aloft a-go-go - captain's blog

Captains Blog- about aloft

Captains Blog- Omaha, more than great steaks.

This week I had the opportunity to visit one of the Global Sales Offices for Starwood. The office is located in Omaha, Nebraska. February might not have been my first choice of months to visit Nebraska though, I was glad to be there. The Global Sales Office is where arrangements can be made for groups who frequently travel with Starwood. The team was excited about aloft and happy to see the go-go.

Captains Blog- Roadside America

Driving around North America for a year I have spent a lot of time in the car. I spend about 6- 10 hours a day driving and that amount of sun exposure take its toll on my eyes. Because of this I always try to wear my sunglasses. There are days when it is really snowy and bright. I have always struggled on these days taking my glasses on and off all day. I think I have found a solution. I got a lot of strange looks from passersby but I've become comfortable with that by now.

Captains Blog- Roadside America

Today's Roadside America was really a difficult one to pick. I spent the day driving across Utah and Colorado from West to East. When making this trek it is almost impossible to not get caught up in the beauty and majesty of this amazing area. As you begin in Utah the terrain is dry and rugged. They have had more snow than usual this year and the red rocks and white snow create a breathtaking contrast.

Into Colorado the road gets steep and curvy. These switchbacks provide the perfect overlooks for the traveler brave enough to take a peek. The road summits at the top of Vail Pass near the Continental Divide. Once you reach that peak it's down hill to Nebraska.

This drive was full of extremes from the flat deserts of Utah to the lush alpine territories of Colorado. I planned on stopping once to take the picture; instead I filled my memory card.

Captains Blog- Roadeside America

I will be periodically posting pictures in a new series I will call 'American Roadside.' This will serve as an opportunity for me to better share my journey with you. I will post images of landscapes, quirky signs, interesting people, or even of famous landmarks. If I capture any good images they might even end up on the 'local art wall' we will have at each property. There will be no specific theme to the series other than that they will all be images from along my trip. They say a picture is worth a thousand words... so here we go.

I took this picture of Inter-sate 70 just before I had to call it a day. I am headed from California to Nebraska and am caught in a snow storm.

Captains Blog- Live Post

Right now, as I type, I am in Lancaster, California. I am at the Starwood Customer Contact Center. This center handles more reservation inquiries than any other contact center in North America. There are over 500 associates who work at this location.

I am here to help educate the employees about aloft hotels. The aloft Rancho Cucamonga is just up the road. They will be taking your reservations for the July opening any day now.

Here's a look as some of the first people to come by today-

Captains Blog- aloha to aloft

We are proud to announce the debut of our website- www.alofthotels.com. Keep in mind... you are one of the first to see this new design. Continue to check back to find all of the most up-to-date information about aloft hotels as well as employment opportunities and new property announcements.

Captains Blog- Viva Las Vegas!

aloha to Las Vegas! No trip from Colorado to California would be complete without a quick stop in Vegas. I was there over the weekend and stayed at the Westin Casuarina. It is located about a block off the strip on Flamingo Blvd. This was a great location. Being located a block off the strip; I was able to retreat back to my hotel to get some work done after a visit to the strip.

While in town, I was also able to check out the location for the aloft Las Vegas. This property will be located on the corner of Flamingo and Paradise. This should prove to be a great location for business travelers and the casino hungry party-goers.

There was actually a lot going on in Vegas for what the locals considered a slow weekend. The Miss America pageant was in town. The beauty queens and the entourages were a sight not to be missed. Also, it was interesting to see the town stop in its tracks as the Monte Carlo Hotel caught fire. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Captains Blog- Happy New Year!

We were able to kick off the New Year with a bang. Last week I was in Houston, TX. If you were there, you probably saw me around town. We had the go-go at Memorial Park twice. The runners and all the families who came by were all so enthusiastic. We also had the go-go at the Texas Bowl at Reliant Park. That was quite the spirited crowd. I don't think I have ever seen so many tailgater's in Houston. To top off the week and start the New Year we had the go-go at the Texas Marathon. This race was held on New Years Day in Kingwood. I must admit I never imagined I would see the sun rise on New Years Day. The early alarm clock was worth it as the race was a lot of fun.

The marathon was actually in a neighborhood. The race was on what they call the 'Green Belts.' These are paved trails throughout the forests in the neighborhood. The runners made three laps, out and back. Being a marathoner myself, I know this is a hard way to run. I admire everyone who showed up for the race and especially those first timers who finished.

Captains Blog- Austin CCC

I was in New York last week when I heard the ice storms were coming. Not being one who loves to drive in the ice, I packed up and hit the road a day early. It was a good thing I left when I did or I would still be trying to get to Texas.

I paid a visit to the Austin Customer Contact Center for Starwood. I had the opportunity to speak to Starwood employees about aloft. Many of the people I was updating about our brand are on the team who will be taking the first aloft reservations. They had just completed part of their training and it was great to see their enthusiasm.

Thanks to everyone at the Austin Contact Center for your hard work and commitment to making aloft an excellent brand.