I traveled to San Antonio for a fun weekend with my friends. I wanted a hotel that was trendy and modern, but reasonably priced. I chose the Aloft because this hotel line caters to a younger crowd so rooms and facilities are modern and trendy, but they do take a minimalist approach to decorating the rooms which some travelers may not like. Since I have a) never been to San Antonio before, b) had a 6AM return flight and c) needed the room for two females, I wanted to stay in a location where I would feel comfortable and safe, but close to the airport. I booked the room through the Aloft website and paid $89.08 per night including taxes for a room with two queen beds.
PROS:
- Perfect Location: The hotel is very close to the airport without being too far from downtown San Antonio. It's easy to find and surrounded by lots of eateries and retail shops.
- Nice Amenities: The lobby is very modern and features a pool table, full service bar and kiosks for checking in and printing boarding passes. The lobby also has two computers for guest use, though they were frustratingly slow when I used them. The hotel has a great gym and a really sleek pool area. They also offer Bliss toiletries (body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, body wash) - VERY FAB INDEED!
CONS:
- Very Poor Closet Design: The room didn't have...I traveled to San Antonio for a fun weekend with my friends. I wanted a hotel that was trendy and modern, but reasonably priced. I chose the Aloft because this hotel line caters to a younger crowd so rooms and facilities are modern and trendy, but they do take a minimalist approach to decorating the rooms which some travelers may not like. Since I have a) never been to San Antonio before, b) had a 6AM return flight and c) needed the room for two females, I wanted to stay in a location where I would feel comfortable and safe, but close to the airport. I booked the room through the Aloft website and paid $89.08 per night including taxes for a room with two queen beds.
PROS:
- Perfect Location: The hotel is very close to the airport without being too far from downtown San Antonio. It's easy to find and surrounded by lots of eateries and retail shops.
- Nice Amenities: The lobby is very modern and features a pool table, full service bar and kiosks for checking in and printing boarding passes. The lobby also has two computers for guest use, though they were frustratingly slow when I used them. The hotel has a great gym and a really sleek pool area. They also offer Bliss toiletries (body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, body wash) - VERY FAB INDEED!
CONS:
- Very Poor Closet Design: The room didn't have a dresser/chest of drawer. The built in "closet" consists of two very short rods for hanging items and two "cubbie holes" (see uploaded pictures for a better idea of the "closet"). This probably isn't a problem for travelers who don't mind living out of their suitcase, but I could see it being very frustrating to a traveler who prefers to unpack everything (like me).
- Parking: The hotel is situated in a free self-parking lot, but spaces can be scarce about 9pm to 2am. We stayed out way past 2am most nights so we rarely had an issue. However, I didn't realize until my last night there that the hotel has a short covered walkway to the parking garage for the shopping area located behind the hotel. That garage offers plenty of free parking.
- Dark Dressing/Sink Area: The overhead light in the bathroom/sink area was not working. Apparently, a component in the light is prone to causing fires so the overhead lights are turned off in all rooms until the replacement part is received. To make up for it, the hotel has moved the desk lamp into the bathroom/sink area, but since that area does not get any natural light, it made it really hard to use the bathroom mirror for makeup, grooming, etc. I don't wear much makeup or spend much time in the mirror so it didn't bother me, but my roomie lives in her "war paint" so not having the overhead light was very frustrating for her. Per the front desk, the replacement part for the lights should be in place by the end of September.
- Beds: In keeping with the minimalist decor, the beds are pretty much on par with what you might see at Ikea - a simple platform with a mattress on it. I was fine with the bed, but those looking for and/or accustomed to the "Heavenly Bed" type experience probably wouldn't like it.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I would definitely stay here again. The location was perfect, the property was right in line with what I wanted and the price was great. I felt safe there and the rooms were clean. Additionally, none of the cons I listed above caused me much grief overall because I was ok with giving up some things in exchange for a newer, more modern property.
TIPS/SUGGESTIONS:
- Several eateries are within walking distance of the hotel as are several retail stores including a Target. The hotel offers a somewhat pricey "grab-n-go" breakfast bar, but there is an "Egg and I" restaurant (serves breakfast and lunch - closed for dinner) in the parking lot and a Denny's across the street. The hotel sells some basic necessities and toiletries, but your wallet would be better off if you take a quick walk across the parking lot to the Target to pick up anything you need.
- If you enjoy outlet shopping, be sure to head to the outlets in San Marcos. It is about 45 minutes from the hotel.
- Eat dinner at Pappadeaux's. It's a nice place for great food, even better bartenders and a noisy, but fun-loving crowd. Pappadeaux is located a couple miles down the 410.More
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