Most hotels offer a lot of the same amenities. Free bottled water, self-service laundry, Wi-Fi, maybe a gym, etc., are pretty much the norm, more often than not.
Other hotels sometimes offer amenities that are not quite so typical:
- The St. Regis offers complimentary butler service (Incidentally, here’s why I don’t want to stay at the St. Regis)
- The hotel chain that includes free on-demand porn (they’re doing so well that they even expanded in the middle of the pandemic!)
- At this B&B, you can have breakfast with a giraffe (several, actually)!
- It’s still closed due to COVID, but at the MOXY in NYC, they offer a “naughty” miniature golf course on its room.
Welp, I guess you can add Kimpton to the list of hotels that are looking out of the box in what they can offer their guests. Because late last month, the boutique hotel chain under the IHG umbrella announced a new partnership with Talkspace, an online mental health company, to provide mental health services to guests and employees.
As the discussion of mental health has been less of a taboo topic over the years, more and more people have come out of their respective mental health closets. Additionally, the COVID pandemic has raised mental health awareness, with a significant number of people suffering from depression, anxiety, etc. as a direct result of pandemic-related circumstances.
According to a recent New York Times study, 9 out of 10 therapists report the number of clients seeking care is on the rise. Most are experiencing a significant surge in calls for appointments, longer waiting lists and difficulty meeting patient demand.
To ensure their guests have access to mental health services, KimptonxTalkspace will offer up to 1,000 complimentary video therapy sessions with licensed counselors to any guest over the age of 18 who’s staying at one of Kimpton’s 60+ participating properties. Kimpton will also provide a $100 promotional code that can be applied to a Talkspace plan for all guests through December of 2022. Kimpton will also be the first hotel brand to extend a year-long complimentary Talkspace subscription to all eligible employees – from front line employees to managers.
Says Mike DeFrino, CEO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants: “We know that travelers are facing more stress and anxiety than ever before, and employees in the hospitality industry have been pushed to the limit during the pandemic. Our founder Bill Kimpton was public and brave about his own personal struggles with mental health and made both physical and mental health a priority for all of his employees from the beginning. We take our commitment to heartfelt hospitality seriously, and we are proud that our Talkspace partnership gives us an opportunity to bring our Stay Human ethos to life while providing more mental health support for our people and our guests.”
From Erin Boyd, Chief Growth Officer of Talkspace: “When it comes to mental health, there are still so many barriers that prevent people from taking that first step and getting the help they need. We understand this, and it’s why convenient access to therapy is such a fundamental part of what Talkspace offers. When partners like Kimpton step up to offer therapy to their guests and employees, it truly signals their dedication to making mental wellness a part of everyday life, and eliminating the stigma associated with therapy. We look forward to collaborating with them on this effort and bringing our services to Kimpton employees and guests who need it.”
Guests can redeem the 1,000 complimentary video sessions by reaching out to talkspace@kimptonhotels.com. They’ll be available on a first-come, first-serve basis with proof of stay. After all the sessions are claimed, all future guests will receive information about the ongoing Talkspace offer in their pre-arrival email throughout 2022.
More info can be found at Kimpton’s & Talkspace’s partnership page.
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