Aloft Minneapolis is Open

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® (NYSE:HOT) and its much-anticipated new lifestyle brand, Aloft hotels, opened Aloft Minneapolis in the hip downtown Mill District of the Minnesota metropolis in August.

The new-build, 155 room hotel offers visitors and Minneapolis residents alike a vibrant place to stay and play. The state-of the art hotel is conveniently located at 900 Washington Avenue South along the city’s beautiful river bluffs, making it a stylish jumping point to many of Minneapolis’ famous attractions such as the Gold Medal Park, Guthrie Theater and the Metrodome.

“We are excited to bring our vision of stylish travel to the exciting city of Minneapolis in time to celebrate its 150th anniversary,” said Brian McGuinness, Global Brand Leader of Aloft and Element hotels worldwide.  “Visitors to the City of Lakes will be abuzz to find a chic place to stay while they enjoy the local landmarks and experience the culture that makes Minneapolis unique.  Best of all, guests can stay plugged into the rest of the world while enjoying our signature dose of fun at the hotel’s w xyz SM bar.”

In the same way that W Hotels broke through the clutter of conformity in the upscale hotel arena in 1998, Aloft is shaking up the lodging industry with high design at an affordable price point, accessible technology, style and a social atmosphere. On schedule to open later this year are Aloft hotels at the Portland and Dulles Airports and in Beijing, China, Nashville, Tennessee and Las Colinas, Plano and Frisco, Texas.

Aloft offers atmosphericpublicspaces designed to draw guests from their rooms to mix and mingle.  Savvy travelers can read the paper, work on their laptops via complimentary hotel-wide wireless Internet access, play a game of pool or grab a drink with friends at re:mix SM, the communal lobby area featuring the sassy w xyz bar.  The re:charge SM fitness center and splash, the indoor pool, give travelers options to de-stress and re-energize, while re:fuel by aloft SM, a one-stop food and beverage area, offers sweet, savory and healthy food, snacks and beverages to grab & go, 24 hours a day.  Not just a pretty space, Aloft is committed to the environment through its see green program, which offers such eco-friendly amenities as preferred parking for hybrid cars and a greener-saline solution in the splash indoor pool.

Guest rooms feature urban-influenced design, while the centerpiece of each Aloft room is an ultra-comfortable plush platform bed.  Loft-like nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows create a bright, airy environment.  Large, stylish bathrooms complement the guest experience with oversized walk-in showers and amenities created by Bliss Spa®.  Each Aloft room is also a combination high-tech office and entertainment center, featuring wireless Internet access and plug & play, a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic gadgetry such as PDAs, cell phones, mp3 players and laptops - all linked to a large, flat-panel HDTV-ready television for optimal sound and viewing.