Aloft Hotels: The Trendiest up-and-coming hotel chain around

If you love the trendy, minimalistic, modern, and high class of W Hotels but are on a budget, Aloft hotels are the answer. A segment of W Hotels, this chain is reasonably priced, dog friendly, and trendy as can be. The minimalistic architecture and interior design are not only pleasing to the eye, but a refreshing outlook on the idea of how hotels should look and be. The staff is friendly and greets everyone who enters with “Aloha!” this hang loose attitude and modern ideas of hotel appearance stand out amongst the competition.

*The only thing that I can say negative about Aloft, is that they only have showers, no bathtubs. Which could potentially pose a problem if traveling with small children.

Check out their website: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/index.html

Locations (North America):

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/directory/hotels/north-america/list.html?sortType=date

Photo cred:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://mn-meetings.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/08/15/aloft_01_2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://mn-meetings.blogs.com/meetings_minnesotas_hospi/2008/08/under-the-radar.html&usg=__gW0WDEiB4h9uK4nrwI-Pa5RYIHg=&h=525&w=800&sz=39&hl=en&start=8&zoom=1&tbnid=aBvW9NN4j5TjAM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=140&ei=oJ3vTdH0I9LpgQfW1uGVDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Daloft%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D718%26bih%3D390%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=408&vpy=101&dur=633&hovh=105&hovw=140&tx=160&ty=174&page=2&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:8&biw=718&bih=390

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://randmcnallyontheroad.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/aloft-hotel-review-001.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ontheroad.randmcnally.com/2008/12/09/news-aloft-hotels/&usg=__KbDWKVIZ88uevJZMI81_uNuE_Bc=&h=3280&w=4936&sz=3350&hl=en&start=8&zoom=1&tbnid=h2t_DW_h2KdOIM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=138&ei=oJ3vTdH0I9LpgQfW1uGVDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Daloft%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D718%26bih%3D390%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=317&page=2&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:8&tx=84&ty=26&biw=718&bih=390

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://regent.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/09/30/aloft_08.jpg&imgrefurl=http://gps.outtraveler.com/2008/09/new-openings-at.html&usg=__WCMx1GnthzOfRCCdEGankno8drg=&h=398&w=600&sz=220&hl=en&start=24&zoom=1&tbnid=w6vMDKDCVBH6dM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=138&ei=oJ3vTdH0I9LpgQfW1uGVDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Daloft%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D718%26bih%3D390%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=448&page=4&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:24&tx=92&ty=54&biw=718&bih=390

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/chicago/2008-05-05-alofta.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/blogging/small-space-solutions-from-the-new-aloft-hotelmetropolis-049880&usg=__ee9eDgF7rqS_z8DznwWzhU3DRkg=&h=335&w=500&sz=33&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=FLLJ_go61-oBnM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=169&ei=_Z7vTZCvJ8TagQf9k4mWDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Daloft%2Bhotel%2Bbathroom%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D718%26bih%3D390%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=231&vpy=83&dur=1485&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=173&ty=129&page=1&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&biw=718&bih=390

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3411/3496383016_3c2d96f95a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/37198123%40N00/sets/72157617535069205/detail/&usg=__H1qibbz9OQmpd393x16KxLH6LYo=&h=500&w=375&sz=149&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=kknQc0XbNx4x_M:&tbnh=125&tbnw=92&ei=55_vTZbLKcrDgQf6xKyVDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Daloft%2Bhotel%2Belevator%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D718%26bih%3D390%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=264&vpy=16&dur=1&hovh=259&hovw=194&tx=112&ty=214&page=1&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&biw=718&bih=390

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/67/e1/32/hallway.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g31377-d1174682-Aloft_Tempe-Tempe_Arizona.html&usg=__d57gQ3Oiv4C38lGO3ITIWl-WYX0=&h=450&w=337&sz=20&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=MRN4OzsiY6cQrM:&tbnh=134&tbnw=98&ei=F6DvTcXsB8vTgQegn52VDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Daloft%2Bhallway%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D718%26bih%3D390%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=120&vpy=15&dur=1326&hovh=260&hovw=194&tx=133&ty=186&page=1&ndsp=9&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&biw=718&bih=390

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/b8/57/a4/front-entrance.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g52024-d1147630-w3-Aloft_Portland_Airport_at_Cascade_Station-Portland_Oregon.html&usg=__HMF3XND2grSOnAIQPNqAxD9tB7E=&h=412&w=550&sz=33&hl=en&start=16&zoom=1&tbnid=3Y3I57BQ5PlAwM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=144&ei=SKDvTerHDI2cgQfHz9CUDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dfront%2Bof%2Baloft%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D718%26bih%3D390%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=543&page=3&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:16&tx=46&ty=41&biw=718&bih=390

Modern Furniture

Check this ooouuutttt!
I WANT IT ALL! This is so cool, and modern, and beautiful, and aaaawwww <3 .
Day draming about my dream house..... and that I probably will never have these type of thing lol :P

Modern Furniture

Check this ooouuutttt!
I WANT IT ALL! This is so cool, and modern, and beautiful, and aaaawwww <3 .
Day draming about my dream house..... and that I probably will never have these type of thing lol :P

moooi: london showroom

Marcel Wanders

showed up on one of the pages

of Traditional Home

arriving in the mail

reminding me of the beauty of

Moooi.

all images via weheart.co.uk

So much cheekyness and smartitude

in Moooi's innovation.

my guys would wreck these floors quickly. and what about toast crumbs?!?

Gutsy enough

for black floors?

SHRINK THIS HOUSE: switzerland underground

Thought it would be fun to

SHRINK THIS HOUSE.

Know what I mean?

Feel free to offer psychological analysis

of the home/occupants/design.

It's in Switzerland.

Don't you love their fondue and knives?

Yum.

And their finance ministers?

Uh-huh.

This giggly one answering parliament about

imported cured meats is awesome.

Isn't he adorable????

Okay, back on the therapist's couch, Switzerland.

I'm trying to imagine giving directions to first time visitors...

fun or what?

Thinkin these folks are lovers of nature

and cool intellectuals who aren't

overly concerned about what the neighbors think

but do care about conservation and no maintenance

landscaping.

via notcot.org

Your turn.

WWFS (What would Freud say)?

Shrink this house.

Could you live here?

hello lovely barn

I'd love these panton chairs for my harvest table...

remember how they looked here?

Barn renovation

by

Shed Architects.

See more barnriffic chic

here.

THIS DOOR'S

AWESOMENESS

GIVES ME

GOOSEBUMPS.

Can you smell the pine and cedar?

linking with french country cottage

paola navone

WHO SAYS WHITE IS BORING?

omg.

take a gander at this spare

modern space in Greece

by

p a u l o   n a v o n e

incorporating

the simplest furniture pieces.

Whoa.

Hush my mouth.

Call me a biscuit.

Or whatev.

Whenever I am in the mood to

spruce up one of my 

villas in Greece,

I think to myself WWPD?

(What Would Paola Do?)

And then it always hits me.

Employ minimalistic chic.

Dare to be spare.

Apply liberal doses of bleached white and grey.

Navone is so clever with scale.

Doesn't her use of green here create delicious, unexpected drama?

(methinks this takes intense design guts)

One could gather the talented designer is partial to concrete.

Yum.

A restaurant receiving the PN touch...

and how incredible is her furniture line called GRAY?

See more here.

(sideboard has various door options including mirror)

Think I'll throw this table constructed of American walnut

and the adorable seat covers in my cart.

They would perfectly update one of the dining spaces of

one of my aforementioned villas.

As would this modern canopy bed...

a great addition to

one or all of the guesthouses.

Pure.

Ethereal.

Dream- and drool-provoking

design work

by Paola Navone.

michael del piero

Chicago-based 

Michael Del Piero

designs and owns the fabulous The Good Design Studio.

Prior to her design career, Ms. Del Piero

spent two decades as an Executive Coach.