This Valentine’s Day, my husband and I planned a weekend trip to celebrate. We decided to stay in the Aloft Hotel in Arundel Mills, close to home but far enough away that we could enjoy the ride up.
Overall, I love the Aloft brand. I love the design and how modern they are. As usual, we love to explore hotels and check out all the different amenities. Here are some pros and cons we discovered during our stay.
The Bar
A big pro for us was that the bar was open! We like staying in hotels that have a bar, so we don't have to go out. Pre-pandemic they’ve always been spaces where we can connect with people and have fun without having to go out in the area we’re staying in every single night of a trip.
Con - They don't have frozen drinks, which are one of my favorite kinds of drinks to get.
Activities
We were so excited that the pool table was open. My husband's favorite activity is playing pool, so it's an opportunity for me to do something with him that he likes.
One con was the location of the activities and bar area. I've been to a few Aloft locations and this location's pool table and bar are near the front desk and entrance. So, when the door kept opening it was really cold hanging out down there.
The Rooms
Another pro was how the rooms are designed I loved how modern the rooms are. A con was that they mainly only have showers. On vacation, I prefer a room with a tub so I can relax and read. The shower was also designed strangely in our room causing the bathroom floor to keep getting wet lol.
Another con was the sink placement. I don't like hotels that have the bathroom sink outside of the bathroom. If I use the restroom, I'd rather wash my hands while I'm in the space versus having to open the door and go into another area to wash them. Also, when I'm taking a shower, I like to do my skincare routine in one space. Here I have to wash my face then go into a separate room for the shower.
Location
I love that this location is literally just 2 mins from the Arundel Mills mall. So, if you want to do fun stuff, you can walk or drive. There are also grocery stores and other things within walking distance. We were able to grab wine, cheese, crackers, etc for our room.
Overall, I enjoyed the chance to celebrate Valentine’s Day away from home, the location of the hotel, and the activities. While I love the overall Aloft brand, this specific location wasn’t my favorite mainly because of design choices like the layout of the bar and lobby and the bathroom.