On the heels of opening its second Aloft hotel in New York City, in downtown Brooklyn, Starwood Hotels & Resorts said it would open a third Aloft in the city’s financial district in 2014. The company’s first New York property, Aloft Harlem, opened in December 2010. Launched in 2008, the fast-growing Aloft brand has reached 50 hotels worldwide and has another 28 in development.
A spinoff of Starwood’s W brand, Aloft is designed to appeal to the younger digital generation, with modern, vibrant designs and a decidedly techie feel at an affordable price. And as evidenced by the Harlem and Brooklyn locations, Aloft is prepared to go to new frontiers to reach those consumers.
During last month’s opening of Aloft New York Brooklyn, which is adjacent to the brand-new Sheraton (Starwood’s flagship brand), Brian McGuinness, senior vice president of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood, noted that Brooklyn is a perfect home for Aloft. "For the Gen Y-minded Aloft guest, who brings a real appreciation of what's next in design and tech, a Brooklyn location makes an ideal home base for exploring New York,” he said.
Featuring 176 signature loft-like guest rooms, the hotel is located next to the bustling Fulton Mall, and minutes away from the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), the Brooklyn Bridge, newly opened Brooklyn Bridge Park, nightlife, restaurants and hip boutiques.
Aloft Harlem, meanwhile, is the first hotel from a major brand to open in that neighborhood, at 125th Street, in a century. McGuinness suggests that in the long term it will be more than just a hotel in Harlem. “We'll be a local neighborhood outpost for the community as well,” he said, “and we look forward to becoming an integral part of the Harlem landscape."
Inside Aloft
At both New York locations, travelers and locals alike will find the smart signature features that have made Aloft such a successful launch. While there are distinctive neighborhood touches to each individual Aloft hotel, for the most part their offerings are consistent. (For instance, there is no business meeting space at the more family- and student-oriented Harlem location.) Guests can zoom to their rooms via Smart Check-in, enjoy fast and free hotel-wide wireless Internet access, or grab a drink in the re:mix lobby and lounge. The re:charge fitness center gives travelers options to de-stress and re-energize, while re:fuel is a one-stop convenience shop with an urban cafe feel.
The bright, airy guest rooms are a combination high-tech office and entertainment center, featuring wired and wireless Internet access and plug and play, a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic gadgetry such as PDAs, cell phones, mp3 players and laptops--all linked to a 42-inch flat-panel HDTV.
Aloft New York Brooklyn is located at 216 Duffield Street, between Willoughby Street and the Fulton Mall. For reservations and information, call 718 256-3833.
Aloft Harlem, at 2296 Frederick Douglass Boulevard at 124th Street, can be reached at 212 749-4000.
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