A New Leaf - How hotels are incorporating plants to boost guests' mood and productivity

Indoor flora can boost happiness, relieve stress and increase productivity.

- By Stephanie Vermillion

Plants do more than elevate a space’s aesthetic. Indoor flora can boost happiness, relieve stress and increase productivity. But you don’t have to stay home to enjoy these health advantages. Increasingly, hotels around the world have introduced decor programs that integrate the calming effects of greenery into the travel experience.

Take Kimpton. In April 2023, the global hotel brand introduced a complimentary Plant Pals loaning program at more than 20 properties, curated by influencer Christopher Griffin. Plants are available on an à la carte menu. Guests order their greenery, learn how to care for it, and then return it to the front desk upon checkout. It may have started as a novelty, but now plant rentals are a staple in Kimpton’s guest experience.

“For people consistently traveling or on the go, enjoying the simple comforts of home can be difficult,” says Kathleen Reidenbach, a senior vice president for Kimpton’s parent company, IHG Hotels & Resorts. “We wanted to introduce an amenity that offered travelers that immediate mood booster and a way to brighten their day.”

Mood improvement is a major houseplant benefit, but that’s only the start of their potential. Adding houseplants to a home or hotel room can bolster cortisol levels and decrease blood pressure. Even seeing images of indoor greenery can foster stress reduction.