Recently I traveled south for work (I can't reveal the city for confidentiality reasons) and stayed at the Aloft hotel. This was a completely new hotel chain for me and I must admit I was quite impressed. Aloft is "a vision of w hotels" (per their website
www.aloft.starwoodhotels.com). If you're familiar with the W its a high end, very stylish and modern hotel chain across the US. So the Aloft is their budget version. Note I'm still not sure how to pronounce it lol...is it A-Loft or Aloft??? I also never figured out if it should be addressed as "the" Aloft or simply Aloft...a bit fru-fru if you ask me, but nonetheless, it was fabulous!
The website will take you through a guided tour of the hotels many amenities, gym, pool, bar, dining space, etc..., but I thought I would share my review and some photos of the room I stayed in.
Upon entering the hotel room, I found the bathroom immediately on the right. The decor is modern and the bathroom had everything I would need. You'll notice the mirrored door, this was to separate the toilet from the rest of the bathroom. On the left side of the photo you can see the large walk in shower. One feature I liked, was that on the left wall of the shower (if facing the shower door) was a large frosted glass panel which let in some natural light from the bedroom area.
Upon entering the room and looking straight ahead, this was the view (below). The TV was nice, good size, however VERY slow (as most hotel TV's are)...took FOREVER to change the channel. I really liked the two large windows with a view of the street/neighborhood I was staying in. The desk also had a docking station for iPods/iPhones, USB, and outlets. I hate when you go to a hotel and can't find an outlet for your laptop. The bench was a nice place to put my carry-on bag and belongings that I needed to keep handy.
If I was standing in the doorway of the room and looked to my right, this is what I would see on the opposite side of the bathroom sink (below). I LOVE LOVE LOVE this closet design!!!! It was so efficient and functional! My traveling colleagues and I noted that it reminded us of European design. There were plenty of places to hang my clothes as well as stack shoes and other items. The curtain could hide the clutter if needed, but everything was in such order that I opted to keep it open. To the right was a space that contained some local magazines (I had removed to read), coffee service, a safe, and a compartment on the bottom just the right size for my small carry-on suitcase. I also liked that the closet was so close to the bathroom so I could get dressed and primp in one area. My only dislike was that there was no luggage stand in the room. This meant I had to lay my suitcase on the floor to unpack. Perhaps I was to use the bench?? (pictured above), but that would have meant walking all my clothes into another room.
Last, and certainly not least, was the bed (below). If you notice the bed is actually in the middle of the room. The hall on the right would lead you back to the bathroom and out the door. I must admit I really liked this design. It made the bedroom area feel more cozy and intimate and less "hotel-like" as there wasn't that typical view of the bathroom. The bed faced the 2 large windows which was really pleasant in the morning. Not pictured, but to the left of the bed was the frosted panel with the shower on the other side as well as an ironing board & iron thoughtfully tucked away. And did I mention the bed was SOOOOO COMFORTABLE! I was exhausted when I arrived and immediately took a long nap. I slept like a rock the 2 nights I stayed at the Aloft. Another "like" for the bed area was the alarm on the nightstand, which glowed when it went off, and the outlet for an iPod/iPhone and traditional outlet as well. No dislikes about the bedroom space!
In summary, I would give the Aloft's hotel room an A. Pros = great design, efficient & comfortable room, lots of amenities, bed in the middle of the room facing the windows. Cons = no luggage stand, very slow TV. Next time I travel, I'll be looking out for this great (and budget friendly) hotel.
