I am an SPG guy and booekd the Aloft so I could try the new brand. All in all, it lived up to hype - the common spaces were very well furnished and finished and totally different than anything else in the category. The rooms were small but really uniquely and well appointed. All in all, i think I'd take Aloft's common spaces over Courtyard's larger rooms 8 out of 10 times.

For the next few months (though to end of 2008 though) be a bit cautiaous of new staff. This hotel just opened and the staff is pretty young and inexperienced. And the htoel is still shaking some bugs out. Here's the bad...

- The 24 hour food pantry does not have a wide enough selection - everything I go was good - but it was prety slim picking.
- For 2 days in a row there were no coffee lids for go-cups. That's just plain dumb and I had words with the front desk manager about it.
- On my first night there (the 9th night the hotel was open) Ohare Aipoirt closed down and stranded thousands... A good chunk of them ended up at the Aloft. The staff was so totally overwhelmed, that some folks waited for close to 2 hours in the lobby to get checked in!
- The check-in kiosks were absolutely confusing for people, and no one could find the credit card swipe (it's literally hidden on the back) - so that made it all worse.

The good..
- my god the 42" plasma screen was awesome
- the bath and shower appointments ar very sleek
- pool area, outside retreat area, inside lounge, and pool table were all very packed, very exciting, and well done
- an easy to use alarm clock - thank god!

enjoy!

From the minute I walked in the door, I felt this amazing vibe wash over me. I checked in around 9PM Saturday night & the DJ was in full motion. There were people outside lounging on very colorful, inviting furniture & candles everywhere, they've created a very cool atmosphere here. I stay at W's when I can & was extremely impressed how aloft still gives you that feel without the steep price. The lobby area is truly the synergy for this Hotel, the rooms are ok but the bar area reels you in. The food is very different to what you typically find these days in Hotels. Very simple & very convenient, open 24 hours for the items in the cooler which is great for travelers. The only bad experience was that my phone was not working when I checked in. They offered to move me to another room....but i had already unpacked & they said they would wake me up @ 6AM so I could catch my flight. Imagine my surprise when there was a knock on my door @ 6AM by the GM of the Hotel no less & he was holding a cup of coffee for me. Needless to say, this was pretty incredible service & made up for the inconvenience of no phone. I will be staying here regularly now as I am a loyal SPG member, the Westin is very tired & the Sheraton isn't very hip.....I loved the aloft.

The aLoft just opened last Thursday, the same day I made a last minute reservation for Saturday night. When I arrived at the hotel Saturday night, I was greeted by a large open lobby with full bar (fun!) and it also opens onto an outdoor area with chairs and extends to an indoor pool. There were quite a few people just hanging out in the lounge-y lobby drinking and listening to a DJ. Not exactly your normal hotel lobby - certainly got that W vibe. If you want a drink, this is where you go - there is no room service or minibar in the room.

The rooms also had some key wins: free bottled water, single cup coffee maker (no mess!), huge flat screen TV, Bliss bath products, a REAL hair dryer, actual face wash. Looks like their focus groups paid off!

My only complaint was that my room right above the lobby was certainly not sound proofed from the DJ - good thing I was too exhausted to care.

In the morning, I was running to the airport so I didn't get to try their attempt at an a la carte breakfast buffet but I did appreciate in my brief glance that everything was well marked with prices.

So, my takeaway: it is the Hampton Inn for the next generation and for those of us who still want a Starwood but think the Four Points are a yawn.