Word: aloftness
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...some of the spaces. Anhut, like McGuinness, talks about a hotel that provides an experience--notes to guests are written in haiku, and the staff comes from behind the desks to help with luggage or discuss the best local restaurants. "Their customer is maybe a little more conservative than Aloft," says Chris Woronka, an analyst who follows the hotel industry for Deutsche Bank, "but hipper than Marriott Courtyard or Hilton Garden Inn customers...
Eventually, travelers do want to sleep. And the new brands Aloft and NYLO are introducing some innovations, the most radical of which is the orientation of Aloft's bed, which faces the windows rather than the dresser. McGuinness says the idea stems from guests who are always requesting rooms with a view. But an industry analyst wonders if there isn't perhaps a more practical reason. With about a third of upscale franchisees switching brands at some point, according to Smith Travel Research, Aloft franchise owners may have a hard time converting their hotels to Marriotts, where beds are oriented...
...bureaus and armoires--where traditional hotels hide the TVs--toward spalike bathrooms and custom mattresses. Flat-screen TVs duplicate home-entertainment centers--guests can hook up their laptop or iPod to watch movies or rehearse PowerPoint presentations. High ceilings and oversize windows in the 275-to-325-sq.-ft. Aloft rooms make the room feel more spacious. NYLO's rooms have brick walls and concrete floors to create an urban-loft experience--and reduce cleaning costs...
...communal-seating areas and a snack area. "It used to be that guests went in the room and latched the door," says Brian King of Courtyard. "Now they want to come out." The new design will be rolled out at most of the 700 locations by 2010. Like Aloft, Marriott is also eliminating the long, chest-high check-in desk, replacing it with pods that will allow clerks to step out and interact with guests...
With the economy wobbling, everyone in the hotel industry is battling for customers. Smith Travel Research forecasts growth of just 4.4% in room rates over last year. The upscale sector, in which Aloft competes, is currently worth about $12.5 billion. Woronka says profits for this sector are usually about 15% for owners, and expects that Aloft's owners will be earning about the same. According to Starwood, an Aloft hotel costs from $17 million to $25 million for a developer to build, not including land, which could be a little higher than the cost of a Marriott Courtyard or Hilton...