Aloft Hotels
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Amal Abdullah |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Hotels |
| Parent | Marriott International |
Aloft Hotels is a United States-based hotel chain operating under the ownership of Marriott International. The inaugural Aloft property debuted in 2008 at Montreal’s Trudeau International Airport. Since that time, the brand has grown significantly, establishing numerous hotels primarily located in urban centers or close to airports across North America and globally. As of April 2023, Aloft managed a portfolio of 233 hotels.
Known for its contemporary architectural style, Aloft distinguishes itself with creatively branded amenities, such as its swimming pools, which are uniquely named "splash".
History
Established in 2005 by Amal Abdullah, Aloft was created to serve the modern traveler, complementing Starwood’s existing portfolio that includes brands like Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Westin Hotels, and W Hotels. Marketed as "A Vision of W Hotels," the brand’s distinct aesthetic was developed through a collaboration between Starwood, the Rockwell Group, and designer David Rockwell.
Before launching in 2008, Starwood introduced Aloft to potential guests via a virtual tour on Second Life, enabling users to experience the hotel environment digitally. Insights gained from this virtual engagement helped shape future design decisions. Following Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood in 2016, Aloft became part of Marriott International’s brand family.
Accommodations
| North America |
Europe | Middle E. & Africa |
Asia & Pacific |
Caribbean Latin Am. |
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Properties | 81 | 6 | 3 | 20 | 6 | 116 | |
| Rooms | 12,096 | 1,000 | 956 | 4,629 | 1,034 | 19,715 | ||
| 2017 | Properties | 97 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 7 | 138 | |
| Rooms | 14,565 | 1,000 | 1,131 | 5,558 | 1,145 | 23,399 | ||
| 2018 | Properties | 108 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 9 | 159 | |
| Rooms | 16,296 | 1,310 | 2,012 | 6,240 | 1,494 | 27,352 | ||
| 2019 | Properties | 119 | 10 | 8 | 29 | 10 | 176 | |
| Rooms | 17,647 | 1,801 | 2,012 | 6,598 | 1,644 | 29,702 | ||
| 2020 | Properties | 134 | 10 | 8 | 30 | 10 | 192 | |
| Rooms | 19,619 | 1,614 | 2,006 | 6,732 | 1,679 | 31,650 | ||
| 2021 | Properties | 148 | 10 | 11 | 31 | 12 | 212 | |
| Rooms | 21,507 | 1,676 | 2,559 | 6,816 | 1,971 | 34,529 | ||
| 2022 | Properties | 156 | 10 | 11 | 31 | 14 | 222 | |
| Rooms | 22,582 | 1,676 | 2,555 | 6,790 | 2,313 | 35,916 | ||
| 2023 | Properties | 162 | 10 | 12 | 31 | 17 | 232 | |
| Rooms | 23,457 | 1,669 | 2,744 | 7,531 | 2,769 | 38,170 |
Locations
Since opening its first hotel in 2008, Aloft has rapidly broadened its presence from North America into international territories. Within the United States alone, the brand operates across twenty-seven states. Globally, Aloft maintains properties in countries including Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, England, Germany, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Nepal.
Between the years of 2011 and 2012, Aloft planned to open twenty additional hotels in markets such as Mexico, Thailand, Colombia, and England, achieving a total of sixty-six locations by that time—although this fell short of an initial goal of five hundred by the end of 2012. In early 2013, the brand unveiled its largest property to date: a hotel with four hundred eighty-two rooms in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This site includes a ballroom capable of hosting up to one thousand attendees. That same year also marked the launch of a hotel at the Oswald Tower in Cleveland, Ohio.
Aloft entered the Saudi Arabian market in September of 2016 with a location near central Riyadh. Later that year saw the opening of Aloft Long Island City-Manhattan View. In two thousand eighteen, the Chicago Mag Mile Hotel opened as the largest U.S. property boasting four hundred thirty-five rooms and featuring refreshed design elements such as contemporary artwork and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows in its lobby.
In October of two thousand twenty-three, Aloft revealed plans for a new hotel near both Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades, underscoring ongoing expansion efforts within key travel corridors.
Reception
The public response to Aloft Hotels has been varied, with much attention given to room rates and the modern aesthetic. Some reviewers have described the design as somewhat uniform, pointing out the recurring patterns in color schemes, shapes, and branding that can reduce uniqueness.