Lofty Expectations For Starwood's Aloft Brand
Ross Klein's vision for his new hotel brand was unveiled at the most resplendent of American showcases, New York's ballyhooed Fashion Week—an event befitting a product led by the former Polo executive and current president of W Hotels.
February's Fashion Week is a stage for designers to reveal their newest sartorial efforts, as well as for celebrity cavorting—the perfect setting for Starwood Hotels to present the newest high-end midprice design, Aloft, a "select service" chain that seeks to build off the success of the W Hotel brand.
With marketing strikingly similar to what you might expect from a clothing manufacturer, the Aloft brand commanded its own tent at the event where Klein was busy catering to the many people who happened through to check out the makeshift guest room housed in a mobile unit. Klein was there to relate his vision of the brand—focusing particularly on the new breed of business travelers, whom Klein describes as neo-nomads or road-ready entrepreneurs.
"We are creating a product that meets both consumer and developer expectations," Klein said. While one theme behind Aloft is the classic American road-trip tradition and having the chance to make a memory during your stay, Klein asserted that the properties will have all the updated amenities that business travelers depend on. "The properties will be very functional and convertible," he said
A "lifestyle brand," Aloft will seek to provide facilities as elegant as they are functional—yet affordable. Klein said the average room rate will be around $129, but will oscillate depending on the location of the property. The first crop of properties will rise from the ground in Phoenix, Boston, Charlotte, Denver, Tucson and Lincolnshire, Ill., and in areas adjacent to colleges, airports and cultural centers. The first property will open early in 2007 and be constituted according to the prototype—five floors composing 136 rooms. Rooms will come replete with flat-panel televisions, a signature bed and technologically savvy workspaces—all under urban loft-like ceilings. Starwood plans to have 500 properties constructed worldwide by 2012.
Like W Hotels, Klein said Aloft promises a sassy, refreshing, oasis-type feel that will provide for the next-generation business traveler. However, Klein said the brand will be "a little less ephemeral" than W. It does build off of W Hotels' "whatever/whenever" creed, selecting the first letter of its name to create the "anything/anytime" concept that Klein hopes will transfer into success for the brand. "Aloft is for emerging markets and a connector with other Starwood properties," he said. "It will be self-standing. It's not a W."