Opening in 2015, Aloft South Beach will cater to the next generation of travelers.
STAMFORD, CONN. – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that its stylish Aloft brand continues its explosive growth with plans to debut in Miami Beach, Florida. Aloft South Beach will open in early 2015 and feature 235 spacious, loft-like rooms, forward-thinking technology, a lively social atmosphere and a line-up of innovative programming.
“Aloft is a perfect match for South Beach, geared toward savvy travelers who will appreciate urban design, intuitive technologies and live music,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “Accelerating demand for Aloft among the next generation of travelers has fueled the brand’s growth, and we will reach 100 hotels worldwide by the beginning of 2015.”
The project, developed by JMH Development and Madden Real Estate Ventures, is an adaptive reuse of the historic Motel Ankara and will also include a new eight-story tower. Construction is being handled by Plaza Construction and the project’s architect is ADD, Inc. Aloft South Beach will be first newly constructed hotel to open in South Beach since 2009, and therefore will provide significantly larger rooms averaging over 360 square feet, as compared to its competitors.
“We’re thrilled to be developing this fantastic and unique property in South Beach,” said Jason Halpern, principal in JMH Development, who has a track record of restoring historic structures. “It’s especially appealing that this project involves the renovation of a classic mid-century motel along with the construction of a new, eight-story Aloft Hotel. Combining this historic building as a nod to the rich history of South Beach, alongside the opportunity to create an architecturally new structure is truly exciting.”
Aloft South Beach will offer a prime, waterfront location with access to Lake Pancoast and the Collins Canal, which wrap around the property. Just one block from the shores of Miami Beach, the new Aloft will also be minutes from the world-renowned South Beach, the Miami Beach Convention Center, several art galleries, the Bass Museum of Art and numerous night clubs, restaurants and boutiques.
Guests will enjoy an outdoor pool, roof deck lounge, a 24-hour fitness center and 2,349 square feet of flexible meeting space ideal for both business meetings and social gatherings. Aloft Miami Beach joins Aloft Miami-Brickell and Aloft Miami Doral as the brand’s third hotel in the Miami area.
“We are delighted to bring Aloft to Miami Beach as part of the brand’s aggressive expansion across the U.S. including Florida, where we will have nine Aloft hotels by 2016,” said Allison Reid, Senior Vice President of North America Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “Aloft is resonating with the next generation of travelers with its urban design flair, social atmosphere and original programming.”
The Aloft brand’s innovative and exclusive initiatives set it apart. Aloft Hotels recently announced that select properties will roll out Smart Check In, allowing guests to use their smartphones to check in to the hotel and open their guestroom door, bypassing the front desk. This follows on the heels of the first phase of Smart Check-In, the first mobile check-in using RFID check-in technology. In addition, Aloft Hotels offers live, free access to local emerging artists as well as some of the hottest bands with Live at Aloft Hotels programming at the W XYZ bars.
Photo caption: Aloft South Beach rendering (Photo: Business Wire).
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
