Spend the night with succulents, palms and ferns at the first plant pop-up hotel from Orbitz

CHICAGO, Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Millennial travelers have spoken: they want more plants, please. In a recent survey by Orbitz, 63% of millennial vacationers said the hotel amenity they'd most like to see is more plants in their hotel rooms¹ and the same amount said they are seeking out plant-filled spaces and activities such as botanical gardens and parks on vacation².

That's why Orbitz, in collaboration with Garfield Park Conservatory (GPC) and The Kimpton Gray in Chicago's Loop neighborhood, are teaming up to create the first plant pop-up hotel, bookable exclusively on Orbitz.com during National Indoor Plant Week September 16-20.

"Millennials are welcoming plants into their homes and now their vacations, too," said Carey Malloy, Director Brand & Marketing at Orbitz. "Plants intersect a lot of tourism trends – sustainability, design, wellness – and provide real benefits for travelers. Nearly 61% of millennials told us plants boost their overall mood and help them feel healthier on the go (56%). And nearly half of respondents said they'd be more likely to book a hotel that features photos of plants in rooms. A quarter (24%) even said they'd spend $50 to $100 more for a plant-filled room."

Lodging for Plant Lovers
Ten plant-themed rooms modeled after popular collections and gardens at Garfield Park Conservatory will be available for overnights from October 18-20. GPC staff helped conceive and oversee design of the rooms in addition to suggesting which plant species are best suited for each room type based on seasonality, availability, room conditions and aesthetics. Rooms and nightly rates are as follows:

Chicago Room: The Fern Room - $368 to $563 per night

• Choose between a king spa or king deluxe room. Features lush ferns native to the verdant, prehistoric landscape of Chicago.

Palm House - $368 to $563 per night

• Choose between a king spa or king deluxe room. Includes lush palms and plants native to tropical habitats around the world.

Sugar from the Sun - $368 per night

• King deluxe rooms. Enjoy the sweet scent of fruit bearing plants and trees such as vanilla orchids and more.

The Desert House - $368 per night

• Choose between a king deluxe or queen deluxe room. Incorporates a wide array of cacti and succulents that have adapted to a desert environment around the world.

Aroid House - $368 per night

• Choose between a king deluxe or queen deluxe room. Aroids in the wild grow on the floor of the rainforest, which is why these low light plants also make great houseplants.

Each room features amenities that promote GPC's mission to inspire, educate and provoke exploration. This includes didactics and labels identifying plant species in each room, popular books on plant care and art modeled after installations at the Conservatory. The rooms also feature green-themed amenities for guests, including aloe facemasks and green juice, and daily care instructions for your new leafy green friends.

"Loving plants is smart! Scientific evidence shows that living with houseplants can do wonders for your health," said Jennifer Van Valkenburg, president and CEO of Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance. "Plants clean the air, create oxygen, decrease blood pressure and help reduce stress. Houseplants are a great way to get your green fix – but you can also visit Garfield Park Conservatory any day of the year to immerse yourself in tropical forest, lush desert or cascading ferns."

VIP Greenery
The lucky plant hotel patrons will be treated to special experiences at GPC. This includes tickets to FLEUROTICA, an annual fashion event hosted at Garfield Park Conservatory on October 18 from 6:30-9:30pm featuring runway looks designed by leading landscape and floral artists and fashion designers in Chicago. Tickets and information on the event can be found on the Conservatory's event page.

All guests staying at the Kimpton Gray during the plant pop-up weekend will be treated to VIP greenery experiences. Visitors can pick a plant to spend the night in their room at check-in or make plans to attend Kimpton's nightly plant happy hour.

"This pop-up brings so much life into the hotel. It's a perfect match to Kimpton's dedication to sustainability and our connections throughout the community," said Dina Fenili, director of sales and marketing at The Gray.

Plan your Plant-Filled Vacation
To book the experience, guests must visit Orbitz.com/plantpopup. Rooms book on a first-come, first-served basis, but for plant lovers that can't make it and want to relax with some leafy friends, Orbitz is offering $50 in Orbucks – aka free travel dollars – to guests who book one of these 10 other plant-filled properties during National Indoor Plant Week.  To be eligible for this promotion, you must be signed into your Orbitz Rewards member account at time of booking or, if you are not a member, join Orbitz Rewards at time of booking. Usual booking terms and conditions apply and all bookings are subject to availability. Orbitz Rewards Terms and Conditions apply.

About Orbitz
Orbitz is a leading travel provider where millions of customers are rewarded when they search for and book hotels, flights, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages and destination activities on Orbitz.com and Orbitz mobile apps. Through the award-winning Orbitz Rewards loyalty program, travelers instantly earn Orbucks on bookings which can be immediately redeemed on 350,000+ hotels worldwide. Members also receive hotel perks and travel benefits the more they book, and earn up to 10 percent back with the Orbitz Reward Visa® Card.

About Garfield Park Conservatory
Garfield Park Conservatory turned 110 years old in 2018, and celebrates its heritage as one of the world's largest botanical gardens under glass. Visited by nearly 250,000 visitors each year, Garfield Park Conservatory is owned by the Chicago Park District and operated in partnership with the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, whose mission is to inspire, educate and provoke exploration in one of the largest historic greenhouses in the world. Designed by the renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen, the Garfield Park Conservatory has free admission and is open 365 days each year. For the latest information and schedule of events, call the Alliance at 773-638-1766 or visit garfieldpark.org.

About the Kimpton Gray Hotel Chicago
The Kimpton Gray Hotel Chicago is Chicago's newest Four Diamond Hotel and was recently named one of Chicago's Best Hotels of 2019 by U.S. News and World Report. Located at 122 W. Monroe St. in the historic New York Life Insurance Building, originally built in 1894, Kimpton Gray Hotel takes its name from the Georgia Gray marble that's lent the structure a sense of sophistication for well over a century. The hotel's granite lobby, art deco light fixtures and contemporary rooms are an ornate retreat in the Loop. The hotel is also home to Vol. 39, a sophisticated lobby bar and Boleo, the top-of-the hotel bar and lounge with retractable roof. For more information, www.grayhotelchicago.com.

About Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is the acknowledged industry pioneer that introduced the boutique hotel concept to the United States in 1981. Anchored in one-of-a-kind experiences, Kimpton operates more than 60 hotels and 70 restaurants, bars and lounges across urban locations, resort destinations and up-and-coming markets in the United States, Europe and the Caribbean. Time and again, Kimpton has demonstrated its commitment to creating spaces and experiences that are centered on its guests. From inspiring design that evokes curiosity to forward-thinking flavors that feed the soul, every detail is thoughtfully curated and artfully delivered. The Kimpton experience is always meaningful, unscripted and ridiculously personal. Kimpton is highly regarded for its workplace culture and has been consistently recognized on the FORTUNE magazine "100 Best Companies to Work For" list, landing at No. 5 on the list in 2019, its highest ranking to date. Empowered employees bring to life the heartfelt guest experience that has come to define Kimpton. In January 2015, Kimpton became part of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) family of hotel brands. For more information, visit www.KimptonHotels.com.

¹ Report based on an online survey of 1,028 U.S. travelers ages 25-44 conducted between May 30-June 6, 2019.
² Report based on an online Google Consumer Survey of 2,000 travelers ages 18-44 conducted between September 1-5, 2019.

SOURCE Orbitz