Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Announces Plans to Expand Texas Presence with New Hotel in Austin’s Historic Rainey Street District
New construction, four-star Hotel Van Zandt will offer expansive meeting space, chef-driven, destination restaurant and lively pool deck and bar in vibrant downtown location
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announced today it will expand its footprint in Texas with the management of a new four-star boutique hotel in Austin's historic Rainey Street District. Slated for an early 2015 opening, the new construction, 16-story hotel will feature 322 guest rooms, more than 12,000 square feet total event and meeting space, an individually concepted, chef-driven restaurant, lobby cafe and an expansive pool deck and bar.
Kimpton was selected for the management contract by hotel developer and owner, JMI Realty, the developers and former owners of Kimpton's Hotel Solamar in San Diego. Seasoned players in the hospitality sector, JMI has developed or owned a number of high profile hotels and resorts across the U.S., including the Snow King Resort in Jackson, WY, the Courtyard Kauai at Coconut Beach, the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, and the Omni San Diego.
"Austin is not just the state capitol and location of the University of Texas, but also the heart of a booming live music scene and the epicenter of a thriving technology sector. It's a perfect fit for our guest-centric, fun and slightly irreverent brand, and a city we've been eager to enter with the right opportunity for a while," said Kimpton CEO Mike Depatie. "We are thrilled to be teaming up with JMI Realty again on this Austin property that will reflect both the city's historic roots and its current, modern vibe."
According to JMI Realty Chief Investment Officer Greg Clay, Kimpton was a natural choice to manage this new Austin property because of the brand's commitment to personal guest service, creative design, culinary excellence and its sense of fun: "We've worked with Kimpton successfully in the past when we developed the Hotel Solamar in San Diego, and know that this is a partnership that works well. We look forward to bringing the unique Kimpton guest experience to this uniquely Austin hotel."
For Kimpton, Austin represents an important expansion of the brand's presence in Texas and the Southwest, joining two existing hotels in Dallas (Kimpton's Hotel Lumen and its Hotel Palomar Dallas) and the much anticipated Roman & Williams-designed Pearl Hotel in San Antonio slated to open next year. Hotel Van Zandt also signifies continued momentum for Kimpton's development team, with this being the seventh addition to the company's portfolio announced this year, following announcements for new properties in Savannah, San Antonio, Milwaukee, Palm Springs, Sedona and Grand Cayman.