Aloft

American hospitality giant Starwood Hotels & Resorts knows a thing or two about its markets. Increasingly, its markets are in every corner of the planet. With a full roster of brands to appeal to every type of traveller, from the family resort of Westin to the design-savvy retreat of W, Starwood not only delivers a consistent product to keep even The Accidental Tourist content, but it also knows how to communicate its message.

Aloft is the next new brand initiated by Starwood to build on the success of W, and appeal to the business or budget traveller who wants to socialise with his fellow jetsetters, but in a hip setting without surprises, regardless of whether he is in Chicago, Montreal or, as a matter of fact, Beijing. The design should be contemporary without being too site specific or vernacular. Transplanted Chicago native David Rockwell has been working out of New York City for years through his eponymous firm Rockwell Group. He has acquired the same sort of celebrity status as Nobu, designing the Japanese American’s restaurant franchises all over the world. Having created the design concept for the first W, Starwood looked to him again for Aloft. And what better place to launch its Asia-Pacific debut than in front of millions of sports fans at the Beijing Olympics?

Rockwell is responsible for the lobby, guestrooms, pool, outdoor landscaping and gym at Aloft. Essentially, Aloft stems from the same utopian ideals that made mobile homes and prefabricated housing so popular during the American hippie movement of the 60s and 70s. Everyone, regardless of budget or social status, can travel and bring along all the comforts of home. It is part of the democratic ideology that is at the core of basic American values. Rockwell’s design brief was simple: “[to] collaborate [on] an urban-inspired environment for guests,” he states, “with bright loft-like hotel rooms, enhanced technology services, an energetic lounge scene and flexible public spaces that encourage guests to gather and socialise.”

At Aloft, Rockwell’s concept translates to guestrooms ranging from 27 to 32m2 within an open plan that allows each person to rearrange furniture or accessories according to his preference. As the name suggests, Aloft is modelled after loft living, á la New York City’s gentrified Meatpacking District, or the industrial-warehouses-turned-design-studios found in London’s Shoreditch. Within an open plan, everything has a double or even triple purpose. The bed’s headboard doubles as a solid wall partition; it also serves as a storage cabinet and nightstand. Frosted or translucent glass makes up the balance of the room dividers, allowing natural light to give the space a strong sense of volume. Built-in cabinets replace loose furniture for a streamlined look. In a nod to the green movement, carpet backing is made from recycled tyres and surfaces are clad in recycled teak. Colours are neutral and in keeping with the polished concrete look of the corridors. While the overall aesthetic leans towards industrial chic, guest bathrooms are distinctively Asian-inspired with subtle hues and a Zen-like quality. “Our goal was to create an urban-inspired environment that would work in a wide range of locations,” notes Rockwell. “[It] offers travellers loft-like guestrooms and flexible public spaces that transform depending on use and time of day.”

Naturally, Aloft caters to the 21st century tech geek and offers WiFi access in its every nook and cranny. In contrast to the small-scaled rooms, common areas are generous and imaginative for a budget hotel to encourage serendipitous encounters with fellow guests, as if meeting a new friend in a glamorous private club. The 290m2 lobby is dubbed Re:mix, and is the heart of the Aloft concept. “The urban living experience is expressed in the Re:mix lobby that lends itself to both daytime and evening functions,” Rockwell explains, “featuring a sunken living room with a fireplace, a self-service check-in kiosk, a customised pool table, a 24-hour self-service kitchen area called re:fuel, a transformable bar area called ‘w xyz’ and a night lounge that opens out to a backyard. The comfort and sociability inherent in these design features all contribute to the feeling of being at home at Aloft. The experience encourages guests to spend more time out of their rooms.”

Aloft Beijing,
Haidian, Tower 2, No 25 Yuanda Road
Haidian District, 100089 Beijing
People’s Republic of China
Tel: +8610 8889 8000
www.aloft.com

Rooms:  186 guest loft rooms and suites including three barrier-free rooms
Food:    Re:mix (all day dining)  Nook  (Cantonese / regional)   Re:fuel (24 hour ‘grab and go‘)
Drink:    w xyz bar
Leisure    Re: charge health club