Originally Posted by
Mahalo
I agree that Aloft works for business travel and although I've only stayed in their king size bedded rooms, I wonder if it would work for the family with 2 little kids in tow.
I actually had the opposite impression -- just returned from the Aloft ORD today (my first Aloft stay) and my impression is that it's someplace I'd stay on a leisure trip much more readily than on a (longer) business trip. On business trips I spend a lot more of my time in my hotel room -- and there are several functional aspects of the Aloft room I found frustrating:
- Inadequate seating: there's noplace to sit and watch TV except in bed.
- Beds that aren't up to usual SPG standards (terrible foam pillows, and not enough of them)
- Limited closet/luggage space
The common areas of Aloft are quite nice but suit my leisure travel more -- I am much more likely to sit with friends and have a drink in the bar or swim when I'm on vacation.
I had really hoped that Aloft would be a good SPG alternative to hotels like HGI or Hyatt Place. Aloft is certainly more aesthetically appealing and has better common areas, but the rooms did not feel to me like they were in that class. It felt in many ways like corners were cut in the wrong places -- e.g., expensive bathroom fixtures but terrible bedding.
I hope SPG is refining the Aloft concept as they go along; it has the potential to be terrific but it's really only about 80% of the way there. (William, if you're reading this -- is there anyone at SPG to whom I should address more detailed constructive feedback?)