar ready to use your $10 credit, and it was completely empty?
W
Your welcome amenity looks lackluster. This is what the hotel Burnham had in my suite upon check in for a 1 night stay before the Chicago seminars. 
Love Kimpton! Although this one looks kinda shabby. Was there no funky bath robe in your room? That's their specialty!
I had one stay in a Kimpton and loved it. Very nice employees. Told them its our first time in the city and got upgrade to a very nice suite.
Mark, no comment about the toilet yet? 😉
Based on this review, I'd not be inclined to stay - I'd either choose a downtown hotel (US Grant and W are both great, and often very reasonable - the Grant is an FHR participant); or keep driving north to the Park Hyatt Aviara. I have the same initial problem as you do here (and at the PH) - mandatory valet parking where the hotel is suburban. I don't like valet parking because I do come and go quite a bit - that's life with a toddler.
It sucks they didn't get you their restaurant amenity, but the menu and food itself do look better than most hotel fare (even at upscale properties).
Sorry, I just can't get over $28 valet parking in the suburbs.
The more I read your reviews of San Diego hotels, the less I want to go there. What a compilation of old and not chic hotels!!!!!
@ Brazilflyer -- Well in this case I don't really think it was the server's fault. My guess is that it wasn't properly communicated to the server by the host. Agree in general, though.
@ Jorge -- Didn't see any funky bathrobe, though also didn't look for it. Will pay closer attention next time.
I had an amazing say at the Hotel La Jolla and Charrah is AMAZING. Did you use the free bicycles? Some other Kimptons to check out - Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara, Eventi in NYC, Ink48 in NYC... Surfcomber on Southbeach was also awesome
Lucky, unless they've changed the program recently, the InTouch benefits are available to anyone who simply enrolls in the program. I'm pretty sure the 7 stays/20 nights is how InTouch members earn free nights.
I travel to San Diego quite a bit and I find La Jolla to be overrated. I recently stayed at the Hotel Solamar downtown and was treated well as a matched inner circle member. We were upgraded to a master suite on a high floor with nice views, given gluten free cupcakes (requested amenity was vegan/gluten free snacks) and a six pack of locally brewed beer as a welcome amenity and there was a self service parking lot across the street for $15 per 24 hours. San Diego gives you great weather but on the whole, it is more run down than most cities.
Thanks for the review of this property! I've been considering it as a staycation since we love La Jolla but have stayed away due to the dated looking exterior.
I stayed at the Palomar downtown once, and had an amazing experience. I prefer it over the W, the Manchester GH, the Westin Gaslamp, and Andaz - all of which I have spent a night at. Next time you're in town, give it a try!
I am also curious about Salomar - which is on my short list of places to stay.
We got the chef's creation treat for free at Donovan House in DC, which coincides with one dish we ordered (so we had the dish twice). Chef came out to introduce the dish herself. The restaurant was great.
Please tell me you at least took the time for the 5 minute walk to La Jolla Shores beach.
Love Kimptons. Have stayed in several from Vancouver BC (though no longer there), Seattle (both the Monaco and Vintage Park), Chicago, San Francisco, Cupertino, and Minneapolis. I'm not sure I have a favorite, but we have nearly always enjoyed our stays at the Hotel Monaco in Seattle; mostly because we do travel with our dog and he's treated like a king there. Always enthusiastic and we've never had a bad experience.
The only downside: no international redemption opportunities, but for domestic only, very hard to beat for boutique hotels.
You always refer to the other person you are with as friend. I like your older reviews where you at least list their first name. At least that way it wouldn't feel so cold and dismissive of them.
Nice to see some reviews of our local hotels!
And I agree with Larry - who are these "friends" you always travel with? Lol! Just giving you a hard time because you constantly mention how introverted you are. I'm introverted too, and I don't like traveling with anyone other than my wife.
I thought lucky liked men until I saw the king size bed and the she reference. Now we know he is straight for sure.
I'm glad to see you had a good experience at one of my favorite San Diego hotels (yes, La Jolla is in San Diego). The building was a major handicap to the refurbishment, but it has some style now. And as you experienced, the people are great throughout the hotel.
Those who would complain about $28 dollars to park in "suburbia" should try parking on the street - good luck with that! The hotel is in a very dense, very expensive, highly trafficked neighborhood. It's not suburbia.
I'm glad too that you had a good experience at Cusp. I think it's one of the best restaurants in the relative wasteland of San Diego dining. Thanks for the tip about the chef's creation for Inner Circle members. I had never heard of it (assuming you can actually get one served).
You missed two of the best features of the hotel: the free bikes for riding to the beach, and the free car transport into La Jolla proper. Those two features make up for any other shortcomings.
I hope this means you'll be reviewing lots of Kimptons. Even with some quirks and flaws, they're far better than most chain properties. Check out The Eventi (my favorite)and Nine Zero.
Lucky. Should we believe you? Somehow I don't think you are telling the trust. As Jason said above was she hot?
Big fan of Kimptons - last year my Portland visit was fantastic -welcomed with Voodoo Doughnuts! Here is my post if you decide to go there quick Amtrak ride away. http://philatravelgirl.com/hotel-review-vintage-plaza-portland/
In NYC the Muse upgraded me to a roof balcony room I could have had a part with tons of friends - I wrote about that too -
Look forward to more Kimpton reviews
Always hated Kimpton properties: I've stayed in their DC and Chicago hotels, and both felt terribly shabby to me, as if they thought a coat of paint and a leopard-print bathrobe (?) could overcome a musty, stained shoebox of a room.
And let's ease up on the speculation about Lucky's love life. Not everyone who invites someone of the opposite sex on a vacation is looking for a cuddle. 😉 I'm sure if he has a significant other to report, he'll let everyone know.
Did you say the secret password (sugarplum)? I said at the Alexis in downtown Seattle last week and got free valet parking ($40 value) I was also upgraded to a huge, beautiful suite as an inner circle member (which was a status match to Hyatt diamond) the Alexis was awesome!
Last Kimpton I stayed at was Monaco in San Francisco - they used to bring a goldfish to your room on request to 'keep you company' if you we missing a pet from home!
haven't caught up on the blog in a while, but had a relatively similar experience to yours at the Hotel La Jolla in December.
A few things: 1) you can park on the street .25mi from the hotel for free (which makes the $28 valet-only even more egregious, I think); 2) this is one of the lower-level Kimptons--usually, IC members get upgraded to suites; 3) the food is good, but most Kimptons have better restaurants.
I really like their program, but find it incredibly inconsistent.
I status matched last January and have since stayed at 20+ Kimptons.
The welcome amenity and near-guaranteed suite upgrades are both fantastic benefits, and I've found that they are often running promos that offer even more free stuff. The biggest problems I have with Kimpton are two-fold: 1) they seem to think their loyalty program benefits are optional for properties (ie, some hotels won't upgrade, won't provide a significant amenity, etc); 2) 90%+ of the time, my bill is incorrect at check-out, and I have to fight to get it fixed.
Still, I'll probably requalify with Kimpton again this year, along with Starwood as a backup. Since I primarily do big city domestic travel for business, their lack of properties isn't a real problem for me.