Stayed at the Aloft Brooklyn a couple of nights recently. Overall, I really liked it, as the Alofts are a casual version of the Ws. I tend to do long stays in NYC (2-4 weeks) and plan to stay at the Aloft Brooklyn whenever staying in Manhattan is too expensive, say more than $350/night.

Positives:
Nice friendly staff.
Good internet.
WXYZ bar has reasonably priced drinks. Open until 1am on a weekday.
Casually trendy music playing in lobby.
Comfortable beds. Modern rooms. Nice bathroom amenities.
GREAT pool table. Much better than you normally find in public areas.
The brewery place across the street has a great selection of beer and food.
Easy to catch the subway, a block away.

Negatives:
Slow elevators.
Platinum breakfast was only a $12(?) voucher to spend in the little shop.
Sound insulation: we could hear the next rooms watching TV and talking.
Hard to catch cabs in the mornings. You need to walk a couple of blocks, which is annoying if you have luggage.

I've stayed at the next door Sheraton in the past. The Aloft is much nicer overall, so I won't be staying at the Sheraton again.