If you haven’t yet heard about the new Starwood Hotels & Resorts brand aloft, you may be living under a rock. In one of the more aggressive marketing campaigns this year, Starwood has been notifying the whole world about this W-like brand--I, for one, get multiple press releases every day! During the National Business Travel Association's annual convention in Los Angeles last week, a select group of reporters was given the opportunity to tour the Rancho Cucamonga property in California, but instead of driving the 40 miles from the L.A. Convention Center to the property, Starwood rented a helicopter. While my first helicopter ride was memorable, I was left wondering if aloft is ideal for business travelers. It's debatable.
Opened in June, the 136-room Rancho Cucamonga property already serves 10 corporate accounts, according to the general manager. With about nine Fortune 500 corporate offices close by, this out-of-the-ordinary location expects to book travelers coming in from LAX and Ontario airports. Overall, about 80 percent of those who were staying at the hotel were business travelers, which could increase after the 2009 corporate hotel negotiation season.
Those arriving are greeted with an "aloha!" Perhaps due to some sort of tie-in with Hawaii? Nope. The aloft folks think that such a welcome creates "a breezy environment."
Decorated in bright pastels, the trendy “living room” commonly known as the lobby is equipped with a pool table, 24-hour “grab and go” kitchen area with food priced under $10 and a fully stocked bar named "w xyz" with signature drinks like the “brown-eyed girl.”
Check-in can be completed at either of the two kiosks, which can produce room keys and print airline boarding passes.
The guestrooms were neat and included free wired and wireless Internet, a flat screen television, stand-up shower with eco-friendly soap dispensers and a box to plug in all of your electronics without having to look for outlets. However, somewhat noisy air-conditioning units, small closets and cramped rooms may deter some. Also, the business center consisted of three computers located in a corner of the lobby, which might not be ideal for doing anything but checking email.
From "Brussels to Bangkok," aloft properties are popping up all over. Starwood plans to open 18 in 2008 and more than 50 in 2009.
