Aloft Hotel Tempe Basics:
Aloft Hotel in Tempe is conveniently located off Loop 202 just east of the Phoenix Airport. MapAddress: 951 East Playa Del Norte Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281
Phone: (480) 621-3300
Website
About Aloft:
Aloft hotels are different. They are designed to be hip, efficient, wired and eco-friendly. They offer convenience at a reasonable price. You will find very little paper at Aloft Hotels and considerable self-service opportunities through their high tech kiosks and monitors. And, Aloft Tempe is very kid and dog friendly.Decor and Spirit:
Aloft hotels are very current in their decor. I'd call it "colorful industrial" with bright stripes, exposed ducts and pipes, tons of glass and metal and interesting features such as a bar with a moving wall of beverages. The spirit is exemplified by the background music throughout the common areas, increasing volume only at bar opening time! The staff (called Talent)are young, hip and helpful. The spirit of the design will lead you to join in the community of guests who gather in the common areas, socialize and relax.
Rooms at Aloft:
The rooms are compact, comfortable and loaded with useful high-tech amenities. From the flat screen TV to the "jack box" available for you to plug in your iPod, DVD player or computer, the place is set up for the business person or tech-savy visitor. And, if you need a special cable for hooking things up, just ask the desk. Don't expect spacious rooms. The rooms reminded me of cabins on a luxury yacht, or perhaps rooms in small intimate European hotels. They are efficient and compact.
Not a lot of sitting space for entertaining... but Aloft has a fun lobby for that!
Amenities:
Bear with me. Aloft brands everything and I have to follow suit:- arf - Dogs allowed on the first floor - ample walking area
- re:charge - Fitness Center
- re:fuel - Healthy, foods available 24/7 - special breakfast in the mornings (charge)
- guest lofts - compact, comfortable with workspace, large shower (no bath tubs), jack boxes for all your eGadgets, safe, refrig, nice soaps and shampoo
- Free Internet
- Lobby Bar
- Pool and outdoor area for socializing
- Free Parking
- Close to fast food - not far to great Tempe dining venues
Fun:
Aloft Tempe really tries to facilitate community by having a full-service bar with bar snacks, games and conversation areas. They also schedule entertainment and music. The lobby and bar is open to the public so it could well-become a neighborhood gathering place.Rates:
Rates start at $99 and are currently up to $159 for weekday stays (watch the site for specials)Aloft Tempe - Review and Recommendations:
Aloft Tempe is convenient, fun and comfy. You'll be surprised at how compact it is. The pool is adequate and the fitness room is rather large compared to other hotels.The common areas remind me of the how old lodges brought together guests and families in the evening to play games and talk in front of the fireplace. Add in a pool table, large flat-screen TV's, a state of the art bar and you have the modern version of the old hotel gathering place. This is one of the reason the rooms are small. While you have everything you need, including a very comfortable bed, you'll want to go to the lobby to entertain friends, spend the evening with your family or meet new friends.
Aloft Tempe is in a fantastic location. Just minutes from PHX, and adjacent to Tempe Town Lake, it's a great place to gather when you are in town visiting ASU (just across the bridge). The lake is a scenic place for your morning walk. When I was down there, I saw people taking rowing lessons, a guy fishing, boats for rent and enjoyed the herons fishing from the dock.
Looking for a place to eat? Inn & Out Burger is across the street, the hotel has healty meals and snacks to take out, and you can drive across the bridge to Tempe's Mill Avenue, or one exit up the freeway to Tempe Market Place.
This was my first exposure to the Aloft style and found that the chain also has hotels in central Phoenix with more being planned for the area.
If you are in Tempe, stop by and take a look at this new hotel, have a drink at the bar and experience the fun that Aloft is generating.
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accomodations for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
