Why we exist, what we stand for, and how we choose to do business.
At Kip, we believe travel should feel good – not just for the people who go, but for the places we go to, and the people who live and work there.
We’re building a better kind of travel platform: one that celebrates small businesses, protects wild places, and puts genuine connection before mass tourism.
So here’s what matters to us – the principles we build from every day.
We champion the small & special.
We don’t list big chains, faceless rentals, or “anywhere” stays. Every place on Kip is independent, design-led, and run by real people with stories, not spreadsheets.
Our commitment: At least 75% of the properties and partners we work with will always be independent and locally owned.
Because when you book through Kip, your money stays within the community – not a global holding company.
We help protect the places we love.
Travel shouldn’t cost the Earth. Literally. We prioritise low-impact stays, off-season escapes, and places built with care – from restored barns and cottages to eco-minded cabins designed to sit lightly on the land.
- Encouraging slow travel and longer stays over quick-hit weekends
- Highlighting properties built with low-carbon materials or powered by renewables
- Working towards measuring and reducing our own operational footprint
- Supporting hosts who are rewilding land, planting trees, or restoring habitats
This isn’t a box-ticking exercise. It’s a long-term commitment to do better, year on year.
We keep things human.
Kip is small by design – so we can stay personal.
We speak like people, we choose places we actually love, and we never recommend anything we wouldn’t book ourselves.
No algorithms picking properties. No AI-generated travel copy.
Just real curation, from a team who cares.
We make travel feel good (not guilty)
Escaping somewhere beautiful shouldn’t mean feeling bad about it. So we keep things thoughtful, transparent, and honest – helping guests travel in a way that feels meaningful, not mindless.
That means:
- Encouraging off-the-beaten-path locations, not overtouristed hotspots
- Promoting mid-week and low-season stays to support local economies
- Sharing local, independent food, makers + things to do – never mass-market stuff
- Paying our owners fairly, without push-down commission tactics
We believe business should be a force for good.
We’re working towards B Corp certification because it aligns with how we already operate: fair, ethical, inclusive, and planet-aware. Not perfect, but progressing – transparently.
Our goals for the next 2 years include:
- Building a formal impact framework to measure progress
- Launching more stays with strong environmental credentials
- Continuing to prioritise independent ownership over scale at all costs
We grow thoughtfully, not rapidly.
Kip will never be “the next Airbnb” – and we’re proud of that. We don’t want thousands of properties; we want the right ones.
We don’t chase volume; we chase meaning. If something doesn’t feel aligned with our values, we say no – even if it’s good for short-term profit.
Because protecting the brand – and the places we showcase – matters more than growth for growth’s sake.
Where we are now, and what’s next?
We’re at the beginning of our formal impact journey, but not the beginning of our values.
They’ve always shaped how we choose owners, how we speak, how we build, and how we show up.
This page will evolve and deepen over time. Just like the business, and just like us.
If you ever want to challenge us, cheer us on, or tell us how we could do better – we’re right here.
