Hey guys,

I am writing this review from the aLoft in Nashville-Cool Springs. I have been here for 4 nights and I will be here for another 4 nights. I have also stayed here before.

I have to say that some of the reviews above are a bit harsh, especially when consider the other Starwood options in the area (Sheraton Downtown and Sheraton at Opry Mills).

For me (my company's US offices are in Cool Springs) this hotel is very conveinent, and I think much nicer than the quite dated Downtown Sheraton.

Lobby: This hotel has a great lobby, very cool and kitch. And the hotel bar (which opens at 4pm) is very cool. Great bartenders and some really interesting beers on tap. They also have some cool martinis. This is a pretty lively meeting place for the happy hour set.

Rooms: Yes -- the room have some design issues. But they are clean and nice. The beds are good, and linens are really nice. Shower is very nice. Closet space is very tight, this would be my biggest complaint as I am doing these longer stays. There are no drawers either, and the closet can only really handle a couple of shirts and suits. I would rethink these closets if possible. I end up using the bench under the TV as a place to fold and layout my clothing due to the lack of drawers.

The amenities are nice. You get a free bottle of water every day, a mini-fridge (not stocked), Bliss products (and a different scent than the regular W hotel set -- not better, but just changed up), and best of all free wifi throughout the hotel property. This is really nice. Hey W Hotel brand managers ... how come my $112 room at aLoft has free Wifi, but my rooms at W Seoul, W NYC and W Hong Kong had only wired internet for a very high fee ... ridiculous!!!!!

The TV is great -- and they do have a number of HD channels (ESPN, ESPN2, Showtime, TNT HD) ... but their should be more. The also have on demand HD movies -- but I did not try it. The connector box has a bunch of power outlets (great for recharging). It also has Red/White/Yellow RCAs, one mini-jack, a PC in, and an HDMI. But no Ipod connector (odd).

Pool/Gym: Pool is indoor which is inexplicable. It should be outdoor.

The Gym is quite nice for a cheap hotel gym. A bench, set of dumbells (up to 50lbs), two treadmills, two elipicals, a stationary bike and a bunch of swiss balls. I can get a nice workout down here. And the cardio equipment is all new and has integrated displays with TV and Ipod connectivity.

Service: Service is OK. It's not even close to W Whatever/Whenever -- but this is a budget hotel. So you can't expect it. The staff is young and funky and seems to genuinely try to make you happy.

BTW -- if you are looking for an upgrade ... there aren't any. There are no suites. Only King bed rooms and Dual Queen Bed rooms -- the latter are substantially larger in terms of floor space. But I prefer the larger bed.

All in all -- given that the price point is around $100 to $125 per night -- I think this hotel is a great value. I would recommend it as the best SPG option in the Nashville area (unless you really are wanting to stay in downtown or at opry mills). I hope this was helpful