FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to Open Its First On-Campus Hotel at University of Virginia Darden School of Business

SAN FRANCISCO (April 5, 2022) – Today Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Luxury & Lifestyle Collection, announced a first-of-its-kind for the boutique brand, a stunning 199-room hotel set to open in Spring 2023 on the Grounds of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Its first destination on the campus of a university, the new Kimpton in Charlottesville, Virginia, will complement the picturesque campus and its purpose-driven culture with well-suited interiors, heartfelt guest service, robust food and beverage programming and breath-taking indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces.

Owned by the University of Virginia Darden School Foundation, an independent and nonprofit corporation, the Kimpton in Charlottesville will stand five stories tall and feature 199 sophisticated guest rooms, including 12 suites, designed collaboratively by the Kimpton Design team, Looney & Associates and Beleco Design. Architects Cooper Carry Inc. will create an exterior silhouette in the classic Jeffersonian style for which the UVA Grounds are known, pulling from the university’s prestigious history and in homage to its beloved traditions and commitment to community. Furthering that convivial spirit and a deeply connected gathering experience will be two unique on-property restaurant and bar concepts that will embrace the bounty of the Mid-Atlantic region – a lively taproom and a ground-level restaurant with a large outdoor terrace. Complementing these will be a well-appointed wine cellar, available for both meetings and private dinners. As with all Kimptons, beloved amenities and services such as morning coffee and tea service, evening social hour, “Forgot It? We’ve Got It!” program, in-room yoga mats, on-site fitness center, complimentary bicycles and pet-friendly policies will further enhance the guest experience.

“We are so honored to partner with the Darden School Foundation on this monumental first for Kimpton,” said Kimpton CEO Mike DeFrino. “We have found kindred spirits with the team at the Foundation as well as the entire University of Virginia community. We’re a brand known for our constant pursuit to create meaningful human connections, and we know that’s been a pinnacle for the UVA and Darden community since its founding. We have exciting things in store, and we’re eagerly counting down to next spring semester.”

Located on the Grounds of the Darden School of Business, near the UVA School of Law and major concert, event and sporting venues, the boutique hotel will become a highly sought-after venue for inspired meetings and events. Appealing to those looking to host everything from corporate conferences to destination weddings, the hotel will offer 11,500-square-feet of state-of-the-art meeting spaces and classrooms for celebrations and educational gatherings of every sort. Of particular appeal will be the hotel’s 6,000+ square-foot ballroom with capacity to host a 425-person seated reception. Respect for the local environment will be ever-present throughout the property and truly come to life in an expansive five-acre botanical garden and arboretum on the hotel grounds. With a calming stream weaving its way through intentional native planting and ornamental gardens, the new Kimpton in Charlottesville will soon become a destination known for its purposeful planning and sustainable efforts as well as its community events, lecture series, wine dinners, concerts and private parties.

“It’s great news that the Darden School Foundation will partner with IHG and Kimpton, some of the most respected names in the hospitality industry, to present this unique property,” said UVA Darden School of Business Dean Scott Beardsley. “Darden is globally renowned for its outstanding faculty and transformational education experience, and, with Kimpton, we are confident we will deliver an equally world-class hospitality experience to our guests. Everyone from the Darden, UVA and local communities will be welcome, as will anyone visiting Charlottesville who is looking for a great place to stay, dine or host an event.”

Founded in 1762 and nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville is a city rich with history and culture. Located approximately 100 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., and 70 miles northwest of Richmond, VA, Charlottesville is a destination in its own right. Not only known for its historically significant citizens, from the likes of Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe to Edgar Allan Poe and William Faulkner, visitors to Charlottesville and the surrounding Albemarle County seek its mild climes and picturesque vistas for activities such as hiking, ballooning, wine and beer tours and world-class entertainment. Home to the University of Virginia, and consistently ranked one of the happiest places to live, Charlottesville is a hub for innovation, creativity and forward-thinking.

When it opens in Spring 2023, Kimpton in Charlottesville will join Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Baltimore, MD, The George Hotel, The Banneker Hotel and Hotel Monaco in Washington, D.C., as Kimpton’s fifth boutique hotel in the mid-Atlantic region. Click here to view renderings of the property and click here to learn more.