The Kimpton Hotels heiress reveals how she chooses hotels, avoids the stress of travel, and makes every trip feel more meaningful.
In Marcia Kimpton’s film “Americans Abroad,” a newlywed couple tests their relationship by traveling together.
Kimpton’s character, also named Marcia, has a multi-step nighttime routine that involves, for example, trying to minimize the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) and refusing to stand in line because it makes her anxious. Her suitor Arnold brings along a full-sized metal detector and searches for treasure on a Greek beach.
The 2025 film about the travel show host (which Kimpton also directed and co-wrote) is fictional, but incorporates aspects of her real life. “I think love, like in the movies, is just learning about that new person,” she told USA TODAY. “And I’ve been divorced for a long time, and I’ll tell you that almost all of those things have happened on some level. … That’s an exaggeration, but I’ll also tell you that I’m in line.”
Kimpton shares another big trait with her on-screen girlfriend. It’s travel expertise. Her father, Bill Kimpton, founded Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, and she visited an estimated 58 countries both for work and vacation. She spoke to USA TODAY to share her hard-earned travel tips and what she looks for in a hotel.
How does the Kimpton Hotels heiress enjoy traveling?
Kimpton has traveled to far-flung areas for work – she participated in the interview from Namibia, where she was filming a documentary – but has her own standards when it comes to vacation destinations.
“In my perfect world, there would be hot yoga nearby, and I would go all the way to Nice, France[next]because there’s great hot yoga,” she said. She often travels alone and likes to book “the best lunch in the area” on her ideal day.
Kimpton is looking for top chefs, but said daytime reservations can be more affordable and require fewer commitments than multi-course dinner service.
At night I like to visit local restaurants and sit at the bar. Organic food is also a priority.
Kimpton always hires a guide to show them around the sights on the first day of their trip.
Like her character in the movie, she carries a few essentials, including Balipura Aura Spray with essential oils and unscented soy candles. “I just travel a lot and I’m just a nomad, so the only thing that keeps me grounded is candles and incense,” she said.
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Marcia Kimpton Hotel Tips
Kimpton’s upbringing has influenced her approach to choosing hotels.
“So, my dad, obviously, I have a history of growing up in great hotels. And my dad’s whole concept for Kimpton hotels before there were (widespread) boutique hotels was that once that person came in, you built a relationship,” she said. “Especially since I often travel alone, that way I can make sure they don’t feel lonely. So I like to look for places that have an intimate experience, and that’s exactly what my father branded.”
It turns out that while filming in Cappadocia, Turkey, she met a hotel manager who grew up in the area and helped set up Kimpton and his crew (he also had a cameo in the film).
For the past five years or so, Kimpton has placed a special emphasis on ecotourism when booking accommodations. “Right now, if I had a choice, I would go and help with my money. So that’s what I’m thinking at first,” she said. For example, the companies she plans to feature in her Africa documentary all reinvest money “to save animals, to save land, or to help indigenous people work.”
There are other practicalities to consider as well.
She always asks if the accommodation is on a busy street. “When you’re on vacation, you don’t want to be on a busy road, even if it’s scenic,” she said.
Kimpton said mid-range to high-end hotels often allow guests to secure VIP airport service, which includes clearing customs, baggage collection and transportation. In her experience, they typically cost between $100 and $250, but she stressed that flyers should be booked through a trusted provider.
As stressful as the flight and other parts of the process can be, she urged travelers to keep it in perspective. “I think if you travel, it’s about getting to know the culture, getting to know the people around you, and just appreciating them, because I’m so lucky to travel and meet them. I think at the end of the day, there are a lot of good people out there.”
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. Please contact us at ndiller@usatoday.com.
