Bobby and Brooke Mikulas had been slowly traveling the world as they figured out their next steps in life. They had been weighing their options, and it was time to decide.
“I remember being in Vietnam and deciding: That’s what we’re going to do; we’re going to bring a new kind of hospitality to Colorado Springs,” Bobby says, when I ask about the moment they decided to create Kinship Landing.
The couple hadn’t planned to stay long in Vietnam. They just had to leave Thailand to renew their visas, but they ended up staying three weeks. As they learned more about the country’s painful history, including its war with the U.S., they also experienced incredible hospitality.
“It really was like staying with family. So that was really moving to us, humbling,” Bobby says. “We did not earn that treatment in any way. It was completely gracious. And I think that was part of the heart of coming back and wanting to bring back that outrageous hospitality that is a sheer gift.”
It would take another press-play moment with investing partners, then enduring a construction shutdown and eventual opening during the COVID-19 pandemic to launch the 40-room boutique hotel. But fast forward to today, and Kinship Landing has thrived as a hub of community for both out-of-town visitors and locals alike. To celebrate, Kinship Landing is hosting a 5th birthday party this Saturday, July 25.
“I’ve said it from the beginning: People make the place. And five years in, I believe that more than ever,” Bobby says. “We took a real risk on this city, and this city showed up for us. The families who trusted us to host their most important moments, the neighbors who became regulars, the organizations who believed in what we were building before we could prove it; they are the reason we’re still here. July 25 is our way of saying thank you.”
Balanced Hospitality
It’s a difficult balance to create a hotel for visitors and simultaneously a space for locals. Kinship Landing has managed to do both. Homa Cafe & Bar has been a big part of that, along with its airy atrium for events, the Greenhaus. So has the family-friendly outdoor patio space, the Yard. But Bobby attributes achieving that balance to creating an authentically local space that their friends and families can enjoy as much as out-of-town visitors.
“We wanted to create a place where guests could arrive and immediately be immersed in an authentic expression of Colorado Springs,” he says. “It’s fun for the guests, and our friends and neighbors in Colorado Springs get a chance to overlap with people from all over the world. We thought that that sort of ‘tide pool’ would create an awesome opportunity to exchange stories and values and expose our friends and neighbors in this community to all kinds of different ways of thinking and living.”
Being a locally owned, independent hotel gives Kinship the freedom to be creative in how it can serve locals and guests, Bobby says. And he’s quick to express gratitude for all neighbors and guests who have stayed there or hosted holiday parties, corporate meetings, lunches, weddings or other gatherings.
“It just goes so far for us to garner that kind of support,” Bobby says. “We know that we’re not here without our community, so we’re throwing a party largely to thank the people who have supported this project.”
Join the Kinship Landing Five-Year Celebration
Here’s the schedule for the July 25 party.
10 a.m.–12 p.m.: Little Landers
A family-friendly morning in The Yard featuring balloon artists, face painting, yard games, a DIY flower crown station and a Polaroid photo booth.
12–2 p.m.: Homa High Five
Food and drink specials, signature anniversary cocktail (the Kinspritz) and a live DJ set.
2 p.m.: Community Toast and Giveaways
All day: The Built Together Installation
An interactive community art experience throughout The Yard where guests share memories, stories and reflections on five years of Kinship.
Find more details at kinshiplanding.com.
