Before you book at your traditional hotel, rethink your choice, your weekend, and book where you can sip, snack, and sleep in style!
My husband and I are both under 40 years old and have 1-year-old twins–a boy and a girl. Yes, totally hit the jackpot with *cough* one pregnancy, and one of each gender. THANK YOU for whoever was looking out for us!
I’m afraid to say that I had never heard of Aloft Hotels before, which is part of the Starwood Hotels family. My husband recommended it for our first family vacation where we were heading to Sesame Place, and Ocean City, New Jersey for a weekend.
I was super stoked to take our first family vacation and take the kids to Sesame, but once I saw this hotel I was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious excited! I know that’s Mary Poppins, but that’s what just came to my mind.
This was a cool hotel where I instantly didn’t feel “old.” Not that I’m old, but my husband and I felt like we were on a date as well. Aloft Hotels has a NYC vibe to it–the family restaurant next door was also friendly, fun, and freakin’ delicious!
We seriously hit the jackpot! The front desk and the entire staff at Aloft Hotels were extremely accommodating! I had forgotten the twins’ pack-n-play and they were quick to bring us two stylish cribs.
Brand Identity – Highlights at a Glance:
o You roll up and feel cool with the modern look and the lights shining.
o We walked inside and just couldn’t stop looking around. Beautiful, fun, cool, modern, and welcoming.
o Snack bar was the bomb. They had a cozy, cool corner where you could shop snacks, or sip on drinks. It wasn’t a boring continental setup and you felt like you were at unique café creating another experience.
o Looked exactly how the website displayed, so there were no surprises.
Pros:
o Snack bar, lounge, saltwater pool, pool table, bar–what more could you ask for?
o Customer service is by far the most important to me, and the staff at Aloft Hotels, Mount Laurel NJ was extremely friendly and welcoming.
o The hotel is perfect for families or couples. What we loved was that if our kids were loud, it was okay because the hotel had a young, fun, vibe.
o Next to a delicious restaurant with a great atmosphere
o Next to a Starbucks
o Rooms were spacious for the four of us to have plenty of room
Cons:
Overall, it was an amazing weekend and stay. I have two cons and the first is that we should have brought a babysitter. My husband and I were itching to go down to the lounge for some drinks and play some pool, but the twins had to go to bed.
The second con isn’t that bad–the rooms were perfect, spacious and cool. The bathroom was hidden behind a mirror, sliding door. The only issue was that the sliding door was HEAVY and kept falling off the track. Overall that’s not really a con to change a decision in choosing Aloft Hotels again. My husband and I will be making Aloft Hotels our first choice.
Our Opinion:
Our first family vacation was perfect! Sesame Place was fun, a little crowded and still a little out of reach for our 1-year-old twins, but it was a great experience. The hotel was seriously perfect for our family and we are so grateful for the experience.
Out of a rating scale from 1 to 5, and 5 being the best, we give the Aloft Hotels an overall 5!
