Aloft offers 'style-at-a-steal'

The Aloft Bangkok corridor. Provided to China Daily

Brand Story | Aloft

Pricing and high-tech amenities appeal to young generation of savvy travelers. Xiao Liu reports.

Few hotels enjoy a reputation for being both stylish and affordable, but the Aloft brand has carved out just that niche among the young generation of tech-savvy travelers.

Infused with the DNA of W Hotels, the sizzling "style-at-a-steal" Aloft appeals to travelers looking for an urban-inspired design, accessible, intuitive technology and a social guest experience at an affordable price point, said Brian McGuinness, senior vice-president of Starwood Hotels specialty brands, which include the Aloft, Element and Four Points by Sheraton chains.

"Aloft makes travel fresh and fun with a bold modern design, bright social spaces and a spirit of adventure, attracting individuals who want unique experiences in new destinations," he told China Daily during a recent interview.

Introduced in 2008 with the first Aloft that opened in Canada, the brand then established its Asian connection and its flagship hotel in Beijing by the end of the same year.

"Our pipeline continues to be strong outside the United States - six other hotels will be unveiled in China by 2013," he said.

Aloft's portfolio has expanded to 55 hotels in the past three years , 42 of them in the US. Outside its home country, it also flies flags in Abu Dhabi and San Jose, Costa Rica.

However, the overseas expansion seemingly has focused more on Asia, with half of the new properties in China.

Starwood is finding China a dynamic market, with the global hotelier opening a new property every other week in the country last year, according to a Reuters report.

"Even secondary or tertiary cities in China have 1 million people, which shows the huge potential for bringing lifestyle and affordable brands here," McGuinness said.

Most recently, Aloft debuted its first hotel in Bangkok on Sukhumvit 11, a stylish, urban and vibrant urban entertainment district. "It's a perfect fit for the concept with the location selected," Brendan Daly, general manger of the newly opened hotel said.

With many travelers today looking for something different in their hotel experience - whether it is the design of the facility or if the experience fits their lifestyle - Aloft offers value and stylish comfort, including free and fast Wi-Fi in rooms, free iPad use and printing in the lobby and an inviting social space at its Wxyz bar.

McGuinness said the decision to open any Aloft hotel anywhere in the world is dependent on location along with the right partnership and operator.

The Starwood portfolio includes nine brands including the St. Regis, Sheraton and Westin, all three familiar names in Beijing and Shanghai. Eight of the brands are now operating in China, with the sole remaining brand, Element, expected to open its first property in 2013 or 2014, said McGuinness.

"We are in the process of finding the right partnership, so nothing is definite at this point. But we are definitely very interested in bringing the Element brand to China," he said of the properties designed to be eco-friendly and appeal to an environmentally aware clientele.

Over half of the members in SPG, Starwood's loyalty award points program, are from outside the US.