STAMFORD, Conn.—A pair of Aloft hotels opening this month are conversions of existing hotels, and highlight a new growth channel for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.’s brand. The Aloft brand is turning to conversions to keep up with global demand.
“Since its 2008 debut, Aloft has introduced an affordable, design-driven hotel option, growing to more than 60 properties worldwide,” said Starwood’s president and CEO Frits van Paasschen, in an announcement. “We continue to see a lot of demand for this brand around the globe and look forward to opening many more Aloft hotels in the years ahead.”
Simon Turner, Starwood’s president of global development, added: “We see two types of opportunities as ideal candidates for an Aloft conversion: older hotels in need of a major renovation or unique, independent boutique hotels seeking a stronger brand point of view and the ability to utilize Starwood systems. The upcoming openings of Aloft San Francisco Airport and Aloft Nashville West End are perfect examples of these two conversion opportunities.”
Aloft San Francisco Airport will open its doors next week after 14 months of renovations. The 253-room hotel marked a milestone as the first external conversion project undertaken by Aloft in 2011. The property, owned by Starwood, brings the Aloft brand to the Bay Area for the first time.
Aloft Nashville West End will open on Thursday. The 139-room hotel will mark Aloft Hotel’s debut in Nashville, and replaces the Hotel Indigo Nashville Music Row. The property itself is an adaptive reuse of an office building originally constructed in 1970.
Conversion or adaptive-reuse projects are also underway for Aloft in Tucson, Calgary, and Atlanta.
ALOFT SAN FRANCISCO
The opening of Aloft SFO crowns an extensive, 14-month transformation of a onetime Clarion property. The 253-room hotel contains a 5,102 square foot lobby designed for socializing, with the brand’s w xyz bar and re:fuel by Aloft grab-n-go pantry. Signature tactic rooms include 672 square feet of meeting space and a pool. The entire property also features free Wi-Fi.
ALOFT NASHVILLE MUSIC ROW
The opening of Aloft Nashville Music Row is the brand’s first conversion from an existing select-serve or boutique hotel. The hotel will also become the first non-Starwood-owned Aloft conversion hotel to open.
Along with Aloft’s signature w xyz bar and re:fuel by Aloft grab-n-go pantry, the hotel offers an 832-square-foot re:charge fitness center and four smart tactic rooms with 2,470 square feet of meeting space.
