New hotel chains offer eco-chic, hip value

LEXINGTON, Mass. -- In a tranquil wooded setting near Minute Man National Historical Park, not far from where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired, two new hotel chains are aiming to make history, too.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts' 123-suite Element Lexington, the first in a pioneering built-from-scratch eco-conscious chain, opened last week. So did Starwood's 136-room Aloft Lexington across a shared courtyard. It's the fourth in a brand dubbed "W lite" by industry observers.

Each has a different mission. Extended-stay brand Element, affiliated with Westin, hopes to attract business travelers and value-minded families who want kitchen facilities. It's a laboratory for the greening of hotels throughout the Starwood empire.

Aloft (as in "a loft") is designed to offer the fun and cutting-edge cool of its forerunner, W Hotels, at a wallet-friendlier price. It's targeted at Gens Y and X and hip oldsters. Aloft rates are due to average $150; Element suites, $165 (including a hot breakfast). But both (alofthotels.com and elementhotels.com) have introductory specials, and rates vary by market.

The two so-called lifestyle brands are trying to tap into the needs of guests who want modern bells and whistles with value and to siphon customers from competitors in the select-service market — both have no room service, doormen or three-meal-a-day restaurants. Element competitors include Residence Inn by Marriott, Hyatt Summerfield Suites, Hilton's Homewood Suites and InterContinental's Staybridge Suites. Aloft is vying with Courtyard by Marriott, NYLO, Hotel Indigo, Hilton Garden Inn and Hyatt Place, among others.

At Aloft, guests are greeted with "aloha" (somewhat jarring to hear in New England) as a friendly welcome that telegraphs this is not your everyday lodging. Guests have the option of checking in via touch-screen kiosks, where they can change rooms and print boarding passes. Staffers, referred to as "talent," are hired on personality in addition to qualifications.

Shirline Noel, 21, an Aloft front-desk supervisor, sang a gospel song during her interview with Christopher Hartzell, general manager of both Lexington hotels, to demonstrate her passion for performing. She'll sometimes vocalize when the lobby's lively, she says.

"If they're having fun, the guests are having fun," Aloft and Element global brand manager Brian McGuinness says, as he leads a tour of the two properties, a half-hour drive from Boston's Logan International Airport.

At Element, dried moss balls in a bowl in the modern minimalist lobby/breakfast room replace perennially changed floral arrangements. Rugs are backed with recycled tires; furniture is stuffed with recycled material. Suites have energy-efficient light bulbs. Filtered water subs for the bottled kind, and the non-chlorinated pool is filled with eco-respectful saltwater.

The U.S. Green Building Council says Element is the first U.S. hotel chain that has committed to certifying every property via the council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. But unlike some others touting trendy environmentally aware lodgings, McGuinness doesn't act as if Element is saving the planet.

"We're not certain what it means to be eco-friendly in the hospitality industry," says the sandy-haired 38-year-old, wearing a black cord necklace, slacks and an Oxford shirt. "We need to figure out the balance between being sensitive to the environment and delivering a great guest experience. Frankly, we're still learning."

Starwood surveys show that most guests still want linens changed daily and don't want to pay more for "green" lodging. Part of Element's mission is to educate guests, says Lexington complex manager Hartzell, 30, who tried out one of its special low-flow rectangular showerheads custom designed by Kohler and was pleasantly surprised when it delivered a satisfying stream.

Element owners and developers (Starwood owns the Element Lexington and oversees the others) need teaching, too. Water-saving toilets, showers, faucets and energy-efficient heating, appliances and air conditioning shave $50,000-$75,000 yearly off operating costs, McGuinness says.

The chain's "eco-chic" philosophy has spawned suites with Westin's Heavenly Bed mattresses on platform beds, stainless-steel appliances and desks with ergonomic chairs. While paper towels are recycled paper, toilet tissue is not. (Guests won't give up soft wipes, McGuinness says.) A "pantry" shop with exotic wares such as Korean kimchi noodles sets Element apart from more traditional extended-stays.

Over at Aloft, the water is bottled. But as at Element, shampoo and body wash are in shower dispensers, eliminating those little plastic containers often left half full and thrown out. Rooms originally were to have cork headboards, but designers didn't realize the havoc hair gel could wreak. So headboards now are washable faux cork.

Both properties don't allow smoking inside and offer much-desired perks such as free Wi-Fi and water. But while Element emphasizes nature and calm, Aloft puts the focus on fun. Room key cards have trivia on them ("Making eye contact is the first rule in toasting," reads one). Elevators have floor pads that change color when tromped on.

Rooms with 9-foot ceilings are simple (no drawers for storage and a small curtained closet), and don't really look like lofts. The 220-thread-count sheets are cotton/polyester and scratchy, probably because they're new. But rooms are cutting-edge stylish with vessel sinks, one semi-opaque shower wall visible from the bedroom and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs that can be hooked up to music players, computers and video cameras.

As at W, Aloft lobbies — with exposed ductwork that does reflect the loft theme — are social hubs. There's a pool table, bar and area with banquettes where guests can plug in laptops or mingle. A double-sided gas fireplace warms the adjoining "backyard," near an indoor pool and workout area.

Monday at 9 p.m., the lobby — where a brandwide compilation of music pumps up to club level at night — was populated only by a half-dozen Starwood folk and pals of the two jeans-clad bartenders. The week-old hotel hasn't been discovered yet, the personable drink makers said as they served martinis, egg rolls (so-so) and bland guacamole in plastic containers.

Will Aloft and Element fly in a market niche that's already jammed?

"I think because (industry giant) Starwood is committed, they have a better-than-average chance," says hotel analyst Bjorn Hanson, a PricewaterhouseCoopers vet who just joined the faculty at New York University.

Says Mark Woodworth, president of PKF Hospitality Research, who has worked with Starwood and many of its competitors:

"Consumers have responded very favorably to 'lifestyle hotels' with a distinct personality and a perception of value. … Part of what explains their success is that they're new."

And, he adds, unless we're talking famed grande-dame hotels, "new beats old every time."