Kimpton Refreshes the Social Password for Summer 2026 Stays

The Kimpton Social Password is one of those quiet little promos that's stuck around long enough to feel like part of the brand. Every six months or so, IHG drops a new phrase that guests can mention at the front desk for a small free perk on the house.

The password for summer 2026 is "In Bloom and Out of OFFICE", and it's valid for stays at any Kimpton property worldwide between May 22 and August 29, 2026.

I've never actually used the password on a stay, but I've been curious about it for years. It's the kind of easter egg promo I want to see more brands try, and I'm planning to book a Kimpton stay this summer specifically to test it out.

What Is the Social Password?

The Social Password is a Kimpton tradition that's gone on for years. IHG announces a new phrase every spring and fall, briefs Kimpton front desk teams on it, and leaves the rest to word of mouth. There's no marketing campaign, no IHG One Rewards email, and no mention of it on the booking page.

The promo is one of the few remaining holdovers from Kimpton's pre-IHG identity as a small, independent boutique group. When IHG bought Kimpton in 2015, a lot of the brand quirks got streamlined into the corporate machine, but the password stuck around. I take that as a sign that someone inside IHG values it, even if the marketing team doesn't quite know what to do with it.

It also means the perk is off-script. You're not redeeming a structured benefit. You're playing along with a brand ritual, and the front desk agent decides what that's worth.

What You Get for the Password

The perk is intentionally vague. Kimpton tells properties they can give guests "something extra" when the password is mentioned at check-in, but the exact form is left to each hotel's front desk team.

Based on reports from past guests, the more common outcomes are:

• A complimentary welcome drink at the lobby bar
• A small snack platter or amenity sent to the room
• A round of drinks at the property's evening social hour
• Free parking on the night of arrival
• Late checkout when availability allows

Some properties lean harder into the gimmick than others. The Kimpton EPIC Miami, for example, runs a spin-the-wheel station for guests who say the password, with prizes ranging from a welcome drink to a free breakfast for the stay.

On the other end of the spectrum, you might walk away with a branded koozie. I'd take that as a sign the front desk just wants to move your check-in along.

Where the Password Works

The Social Password is valid at every Kimpton hotel globally, not just properties in North America. Both paid stays and IHG One Rewards award stays qualify, which makes this one of the easier promos to layer onto a trip you've already booked.

For Canadians, the closest option is the Kimpton Saint George in Toronto, which is a solid downtown stay in its own right. Otherwise, the brand is most useful on a US trip or an international stay in Europe or Asia.

How to Claim the Perk

Mention the password to the front desk agent during check-in. That's it. You don't need to call ahead, book through a special rate code, or even be an IHG One Rewards member, though signing up is still worth doing for the standard member benefits.

A few practical tips:

• Say it casually but clearly. Front desk teams are briefed on the active phrase, so they'll recognize it if they're paying attention.
• Bring it up during the active check-in conversation, not as an afterthought once you've already been handed your keys.
• If the agent looks blank, politely ask if they can check with a manager. Not every property briefs new or night staff on the active phrase.

Stacking with Other IHG Summer 2026 Promotions

The Social Password sits on top of IHG One Rewards' other active offers this summer, all of which are easy to combine on a single stay.

The most relevant is the IHG One Rewards "Pick Your Points" promotion, which runs through August 31, 2026 and pays out either 2,000 or 8,000 bonus points depending on how long you stay.

Premier credit card holders can also layer in their annual Anniversary Free Night Award. Use the certificate to lock in the Kimpton stay, register for Pick Your Points before booking, then mention the password at check-in. Three layered benefits on a single night, with no extra spend required.

Conclusion

The Social Password is less a "deal" and more a personality trait of the Kimpton brand. There's no points math to run, no minimum spend, no transfer window to time. You either mention the phrase or you don't, and you either get something nice or you don't.

I haven't tried the password on a stay yet, but I'm going to. There's a kind of charm to a hotel chain that still trusts its front desk agents with this much soft authority, and I want to see how that actually plays out at check-in. I'll report back with whatever I get handed.

Kimpton is one of the few mid-tier hotel brands still running this kind of soft, no-strings perk. Most loyalty programs have stripped the guest experience down to something systemic and almost robotic, where you earn the status, you get the breakfast, and you move on. The Social Password is a humanized counterweight to all of that, and I'm glad Kimpton still bothers with it.