Sunset lamps, simply put, can make any room feel like it's golden hour as it casts a circular red, orange and yellow light, almost like the sun, onto the walls or ceiling of a room.
Said to help people unwind and relax thanks to its calming hues, the lamps took the internet by storm last year as a way for people to combat mild cases of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, which is a form of depression that occurs in the shorter winter and fall months when the sun goes down early and there's not as much natural light throughout the day. In the United States, between 10% to 20% of people experience a mild form of SAD, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
But even without the "winter blues," the deep contrasting shadows formed by the lamp make for a really amazing ambiance — and Instagram photos, as we learned by watching people share their sunset lamp setups on social media. In fact, #sunsetlamp has nearly 183 million views on TikTok.
Now, IHG's Kimpton Hotels is getting in on the action by offering guests at certain properties the chance to bring sunset into the room any time of day thanks to its new "Sunset Lamp Lending Program." With the program, guests checking into certain properties can request a sunset lamp at the front desk and keep it for the entirety of the stay.
With Kimpton's focus on design, it's easy to imagine that having an in-room sunset can only add to the overall aesthetic of the experience at the following hotels:
- Kimpton Gray Hotel in Chicago.
- Kimpton Rowan Hotel in Palm Springs, California.
- Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska.
- Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Nashville.
- Kimpton Nine Zero in Boston.
- Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Pittsburgh.
- Kimpton Hotel Palomar in Philadelphia.
- Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Salt Lake City.
- Kimpton George Hotel in Washington, D.C.
- Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Washington, D.C.
Kimpton is also doubling down on its efforts to help guests feel more comfortable in their hotel rooms and in their own minds by partnering with Talkspace, a "virtual behavioral health care" company that offers therapy through video visits, messaging and calls on a secure app.
Wanting to help travelers and hospitality employees deal with the stress of the pandemic, the new partnership, called KimptonxTalkspace, "is the first of its kind to bring meaningful and accessible mental health support to hospitality employees, who have been front line workers throughout the pandemic, as well as to travelers managing everyday stresses on the road."
Beginning in February, KimptonxTalkspace will offer up to 1,000 free video therapy sessions through Talkspace to any guest over the age of 18 at more than 60 participating Kimpton hotels. While those 1,000 visits will probably go fast, all guests through December of this year will be offered a $100 promotional code that can be used for a Talkspace plan to use the service outside of the hotel.
Kimpton will also provide a year-long subscription for the service to all eligible employees at the company, from frontline employees to managers.
The 1,000 complimentary video sessions for guests can be redeemed by reaching out to talkspace@kimptonhotels.com on a first-come, first-served basis with proof of stay. The $100 Talkspace promotional code will be offered to guests in pre-arrival emails through the end of the year.
But that's not where the unusual amenities at Kimpton stop.
Last year, Kimpton announced a new program allowing guests with kids to use kickboard scooters by Micro Kickboard specially designed for the brand at 30 hotels around the country, free of charge. To keep kids safe, each scooter also comes with a Nutcase helmet as well as suggestions for safe and exciting places to explore on the scooters.
And following the world's obsession with the hit Netflix show "The Queens Gambit," Kimpton also launched its Chessboard Lending Program so guests can have a chessboard delivered directly to the room for a match at select properties.
In 2021, the brand also launched a book club series at certain hotels in partnership with Literary Hub. Though it's now discontinued, the program offered themed, seasonal reading lists, virtual Q&As and readings with authors, publishers and independent bookstore owners.
Kimpton isn't the only hotel brand reimagining its amenity lineup. At the Four Seasons Chicago, for example, kids will be delighted to have an in-room ice cream man service come pull scoops of mouthwatering ice cream. And at select Ace Hotels around the world, you'll find in-room guitars waiting to be strummed.
As more and more travelers turn their noses up to humdrum hotel experiences, it's exciting to see hotels go above and beyond to offer guests unforgettable experiences and unusual amenities that make travel so exciting in the first place.
