Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announced today it will open a new boutique luxury hotel in Santo Domingo.

Marking the brand’s first property in the Dominican Republic, Kimpton Las Mercedes is expected to open in early Summer 2024.

Located in Santo Domingo’s Colonial City neighborhood, Kimpton Las Mercedes is owned by Megeve Investment Office S.A.S and will be operated by Iberostar Group. The hotel signifies the first operational partnership between the Kimpton brand and Iberostar Group and, while outside the commercial agreement, demonstrates opportunities of the strategic alliance between IHG and Iberostar Hotels & Resorts.

The hotel is set within a 16^th century structure that has been revitalized by award-winning architect Rafael Moneo to reflect the transformation of its historic neighborhood into a bustling cultural hub. In reimagining the space, original materials have been preserved or repurposed where possible, while a modern addition has been constructed behind the original structure.

Kimpton Las Mercedes will feature 130 guestrooms, including eight large rooftop suites, each with a private balcony. Local artists and craftsmen have been tapped to infuse each room with colorful design elements that reflect the spirit of the city.

The hotel’s restaurant and bar concepts include:

• Zola, the property’s signature restaurant, featuring a retractable roof for al fresco dining, and serving Northern Italian fare with local ingredients;
• El Patio, a secluded courtyard garden bar and lounge;
• and a lounge just off the lobby focused on locally-sourced cigars and rums, and showcasing a 500-year-old well that was uncovered and restored during the building’s transformation.

Kimpton Las Mercedes will have several multi-use spaces that transition from daytime work and meeting spaces to evening social gathering places, including The Jose Marti Ballroom.  Additional hotel amenities include a rooftop pool and fitness center.

Paul Adan, regional senior vice-president of Development, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean for IHG Hotels & Resorts, said:“We look forward to expanding Kimpton’s presence in the Caribbean, and Kimpton Las Mercedes will bring a distinct, inspiring experience to this historic destination. The hotel will welcome visitors and locals alike with its refined style, innovative restaurants and bars and heartfelt service while simultaneously serving as a gateway for guests to uncover all that Santo Domingo has to offer.”

Founded in 1498, Santo Domingo is one of the Caribbean’s oldest cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While a historic treasure, the city is brimming with some of the best modern cultural experiences in the world. Beyond the maze of cobblestone streets and centuries-old architecture at the hotel’s doorstep in the historic Colonial City, guests can enjoy the area’s local art galleries, exciting nightlife, hidden waterfalls and soft, white sands of the Caribbean Sea.

Rodrigo Silveyra, director of operations, Americas, Iberostar Group, said: “We’re thrilled to operate our first property under the Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants brand. While this agreement falls outside of our strategic alliance with IHG for Iberostar Beachfront Resorts, it’s a great example of positive outcomes and opportunities that are surfacing based upon our expanding relationship with IHG.”

When it opens in early Summer 2024, Kimpton Las Mercedes will become the fifth Kimpton hotel in the Caribbean and Latin America.