Hey, remember how Aloft and Element opened up together in Lexington, MA and we went on and on about Aloft but then Element kind of went under our radar (comparatively, at least)? We hadn't been hearing too much out of Element division of the Starwood over-the-top marketing department lately, so we got to wondering what was going on with the Element Lexington, the new chain's first-born.
Natch, we dropped in to TripAdvisor to see what guests were saying.
Now, there is a certain image we get in our heads when we think of eco-hotels: grainy materials, a bit more rustic-looking, green and brown colors -- and we've gotta admit that we're a bit more apt to head toward the aesthetic of the super-sleek and shiny vibe we get from Aloft's marketing efforts, you know?
As every hotel watcher should know, this summer Starwood Hotels launched two new hotel brands, Aloft Hotels and Element Hotels. While we've seen picture after picture and review after review of the Aloft brand, very little has been said about the Element brand.
Maybe Element having only 1 location in Lexington Mass vs Aloft's 15 or so locations throughout the US (and.. Canada) plays a small part in that, but nonetheless -
Someone we know stayed at the Aloft Lexington with a child and was surprised to find it totally kid-friendly, from the cool things to do on-site to the oddly large number of kids present during his stay and even right down to the air mattress that they bring into the room for the kiddies.
Here's what it's like:
They call it Camp Kids.
They come in and blow up an air mattress and put some caterpillar sheets on it. Then they let the kids pick out some sugary snacks.
The rest of Aloft seems pretty kid-friendly whether or not you are a real kid or just a grown-up one. The hotel features an indoor swimming pool and the re: mix (XYZ) lobby/lounge features flat-screen TVs and a pool table. Oh yeah, and a bar.
However, there is an age limit on the Camp Kids program. You gotta be 12 and under to score caterpillar sheets and sugary snacks. Fudge, we just missed the age cut-off.
And then another Aloft popped up in Rancho Cucamonga, and we were all, "whatever, Lexington, we're not waiting around for you."
Then we scored some pics of the first-ever Element, which was set to open in Lexington, and we were excited all over again -- especially since it looked a lot more spacious and comfy than the Aloft we visited in the meantime.
And today, July 1st, marks the birth of both the Aloft Lexington and Element Lexington properties, bringing Starwood just that much closer to world domination.
Thanks to a generous insider we have a ton of pics from inside the first ever Element Hotel in Lexington, Mass. which we hear is going to open next week (not July 15.)
Element Hotels is the extended-stay brand for Starwood Hotels and is a spin-off brand of Westin Hotels. Much like Aloft (a spin-off of the W Hotels brand) is good for one night near the airport, Element is for business travelers who are put several days on a project in random places like Lexington.
Thus each room is very spacious complete with a souped-up work area and a kitchen. Essentially, it's the antithesis of Aloft.
Also, each hotel will aim to be LEED-certified, all rooms will feature the Westin Heavenly bed and spa-like bathrooms; a state-of-the-art fitness center on-site, complimentary breakfast and organic "pantry" options, and complimentary bikes for guests to tool around on.
But why do we need to write any more? Just take a look at the pics! (There's six in total.)
With all the talk about Starwood's Aloft Hotelsfinally opening its doors, don't think that we've forgotten about Aloft's younger brother, Element Hotels.
The first ever Element will be in Lexington, Massachusetts and is scheduled to open either July 1 or July 15--depending on which portion of Starwood's website you're viewing. Go figure.
But you can't make reservations through the Element website until after July 15. So we're guessing the opening date is the 15th.
That makes Element's opening occur almost simultaneously with the Aloft Lexington which is located adjacent to the Element.
Yet unlike the Aloft Lexington which lost out to those silly Canadians, the Element Lexington WILL be sticking to its initial goal of being the first Element to open in the world.
Perhaps not going to take getting beat to the first-ever Aloft Hotel opening sitting down, the Aloft Lexington is going to open on July 1. When we last checked on Friday, this Aloft (long-hyped as the first Aloft ever to open anywhere) was opening July 14.
Guess someone had a fit over the weekend and now the hotel will open in just a few weeks.
A non-smoking king room is open for $169 a night. Again, that's the internet rate so no changes allowed. A best available rate of $179 is available if your plans are dicey.
Another thing to note: If you are an SPG member and you book a stay at Aloft under the super promotion where you get 8 points, you still have to register for the promotion before you can get the points.
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by Jenna
