STAMFORD, CT—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. will introduce its Aloft Hotels brand to South Bend, IN, following a strategic conversion. Slated to open in January 2017, Aloft South Bend will mark Starwood’s first hotel in the market. The hotel will feature 183 loft-style rooms, 3,750 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space and live music performances with Live at Aloft Hotels programming at the W XYZ bar.
“Aloft South Bend will inject new energy into the city’s downtown and attract early adopters with its tech-forward mind-set, leading-edge design and buzzing social scene,” said Brian McGuinness, SVP, specialty select brands for Starwood. “Due to its resounding success with next generation travelers across the globe, Aloft is gaining significant growth momentum as we near 100 hotels worldwide.”
The hotel will undergo a comprehensive $15=million renovation and redesign led by Kramer Design Group, the architect and designer of Aloft Detroit at the David Whitney. Aloft South Bend will feature a ground-floor lobby and occupy 11 floors of the mixed-use building, which will also include residential units and a parking garage. Hotel amenities will include an indoor Splash pool, a 24-hour fitness facility, and re:fuel at Aloft, the brand’s grab & go food and beverage area.
“We look forward to repositioning this ideally located hotel as an Aloft and creating an exciting and stylish destination in downtown South Bend with tremendous appeal for both local professionals and travelers,” said Robert Kraemer, principal, Kraemer Design Group. “The highly anticipated conversion and renovation project also marks an important step forward in the revitalization of downtown South Bend.”
Aloft South Bend will occupy the former Magnuson Grand Hotel located at 213 Washington St. and will be in close proximity of University of Notre Dame, Century Center, Morris Performing Arts Center and Studebaker National Museum.