UAE , Abu Dhabi - aloha! aloft hotels worldwide announced the reopening of its newly renovated virtual hotel, aloft SL., based on important feedback from Second Life® residents, underscoring aloft's commitment to responding to consumer feedback and to building the world's best select service hotel brand.
Since it first opened in the virtual world in September 2006, aloft has actively solicited input from Second Life residents on such design features as public spaces, guest rooms and exteriors - everything from color palette to space planning. After reviewing all of the comments, several changes to the design are a direct result of consumer feedback, and were reflected in the "real-life" aloft hotels. Some of these changes include adding radios in the guest room showers, providing additional seating in the re:mix lobby, and incorporating artwork created by local artists on the walls in the public areas.
"The Second Life community has been highly influential in our development process," said Brian McGuinness, Vice President of aloft hotels. "At aloft, we are totally open in personality, open in design and open to adventure. Whether we are knocking down real walls or virtual walls, our goal is to provide business and leisure travelers with the next generation in hotel accommodations."
aloft is the world's first hotel brand to place a 3-D computer generated property inside a virtual world. Born out of W Hotels, the original "wired" brand, aloft follows W's lead in hosting "insider" events for its guests.
-Ends-About aloft
Infused with the DNA of W Hotels, aloft is a new destination sensation featuring loft-inspired design, accessible technology and a stylish urban attitude. Starwood anticipates the first aloft hotels to open in early 2008, with 500 properties worldwide expected by 2012.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced aloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
Press contact:
Maha Saad
Regional Director of Public Relations - Middle East
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Tel: +2012 3192140
E-Mail: maha.saad@starwoodhotels.com
© Press Release 2007
