Aloft, the design-led brand from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, unveiled a burgeoning global pipeline expected to bring the brand to 70 hotels around the world in 2013. A game-changer since its 2008 debut, Aloft will also continue blazing a trail by making conversions and adaptive-reuse projects a stronger part of its global growth.

Pioneering initiatives in music, design, and technology have positioned Aloft as a must-have living-social brand for Gen Y travelers. Aloft has reported consistently high guest satisfaction scores since launch, reflecting the success of its modern and vibrant design at an affordable price point. The brand’s social guest experience, with the buzzing re:mix lounge and w xyz bar, has earned select hotels within the portfolio designations in TripAdvisor’s 2012 “Top 25 Trendiest Hotels in the US” rankings.

“With 55+ properties now open on four continents, the “style at a steal” brand also continues to make powerful gains in market share,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President for Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “Because of Aloft’s fiercely loyal following, and its well-deserved halo around design and technology, Aloft properties have quickly grabbed market share wherever they’ve opened. Aloft’s been embraced wholeheartedly by the next generation of traveler and a broad range of travelers continue to discover the brand.”

Conversions, Adaptive-Reuse Projects to Enhance Aloft’s Global Growth

Conversions and adaptive-reuse projects will help Aloft meet demand from partners and developers to bring more properties online, according to Simon Turner, Starwood’s President of Global Development. “Adaptive reuse projects aren’t just an expedient way to bring more Aloft properties online quickly; they’re also a way to expand sustainably, and merge Aloft’s urban aesthetic with historic structures in a way that appeals to guests, partners, and developers,” he said. “For the next generation of traveler, how we grow Aloft is just as important as where we grow Aloft. And we are just beginning to tap the brand’s potential.”

Aloft recently announced its first conversion project, Aloft San Francisco Airport; once a Clarion, it will undergo significant renovation before opening as an Aloft in fall of 2012. A new adaptive-reuse project, Aloft Detroit Downtown, is slated to open July 2014; it will transform part of Detroit’s majestic David Whitney Building into a singular Aloft property. Aloft’s first adaptive-reuse project, Aloft Dallas Downtown, won acclaim and awards after its 2009 debut, including a special “Green” award from Preservation Dallas.