When it comes to hotel branding, Aloft New Orleans Downtown means business.

The first New Orleans hotel under Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ Aloft brand opened in the summer of 2015, carved out of a former office building at 225 Baronne St. in the CBD.  

The 188-room 30-story hotel – which shares space with the Strand Luxury Apartments – represents Starwood’s hipster brand aimed at Millennial travelers, who care just as much about technology as they do about comfort.

Aloft New Orleans Downtown features a striking lobby design — Photo courtesy of Aloft New Orleans Downtown

With room rates coming in around $200 a night, depending on what’s going on around town, Aloft is positioned as a W-lite. (W is another Starwood hotel group.)

The hotel includes 2500 square feet of flex meeting space, a rooftop pool (In Aloft-speak, it’s called Splash.); 24-hour fitness center; and the WXYZ lobby bar, with its emphasis on local music and craft booze.

Built on the site of the former Art Deco Strand Theatre, the hotel rooms are named for famous retro actors and actresses.

The urban design that translated a former 1960s office building into a mixed-use hospitality and social hub fits well with the Aloft brand. The company has anchored similar adaptive re-use projects in Orlando, Tulsa, Miami and Dallas.  

All of the properties share a keen interest in technology. Aloft was the first to use Smart Check-In, a mobile check-in option that lets the guests bypass the front desk completely.

Aloft’s design pops with color, movement and social buzz. The front desk looks more like an uplit bar. There’s a pool table in the lobby that’s hard to resist, and the sleek, loft-style rooms are loaded with tech-centric amenities.

Another feature is an interest in emerging artists and bands, often spotlighted in the lobby’s WXYZ bar. Bands like Mississippi Rail Company and local faves Alexis and the Samurai play regular happy hour gigs after work.

The location is a key selling point at Aloft New Orleans Downtown, just steps away from the French Quarter, convention center and Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

And although there isn’t a restaurant onsite, you’re steps away from a ton of them, and the hotel’s Re-Fuel grab-and-go eatery dishes plenty of snacks.

Traveling with your best friend? Four-legged pals 40 pounds and under are welcomed with the Aloft Arf program, which includes a bed and bowl, plus treats and toys for your furry friend.

Aloft offers a decidedly contemporary hotel experience, which isn’t for everybody visiting New Orleans. But for visitors and staycationers seeking a sleek, modern vibe, this hotel is a perfect fit.