September 21, 2010— When Anish Hotels Group decided to build a new Aloft property from the ground up, they were able to bring in all of the design elements that make this new select-service brand from Starwood unique.

"The most important design elements were to make the public spaces and guestrooms feel loft-like and open, while maintaining multi-functionality for guests to work, socialize and relax," said Brian McGuinness, svp, Aloft Hotels.

To achieve that look and feel, the Aloft Tulsa uses modular, moveable furniture that is easy to reconfigure, giving guests the option of creating their own space to meet, or opening it up for socializing with others. The property also uses lighting and panels to allow management to transition the spaces from day to night in the lobby and bar area.

The lobby's main features are a sunken living room with a two-sided glass fireplace which opens to an outdoor patio, a customized pool table and a pantry open 24 hours a day whose design was influenced by a New York deli. The area also features the Aloft front desk design, which, instead of a traditional set-up, is a circular desk that sits in the middle of the space. Guests can check themselves in there, and a staff member is available to answer questions or provide help where needed.

The bar space is a quiet place for guests to have a drink and access the Internet by day, and is used as a lounge at night. The space incorporates elements such as exposed ductwork on the ceiling, polished concrete floors and a bar top made of crushed glass backlit with colored LCD lights.

"Aloft Tulsa caters to the Gen-Y mindset of traveler who is looking for high design at a low cost. Seasonally refreshed lobby décor, modern, modular furniture and a pool table in the lobby all lend a fun, social atmosphere to the property," said McGuinness.

The 136 guestrooms come in two varieties: a 275-square-foot option with a king bed, and a 325-square-foot option with two double beds. Both have nine-foot ceilings and a color palette of cool colors such as blue and purple. They are designed to have as much natural light as possible, and feature custom furniture made for the space. The bathrooms have a clean, simple design with walk-in showers with glass doors.

The Aloft prototype design—which the Tulsa location is built around—was created by Rockwell Group, which also designed look of the W Hotels brand. For the Aloft Tulsa, architectural firm ArchTech Inc. was also involved. The property is managed by Lodgeworks, L.P. Sequoia was brought in for guestroom millwork, and Skypad created the upholstery for the public spaces.

"Aloft Tulsa was designed to feel fun, energizing and engaging for the guest— the Aloft guest should feel comfortable lingering in the lobby and socializing with other guests. We also wanted them to be able to work on their laptops easily in the lobby and/or grab a drink in the bar," said McGuinness.