aloft Minneapolis [Master Thread]
 

I stayed at the aloft Minneapolis on Saturday night; this is a quick summary of the stay.

Parking: No attached parking or valet. Ramp across 9th street is the only semi secure facility around, and is a pay on foot facility. Ramp is also new, and had an issue (perhaps only Saturday night) with letting cars into the ramp....as in, it was reporting 'Ramp Full' with 7/8 (or more) of the ramp visibly empty. A quick call to security had the gate opened.

Check-In: Two staffers were very perky, and welcomed me quickly. However, they were very surprised that someone actually had a reservation, as they had just officially opened Friday night. Tried to confirm a late checkout, and was told 'We don't offer that'. Really? Oh well. Not like I needed it anyway!

Lobby: Two computers were for guest use up front, but didn't appear to be functioning, with the Windows Blue Screen of Death visible on one.

w xyz bar: Didn't go, but looked VERY busy on a Saturday night, and kind of cool looking, too. Too bad they close at 12am, when every other bar in Minneapolis closes at 2am.

Room: We were assigned Room 416 (2 Queen beds). Room was very clean; however, the bathroom still had construction 'grit' all over the floor. Only one pillow per bed was also unexpected.

Grab & Go: I had chips and a chicken breast; my friend had cheesecake and yogurt. It was fairly priced and was edible. Not great, but then again, it was prepackaged and tasted fine.

Elevator the next morning: The hotel has two elevators. One was completely out of service, and the other was, shall we say, interesting. We pushed the down button, hit '1' for the lobby, and the elevator went up to '5'....and stayed there, doors open, for about 2 minutes. The cleaning crew got on, and rode down with us. The supervisor in charge said they also have had problems with this elevator.

Disconcerting Overheard Remark: The cleaning supervisor asked us our room number in the elevator, and then asked the other 4 cleaning people in the elevator who had our room to clean. None of the 4 did, so he said 'Don't worry...it can wait until Monday.' Gross.

Check-out: Went to go check out, only to find that, to my extreme bemusement, I couldn't check out because someone already HAD checked me out! No bill under the door, and the staff member could not figure out how to reprint an invoice. I'm glad I didn't need a receipt!

SPG Points: The SPG points posted, but I didn't get my quadruple-zillion bonus points with the aloft promo I had signed up for from SPG. *sigh*

I honestly think they should've pushed back the opening for another couple weeks...there were too many small kinks left.

Overall, this has the potential to be pretty great (the location is awesome), but they need to fix the service and services....STAT.

Sounds like Starwood oversight of this new property is NIL. You would think someone would be around the opening week to ensure that the front desk is familiar with SPG rules and benefits. NO late checkout offered at all? Ridiculous. It's printed on every keycard holder! Did they give you a keycard holder with the SPG Gold benefits printed on it?

Hey, no fair! They opened early. I wanted to be there on opening weekend (originally 1 August) but ended up at the Westin since they had pushed opening back by a month. I still got as many promo points out of the Westin as I would've from aloft... and aloft is showing as 30% pricier than the Westin the dates of my next Minneapolis weekend. What gives?

Interesting that this property's rate list includes a suite.

The quadruple-zillion bonus points offer is invite only, I'm afraid :) However, you can find a mere quadruple points offer at alofthotels.com.

Hey DCBob -
No SPG 'Elite' recognition at all, and all I got was a lousy white keyholder.

Maybe the Blue Screen of Death was holding the Gold Keyholders hostage in the non-functioning elevator?

And, paytonc, as much as I've had issues with the Westin, I'd stay there in a New York minute over the aloft....at least until the service issue is resolved.

I saw that too. Looks like there is only 1. I wonder if PLATS will ever be upgraded to that?

The suite is a great deal at $229/night. Very large & cool, though Ikea furniture still of course. I am very pleased, which says a lot from a very picky traveler. I added some pics and a review at trip advisor.

Scary parking situation at Aloft Minneapolis
 

I just got back from a multiple night stay. The hotel itself was fine, what concerned me was the parking situation which is why I am writing. I wanted to give a heads up to other female travelers thinking of staying here, as both my colleague and I who parked there felt very uncomfortable. I thought it was just me until the next morning she asked if I was nervous as she was about parking at night. Please note I am not someone afraid of traveling alone, I have lived downtown in many big cities including Manhattan and don't scare easily.

The hotel offers 2 options for parking - public garage (part of Guthrie theatre) or underground with in/out priviledges. Since I was there multiple days I chose the in/out option. I would not choose that option again.

Aloft parking is really just the underground parking garage of a condo building behind the hotel that is still under construction and totally unoccupied! You are given a fob to open the garage door then drive down a ramp, turn a corner and pull into one of the many open spots. While that may make for easy parking it also meant EMPTY underground parking garage in a EMPTY condo building….or as my colleague stated "no one to hear you scream" if someone followed you into the garage. Because the ramp is steep it would be very hard to see if someone did follow you in.

My first night (before even talking to my colleague) I returned late from a customer dinner and parked my car. As soon as I got out of the car I felt very uncomfortable. I did not realize when I left during the day that the building was unoccupied. When I returned around 11:30pm, the garage was creepy! It was empty and full of construction materials with only 3 parked cars. I ran back up the ramp and to exit had to go through a side door and across an alley to just enter the hotel. The next night I parked ‘illegally” with all the other cars in a pseudo parking lot outside the front door. I refused to park underground again. My colleague called her 2nd night before pulling into the garage to ask a staff member come out to walk her from the garage, the front desk refused!

Upon check out I shared my concerns about their parking. Apparently I was overheard by "a manager" who said he was surprised to hear my concerns as no one else had commented on it. But admitted he did not realize that it would be scary for someone unfamiliar with the area to be alone at night in an empty underground parking garage of an unoccupied downtown building.

He then told me that I did not have to walk back up the ramp to exit the garage but that there was an "underground tunnel" directly to the hotel. Well that was news to me! I told him that no one told me, there were no signs and it was not like I was going to walk around to explore the garage. I suggested that they re-visit the parking situation and they should do a better job of explaining how to exit. I told him about my colleague requesting an escort but was refused and he said that never should have happened.

I do hope the hotel takes our concerns seriously as I enjoyed the hotel and would like to stay there again.

My first stay at this (or any) aLoft. Regarding the Mpls location, they don't have parking. There's a lot in back for 20 cars but they don't recommend parking overnight there. The lot across the street is pay per use no in-out priveleges. This was really lame. Also, I had a room facing Washington on the top (5th) floor. It was way too loud. I slept terribly. I let the staff know in the morning and they apologized saying they could have moved me. I hit the hay at 1am and left at 6am. I wasn't about to change rooms in the middle of the night.

Regarding aLoft as a whole - dumb. They are just trying too hard to be cool. "Aloha" in Mpls everytime the staff sees you? Pools are called Splash and fitness rooms re:charge. I don't know how they say this stuff with a straight face.

This was my first stay in MSP, but my second aloft stay.

Both properties are just about identical.

The hotel is a solid 20 minute walk to downtown, or; a 3 minute walk to the Light Rail station, which will take you downtown in about 5 minutes (for 50 cents). The distance is the only negative, especially in winter.

If you get a front facing room (recommended for the view of downtown), you can see where the TWINS play baseball. This is adjacent to the train station. Buy your train ticket with cash or credit card.

I walked into the hotel 2 additional times, and the check-in gal greeted me by name. ^

2 lobby computers providing free access. A pool and fitness center.

Nice size room/bathroom. Flat screen hanging on the wall.

aloft is a W Jr. without the attitude. ^

Overall, a very good property that doesn't disappoint.

I wish I had the time to search for my aloft report from the opening party in 2008, as I'd just link it here.

There is some pretty funny stuff in the branding and marketing. But I really enjoyed my stay here last winter, which was also my first aLoft experience. They've done a good job creating a fun atmosphere. And I like some of the touches -- like the floor in the elevator responding to the pressure of your body weight to change the pattern/look. Admittedly, subsequent aLoft stays haven't been quite as exciting.

There are also a couple of restaurants in walking distance that I liked. Which was important since I was there in the dead of winter and didn't care to walk more than a block.

Like others, I didn't care for the parking situation here. I parked at the next door condo garage and had an assigned space. One night someone else was in my space. Knowing that all the other spaces could be assigned, too, what was I to do? I decided to block the offender in. From my room later that night I called the front desk and explained the situation. Someone came to my room, took my rental car keys, and moved me to another space that was available and filled me in on the change. That was a good solution, I thought. The next morning, they told me the car in my spot belonged to a guest of a condo resident and he was sorry and embarrassed by his mistake. It seems like this needs to be fixed. Maybe it has been by now.

Completed my fourth stay at this Aloft last night - they were celebrating their 2-year anniversary with snacks, appetizers, and drinks (and a mini DIY photobooth) in the lobby.

This is a simple, affordable (corporate rate) option here at Minneapolis. All of the front desk staff I've met here are authentically friendly and helpful. I agree I don't think I could say "aloha" "re:charge" and all those terms with a straight face, but they do it pretty well!

Parking: metered street parking right in front of the hotel is $1/hr (max 2 hours) between 8am and 10pm. I usually arrive pretty late and leave by 7 or 8am for work, so I feed the meter an hour or two when I get in at night and I'm all set.

Any comments on the gym here?

All aloft hotels have the same gym/pool setup. It's a little room with some bikes, treadmills, one weight machine, and free weights, open 24 hours. The pool's pint-sized but salt water; instead of locker rooms, there's one bathroom.

My first stay in an Aloft and it was a great one.

Stayed 1 night, arrived just before 8PM to check in. I parked my car in some of the temporary spots owned by the hotel while I checked in. Inquired about parking and was told I can park overnight with no in-out privileges in the lot right next to the hotel for $7 or I can park on the street and feed the meters ($1 per hour, meters must be fed 8AM-10PM). The front desk exchanged my dollars for some dollar coins for the meters and I moved my car after I brought my things up to my room.

Check in was smooth and I was given a room on the top floor. The check in associate also told me that about 50% of the guests at the hotel Mon-Weds nights were Accenture consultants.

Room seemed like a stripped down, generic version, of a W room. I liked the modern look. No complaints.

W bath amenities were present, although there was no face wash. The body wash and all in one shampoo/conditioner were not in bottles, but in re-fillable dispensers on the shower wall.

There was no tub in the room.

In the morning, I spent about $10 for some breakfast snacks in the re:fuel snack area. Hot breakfast sandwiches were present, but I did not sample.

Internet was available in the lobby and was relatively fast. I did not get a chance to try the internet in the room.

I did not confirm, but I briefly chatted to another guest, who told me there was only 1 ice machine by the lobby, so if you had a room on the 5th floor, you would have to venture down for ice.

I would stay at this property again.

Pictures:

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Aloft - Best SPG property in MSP
 

I was in MSP for a few months, every week, on a project.

I stayed at the following:

Westin MSP
W Foshay
Meridien Chambers
Sheraton Midtown

By far, the Aloft was the best property in my view.

Rooms: Rooms are nice and spacious, and very functional. Layout is sensible, and if you get one of the rooms facing Gold Medal Park it's really quiet. The rooms facing the street are slightly noisier, but nothing unbearable by any means.

Internet: The wireless is reliable, but I've noticed it varies in speed depending on where you are in the property, and what time of day it is. At no time was it too slow to get work done though.

Food: Best food at any of the properties frankly. Mains at the bar go for $10-$12, and breakfast runs about the same (A breakfast sandwich, odwalla smoothie drink and a complimentary tea/coffee).

Restaurants nearby: Sanctuary across the street is amazing in terms of a higher end place, Maxwell's on Washington ave (5-10 minute walk away) probably has some of the better pub food around. Wasabi across the street is decent for Sushi, and Zen Box izakaya on Washington ave has some good Japanese pub food.

Staff: Great staff, know you by name after a few weeks, and are very receptive to requests (they graciously once helped print out a few presentations for me that I had to give the next morning when it was late night)

Location: Location is great (especially if your client is located outside of the MSP downtown core). It's close to 35W, which will get you anywhere around town. Even if your client is downtown, it's a short drive or light rail ride into the core (5 minutes).

Fitness facilities: I like the 'do everything' cable machine they have at the alofts... I'm a bit of a workout fanatic and it does the trick (as I am a heavy weight user, and no hotel I've been to really accomodates). Also, it's right by the riverfront, and the trail is a fantastic run.

All in all, I'd definitely stay at Aloft MSP when in town.