Kimpton has a pretty cool “social password” concept, whereby you can receive extra perks for sharing a phrase at check-in. Kimpton generally has this promotion a couple of times per year — we last saw this in winter, and there’s now a new password for summer.
I wanted to talk about what the new password is, share my experience using it, and also pose a question to Kimpton regulars about the least cringeworthy way to go about saying it.
In this post:
What is the current Kimpton password?
Kimpton is one of the cooler IHG hotel groups, and there are a variety of things that set Kimpton apart from other IHG brands. One of those things is the social password. The idea is that seasonally Kimpton provides a phrase through social media that you’re supposed to say when you check-in, and if you do that, you’ll receive something extra.
The new Kimpton password is “no shade,” and it’s valid for stays between May 26 and September 3, 2023. So just say that when you check-in at a Kimpton property during the promotion period, and you’ll receive a surprise.
My experience using the Kimpton password
For those curious about what happens when you say the Kimpton password, in late 2021 I stayed at the Kimpton EPIC Miami, which was my first Kimpton stay in quite a while (and I haven’t stayed at once since either). It was a good value as well, as I was able to use a free night award earned with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (review).
I was curious what the benefit would be for using the password. So I shared the password with the front desk agent. At the conclusion of the check-in experience, he brought out a game show-style wheel. I might have spun too hard, it must have gone around for about 30 seconds. Go figure I landed on the tile that just had me spin again.
Then I spun again, and the prize was free parking. I had a car and was staying for two nights, and parking costs $44 per night. So using the Kimpton password saved me nearly $100 — score!!
Based on looking at the wheel, it seems that some of the other prizes include a free welcome drink, free breakfast, free snacks, and a free movie. There were also a few empty squares, where I guess you don’t win anything. And I’m not sure what the alarm clock, car tipping over, or postcard of Miami get you. Regardless, I’d say those are some awesome prizes, and I got a great reward.
It’s cute how the Kimpton EPIC Miami makes a game of this. I know there’s a lot of inconsistency when it comes to this benefit across Kimpton properties. Some hotels provide meaningful perks (an upgrade, free, parking, etc.), like I got here, while other hotels provide a 19 cent branded koozie.
It’s great that this has stuck around, given that it has presumably become increasingly popular. Years ago not everyone was on social media, so it was a good way to encourage people to follow Kimpton on Twitter, Instagram, etc. With the way the internet has evolved, times have changed a bit.
How do you non-awkwardly say the Kimpton password?
I’m sure I’m not the only one who finds the concept of saying a password at check-in to be kind of weird. So I think it’s fun to compare notes about how people share the password at the front desk. I find it awkward to just blurt out the password out of nowhere.
So when I used this for my stay, I said “I guess I’m supposed to say [social password] as the social password?” That did the trick, but I’d be curious to hear how other Kimpton regulars go about this!
Bottom line
Between May 26 and September 3, 2023, Kimpton’s social password is “no shade.” Just state that phrase when you check-in at a Kimpton, and you should get some sort of a surprise. The surprise will vary by property, so there’s no reason not to take advantage of this if staying at a Kimpton.
The last time I used the password I got to spin a wheel at check-in, and then I ended up getting free parking, which was a value of $44 per night.
If you’ve used the Kimpton password, what was your experience like?
I always present the credit card with a sticker note on it - the password written down there.
I don’t find it even remotely awkward to speak the phrase because they work at the hotel that uses this as a promotional tool.
If you were to approach a random person on the street, yeah, awkward. Saying it to a person at the check in desk at a Kimpton, no. Not awkward.
I feel that communicating the password is a chance to get creative and make the agent smile and laugh.
For example, at my last year at Kimpton Koh Samui, I asked if you can borrow a game, maybe Mikado, you know where you „pick a stick“.
The agent immediately knew where
i was after and I got a small box of maccarons delivered to my room.
@Lucky--A typo: "...stayed at once since either" > should be "one."
I mentioned the social password at check in at the Kimpton Alton in San Francisco last Summer. The clerk said "oh, just a second", then reached out under the desk and gave me some candy. I left it there in the counter.
Lol
Last time I stayed at a Kimpton, I said the social password and the clerk had no idea what I was talking about. I explained to him that it was the social password to receive some kind of perk and his response was "oh I heard something about that" but still didn't know how it worked. He did offer me free breakfast so it worked out but a bit awkward to say the least.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmiqJbyJ6rw
no shade
Casually asked "I heard if I mention the social password xxxx there was a benefit I might be able to get?" during check in at Kimpton Dewitt in Amsterdam in Dec and was offered something like 2k points of free breakfast daily. We went for the breakfast as it was a 4 day stay for 2 people so was very nice to have, saved us a lot and the food was solid.