The Adventures of Marcia Kimpton: How She Found Success and Lives a Life of Joy

Marcia Kimpton is far more than just a prestigious hotel heiress… She’s also an accomplished filmmaker, author, entrepreneur, and travel expert, who possesses an incredible sense of style (rocker chic).   As one who has been lucky enough to travel to more than 42 countries, it’s likely no surprise that she’s now launched her own app: Kimpton Travels and Films which fuses together her love for adventure and vast knowledge of cinematic gems.  As one who seemingly has it all, she’s certainly experienced some challenges along the way—and she’s learned from them.  With her incredible book Escaping the Hollywood Bardo, she talks about her own journey, and how to fully heal and live a more fulfilling life.  She’s also launching her own wellness retreats in 2025.  We had the privilege of speaking with Marcia about her incredible journey, her go-to tips for travel, and the secret to her successful creative process… 

You’ve mentioned that a trip to Europe at the age of 18 was life changing for you… What was it about that trip that was so profound, and how did it alter your course?

I think I have been lucky enough to go to Europe over 30 times, so that first trip did alter my life in regards to traveling the world, but especially revisiting Europe. I just lived there most recently as a resident in Amsterdam for two years while producing my travel TV series.  Living in a place as stunning as Amsterdam was a dream come true, except for the weather and taxes.

What would you say is your favorite country that you’ve visited so far and why?

Bhutan is my favorite country in the world. I have visited twice.  I first went in 2003 after seeing the Bhutanese movie “Travellers and Magicians” which inspired me to go alone to the most remote place in the Himalayas, and it was “Shangri La” as it is labeled.  It is the most peaceful place because it is fully Buddhist and it’s fascinating with its own original national dress and architecture.  I returned in 2022 with a small film crew for my travel show and it was magical.

What advice do you have for someone who is looking to take their first solo trip abroad? 

Download movies because many are not available to watch in other countries and find a movie that highlights the country’s culture.  I love to watch a movie from that country because I learn something I wouldn’t necessarily learn from a travel guide.  I always book a local guide the first one to two days to show me around so I don’t feel alone when learning from the locals.

Tell us about your app, Kimpton Travels and Films.  What inspired you to create it and what do users get from it?

I first created it because all my friends would ask me for film recommendations since it’s so hard to find good films today with all the options.  It was taking me hours to read reviews, look at trailers, and find a great film, so why not put it on an app so you can easily pick a film to watch that evening?  Right now I have 150 films and TV series but my goal is to have 1,000 films. Then I thought, since I have traveled to over 40 countries, why not find films for each country you travel to so you can watch either before or during your travels?  This goal was so huge that I have not accomplished it fully on my app but will do so soon. Instead, I made an app that tells you my favorite places to visit in that country, which I believe my knowledge is unique.

How did your love for film become so intertwined with travel?

I love to film in other countries so those two passions are especially intertwined with my film BARDO BLUES that we filmed in Northern Thailand. I first went in 2000 and then came back to film in 2016.   I love Thailand and the Thai people made it so easy to film in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, two of my favorite cities in the world.

What would you say sets you apart from other filmmakers?

I want to make films that highlight a subject such as mental illness or animal conservation. Then with the profits of the film I’d love to give back to those causes.  I have that listed on the last credit of my film BARDO BLUES because this is based on a true story in my life with my brother and the ups and downs of serious depression.  I am currently selling a film called “Tanzan” about the human-elephant conflict in Africa. My goal is to film it in Africa and to show how there is a solution to this problem, and to give back to prevent the elephants from being harmed as well as protect the townspeople.  This is occurring in so many African countries where there are elephants, especially as the population grows.

You have great style! What would you say are your top five pieces to pack when planning a getaway?

Thank you!  I love finding unique clothing as I travel because those little boutiques around the world don’t necessarily sell to the US.  I always have a dress that doesn’t wrinkle and a pair of boots, walking shoes that can always be used in the gym so they serve two purposes and look good, a great pair of jeans or black leggings, and a cool hat, but after traveling with a hat box to not ruin the hat I gave up on doing that because you can only bring so much while traveling. Lastly, I would say a sun dress if it’s sunny and warm, and if it’s cold I love having a really cool colorful puffy ski/winter jacket.

What would you say has been your favorite item (or souvenir) you’ve purchased while on your travels? 

I love the Buddha statue I purchased in the small airport in Luang Prabang, Laos. Most recently, I love the stunning modern calligraphy art I was given by this Moroccan artist in the Khalid Fine Arts gallery in Marrakech. I visited there because I wanted to feature a great art gallery to visit in Morocco.  The artist loved my enthusiasm for his art so at the end of the interview he walked over and handed me a piece of art.  I almost cried because everything had sold out immediately and it was expensive to purchase.

How has your love for music and rock and roll influenced your style and creative process?

I wished I could be Janis Joplin or Tina Turner, but I didn’t have the voice. I think after I left my conservative upbringing, wearing proper country club attire worn on the North Shore of Chicago, and visited my father, Bill Kimpton, in San Francisco I realized I really was a rocker at heart, even if I couldn’t sing.   I play music all the time, and picking the right sound track for my movies is crucial.  The hard part is I always pick the top bands and as an indie filmmaker we can’t afford the rights to these big songs. This one time we lucked out with my favorite band Pearl Jam and got the song “Life Wasted” for my film Bardo Blues!  I think whoever was in charge of releasing the rights to the song heard my mission with the movie in regards to mental illness and agreed to a price I could afford.  I’ll never forget that day because the music supervisor getting the legal rights and contracts to the music said that we shouldn’t even try because it will be too expensive, and I said no let’s try and she was flabbergasted.

 Lastly, you wrote a book called Escaping the Hollywood Bardo (which is available on Amazon).  For our readers who may not know, what does “bardo” mean, and what advice do you have for someone who may be looking to escape their own bardo?

This is so hard to answer in a few sentences because living in the bardo is so complicated.  Complicated enough that I did a movie on showing you what the bardo is instead of explaining what it is, but if I was to be brief I would say today that if you find you are in a darker place that is leaning toward hell and you want to feel that heavenly joy, you are definitely in the bardo of the in between.  Within that “in between” you must find what is really bothering you in order to heal it. If it’s just a bad day then you put your hands up and surrender to it knowing tomorrow you choose a heavenly day no matter what comes at you.  My entire life is revealed in this book to inspire people to never give up on their dreams, and if you are a female filmmaker this will definitely help you keep going past the obstacles.  I have been through a lot of hell and everyone goes through hell in their life, but finally after so much self reflection, therapy and world healers I can say I got out of the bardo. Now, I am rarely there because I mastered choosing to live mostly a life of joy, happiness and peace.  It is a choice, but it can’t be a choice until you master your emotions and master your reaction to what comes at you and embrace it.  My resistance to the difficulties of life kept me in the bardo for a very long time.

Photo Credit:

Photography: Jonny Marlow

Hair/Makeup: Kurumi Schulz for MAC cosmetics

Styling: Anna Schilling