Aloft and W XYZ Grand Opening in Tempe

It's quiz time. Last night we checked out a swanky bar with kickin' tunes and an amazing outdoor lounge area. Where were we? Time's up. The answer: a hotel; the first hotel newly constructed in Tempe in the last ten years in fact. From a hotel perspective, Aloft couldn't make more...

By Jonathan McNamara

March 27, 2009

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It's quiz time. Last night we checked out a swanky bar with kickin' tunes and an amazing outdoor lounge area. Where were we?

Time's up. The answer: a hotel; the first hotel newly constructed in Tempe in the last ten years in fact.

From a hotel perspective, Aloft couldn't make more sense. It appeals to its primary demographic of 35-year-old business types with a chic, techno-savvy style in line with Starwood's (the company behind the W Hotel chain) "luxury boutique brand." Yet, Aloft would have you believe that their new hotel is a nightlife destination in addition to being a trendy stop for travelers. In fact they've already started having regular DJ nights and even a night where you can bring in your own iPod and play DJ yourself.

Yet as we sat there sipping gin and tonic and munching wasabi peanuts in Aloft's bar called W XYZ, we weren't sure we bought it.

So we post the question to you, Phoenix. Is Aloft a destination for weekend warriors or just road warriors? Check out out slide show of the grand opening or better yet, go check it out yourself and let us know.

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