FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:

Baltz & Company for Kimpton

Chloe Mata Crane / 212-982-8300 x104 / cmcrane@baltzco.com

Marliese Engel Traver / 212-982-8300 x112 / mtraver@baltzco.com

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Stacey Ellis / 415-955-5492 / stacey.ellis@kimptongroup.com

KIMPTON USHERS IN 2011 WINES THAT CARE^TM

Signature Wine Hour to Feature New Socially Conscious Sips

and Cork Recycling at Hotels and Restaurants Nationwide

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., February 28, 2011 ¾ Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is bringing its second annual Wines That Care™ program to new heights in 2011 with the announcement of its year-long lineup of socially conscious selections. At fifty hotels across the country, guests will be invited to sit back and relax during Kimpton’s hosted nightly wine hour, a 30-year tradition, with new complimentary red and white wine from featured Wines That Care^TM wineries, including French Rabbit, Banrock Station, Oxford Landing and Citra. Wines That Care^TM selections have been hand-picked by Kimpton’s wine director and master sommelier, Emily Wines, for their dedication to the earth, local communities and environmental preservation. Featured Wines That Care^TM in 2011 will include:

· French Rabbit (Burgundy, France): The Boisset family has been a leader in introducing sustainable, biodynamic and organic winemaking methods at all of its vineyards. French Rabbit uses recyclable Tetra-Prisma containers, which reduces package waste by approximately 90 percent over bottled wine and costs much less to recycle than colored glass.

· Citra Wines (Abruzzi, Italy): Widely admired for its enduring high quality and exceptional value, Citra represents a reliable source of versatile, food-friendly varietal wines. The company is currently donating calling cards to soldiers to help them stay in contact with loved ones while overseas.

· Concha Y Toro (Las Condes, Chile): Donates a percentage of its proceeds to Women Heart and is also the first Chilean winery to join the "May Day Network Chile," an initiative that encourages global companies to reduce their carbon footprints.

· Banrock Station (Kingston-On-Murray, South Australia): With every Banrock Station wine sold, the company donates to environmental projects around the globe including the preservation of valuable wetlands.

· Hayes Ranch by Wente Vineyards (Livermore, CA): This 127-year old winery features a progressive Farming for the Future program that enhances the vitality of the soils, creates a balanced, sustainable ecology, minimizes water use and reduces non-organic wastes.

“Wines that Care partners are purposely selected because they share our philosophy of care and are genuinely committed to flavor and quality,” said Emily Wines, director of wines and master sommelier, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. “We are thrilled to offer travelers this flavor-packed lineup of great wines in 2011 and another way to support the environment when they stay at Kimpton hotels.”

All 54 Kimpton restaurants throughout the country will offer open-to-the-public natural cork recycling in 2011 through a national partnership with Wente Vineyards and ReCork America. Travelers and community members are invited to bring used natural corks to any Kimpton restaurant for recycling. To view a complete list of restaurant locations where corks can be donated or featured Wines That Care^TM partners and varieties, visit www.KimptonRestaurants.com or www.KimptonWineHour.com.

To learn more about Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, please visit Kimpton’s new Life is Suite blog - www.lifeissuite.com - or www.kimptonhotels.com, www.Facebook.com/Kimpton and www.Twitter.com/Kimpton.

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ABOUT KIMPTON HOTELS & RESTAURANTS

San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, a collection of boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurants in the US, is an acknowledged industry pioneer and was the first to bring the boutique hotel concept to America. Founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton, the company is well-known for making travelers feel welcomed and comfortable while away from home through intuitive and unscripted customer care, stylish ambience and having a certain playfulness in its approach to programs and amenities. Each hotel provides a range of exciting culinary experiences through locally-loved, top-rated, destination, chef-driven restaurants. Kimpton leads the hospitality industry in ecological practices through its innovative EarthCare program that spans all hotels and restaurants. Market Metrix, a recognized authority and leader in feedback solutions, consistently ranks Kimpton above other hotel companies in luxury and upper upscale segments for customer satisfaction. Privately held Kimpton operates 51 hotels and 54 restaurants in 16 states. For more information visit www.KimptonHotels.com or call 1-800-KIMPTON.