PORTLAND, OR—Everybody, everywhere seems to be busy—and the struggle is real. What if you could just hit pause? For hyperconnected travelers in need of a moment of privacy or a little “me” time, the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Portland has transformed a tiny, unused space into a Quiet Room and it’s making a big impact on the guest experience.
The idea was sparked by efforts to support the new moms on staff, who were nursing at work, according to Robert Hannigan, GM at the Kimpton property. “There’s a multitude of back-of-house space and in the process of accommodating members of our staff and thinking about our hotel guests, we realized there are travelers who have a recurring need for private space that can’t be handled with a meeting space and hotel room,” shared Hannigan. “We found in addition to new moms, there were other guests needing a place to meditate or pray quietly and privately, and we wanted to be helpful and respectful.”
Typically, if a guest for the day expressed a particular need, the hotel would give them a complimentary room, but that doesn’t always work as rooms can be sold out or the time of day can be a limiting factor, noted Hannigan.
“The worst thing we could do is say no. Instead, we took a space that was back-of-house and basically decommissioned storage space and built it out,” he said. “We wanted to do something that served a variety of needs and is reflective of Kimpton’s policy of inclusion. It’s something that everybody feels welcome in.”
Whether it’s a physical, spiritual or family-related necessity, guests now have a place to take care of their personal needs in a cozy, discreet space that is aesthetically pleasing, too. In preparation of launching the Quiet Rooms to the public, Kimpton eagerly solicited feedback from its associates and, as a result, added various elements of convenience to help make the space more inviting and useful.
“We asked, ‘What’s comfortable furniture to nurse on?’ and we got their feedback and bought it. We had a local yogi do a full session of flow yoga, which is 26 postures, to make sure you could exercise in the room, and we invited the imam of Portland’s Muslim community and he shared great ideas,” he said. “We wanted to make sure we could deliver to all audiences and provide what they needed. When you walk in the room, there’s ambient lighting, yoga mats and religious materials. It’s comfortable; there’s water and magazines… It’s really wonderful. We’re excited to see the space used daily.”
While the Quiet Room isn’t professionally decorated, some cues were taken from the interior design firm’s previous renovation of the hotel, including the color scheme and carpeting. At less than 100 sq. ft., it is a diminutive nook capable of holding up to two people. And yes, there are outlets for those who need to recharge themselves—and their phones. This is not a regular hotel room by any stretch, emphasized Hannigan, as there’s no way to book it online.
“It’s a guest service that is managed via the front desk for privacy and available to anyone—registered guest, meeting participant, restaurant patron or not—to use free of charge,” he said. “I feel like we’re onto something special. For the people who use it, there’s that level of consideration and care that went into something and we don’t plan on charging for it. You’re welcome here.”