On Wednesday, February 27, Her Campus Cal Poly got the chance to join The Kinney, SLO at their grand opening, a fabulous party organized by local event planner, Amanda Holder Events. The San Luis Obispo location is the second boutique hotel to join the Kinney brand.
Although The Kinney has been an established part of the local community for a few months, they decided to make things official by holding a ribbon cutting ceremony with the executive team from Pacifica Hotels, their parent company.
Local DJ Damian Camacho got the party started as everyone made their way into the lobby for some good food and great drinks, courtesy of Leroy’s. Guests had the option of starting off with a whiskey from the cocktail infusion station and some light hors d’oeuvres from the custom cheese and pretzel charcuterie boards the chefs whipped up for the event.
Beer and wine were also available on self-service tap at the bar, along with appetizers like bahn mi sliders and portobello and zucchini saute for guests to enjoy as they mixed and mingled. After they had filled up on drinks and aperitifs, guests had the opportunity to visit The Gallery, a delightful venue within The Kinney, where there were even more opportunities to mix and mingle with local business owners.
Several local artists and vendors joined the party, including Tied and True Goods, a local enterprise owned and operated by Lindsey Altman, an artist who specializes in macrame and driftwood wall hangings, and Blueberry Jewelry, run by local artist Kerry Long.
Of course, no party is complete without games! Guests were invited to join in several activities, including a round of skeeball, darts and some old-fashioned arcade games in Leroy’s. There was also games on the patio, including Scrabble and LightBright, for those who were looking for some more laid-back fun.
Throughout the evening, guests had the opportunity to tour the rooms in the hotel, to get a taste of life at The Kinney. Each suite was decorated in traditional Kinney fashion, with balloons, flowers and drinks strewn across every available surface — even the bathtub!
When The Kinney says, “we take fun seriously,” they aren’t joking — they went all out to make their grand opening an unforgettable event for their attendees! The Kinney might have some availabilities now, but not for long — after word gets out about this event, they will be booked for months. If you want a chance to stay at The Kinney, plan to make reservations for your next stay soon if you haven’t already!
Images by Audrey Lent and The Kinney SLO