Aloft is a new project from boutique hotelier, The Rockwell Group (W Hotels); it's a chain of budget hotels based on the classic roadside motel. To prepare for the opening of the first Aloft property, a full size mock-up of the space has been created in a warehouse. Metropolis did a feature on the design, including a look at a guest room, which is full of good ideas that could also be used for small space homes...
The outward facing side of the headboard, which also acts as a room divider and closet.
The "bed" side of the headboard/room divider with built in sidetables and lighting.
The bathroom door is a sliding full size mirror, providing privacy (and reflection) as needed.
A frosted panel allows light into the bathroom area.
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Ah, glad to see you have discovered aLoft. I've done work with Starwood and saw the materials on this new brand a year ago - will be very interesting to watch as it hits the market.
aLoft is meant to be to a W what a Courtyard is to a Marriott. i.e. a limited service hotel that can appeal to the W type customer in areas that can't support a full blown W. Look for dozens and dozens of these things across the country over the next few years in smaller cities, 'burbs and airport strips.
If choosing between this and the Doubletree and the Hampton Inn out along some highway, no question that I would take the aLoft. It will be a great success in bringing efficient, sleek design to the masses, just as W popularized the boutique hotel for corporate America.
I am not crazy about the look of this but I love the ideas.
Good concept bad design. There is a miss match of materials and color and does not seem like a good use of space. I have seen more apealing budget hotels for much less in other countries. The blue has to go.
I agree... this would be so much chicer in neutral colors. Kind of feels like Delta's "Song" airline (ie, flying circus), and we know what happened to that.
Yawn.
The owner of the inexpensive hotel I stayed at in Vientiane, Laos in early 2007 had done this in all his rooms. The bathroom implementation wasn't this fancy but the concept of headboard as multi-functional room divider was similar.
At least they are trying. The aLoft room strikes me as a bit middle of the road. I like the room divider concept, but somehow I think going much darker with the divider would have provided a fantastic contrast with the white bed and blue flooring. The orange-y blonde wood just seems so safe and corporate and really doesn't have much impact. It looks like it was chosen by committee.
I agree - these first round of mocks for the aloft brand are the worst. It's on its way ... but not quite there. I'd honestly pick a Hampton over this because a free breakfast in an average extended stay is better than this throw back hotel.
Check out the "hotel NyLo" - an independant who is doing the same sort of thing - only way better design wise. Nylo won't be taking over up as fast as Starwood can pop out this crap, but would easily win out if the playing fields were even. www.nylohotels.com