Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants vs Le Meridien Franchise Comparison

That’s why FORTUNE magazine has put  Kimpton on its “Best Companies To Work For” list nine times. It’s why we score 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index every year. Our guests feel it too - it’s why we’re consistently ranked as a best-loved hospitality company. Our thriving company culture, numerous hospitality career tracks, and rich benefits and perks also make us one of the best places to work. We take care of all of our people with great benefits, like paid time off; medical, dental, and vision plans; life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance; 401(k) with employer matching; 6 weeks paid paternity/maternity leave; back-up child and elder care; robust professional and personal development through our own  Kimpton University; and employee discounts at our 60+ hotels nationwide.

Plus, we throw in some extra Kimpton-style perks, like wellness programs and, of course, pet insurance. We’re a best place to work because we’re driven by our passion for unscripted, heartfelt care. From the first whirl of a hula hoop at your employee orientation (yes, it happens) to every  Kimpton Moment thereafter, you’re going to love it here as much as our guests do.

Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by nearly 100 properties in more than 40 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005. With more than 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provided a strong international complement to Starwood’s then primarily North American holdings at the time of purchase. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a large scale hotels product consolidation as well as redefining its brand strategy. Through creation of the LM100 artist community, Le Méridien has transformed numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique, interactive and curated experiences to its guests. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts , concentrating on markets in Asia-Pacific and the Americas.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a newly-constructed Le Méridien hotel, excluding the cost of real estate and related costs (building permit, tap, and impact fees), ranges from $61,886,490 to $96,761,490 for a 250-guestroom hotel. This includes approximately $317,000 to
$399,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.