HRI Properties Enters Philadelphia Redeveloping The Iconic Liberty Title Building To Become Aloft Hotel

Future Aloft Philadelphia Downtown names General Manager and Director of Sales

HRI Properties, LLC (HRI) is currently redeveloping the iconic Liberty Title Building in Philadelphia, in partnership with Realen Properties, into a 179-key Aloft hotel. Located one block from historic Philadelphia City Hall Square, the hotel is adjacent to and has a direct connection to the Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia. The new hotel will open Summer 2017.

Originally constructed in 1925 as the headquarters for the Liberty Title and Trust Company, many historic features will remain in the design of the hotel, primarily in the former bank lobby, which will become the new hotel lobby and signature WXYZ bar. The converted building will also offer guests an outdoor rooftop bar and patio, 990 sq. ft. of meeting space and modern loft-inspired guest rooms.

"We are very excited that Aloft Philadelphia Downtown will be HRI’s first property in the Philadelphia market. Our company prides itself on transforming architecturally significant buildings in urban areas and elevating them into vibrant new properties. We certainly feel we have done that with the Liberty Title Building and are eager for visitors to downtown Philadelphia to engage with the Aloft brand,” said Tom Leonhard, President and CEO of HRI.

Evan Glenn Evans has been appointed as the hotel’s General Manager, having most recently served as General Manager of the One Liberty Observation Deck, a major new attraction to Philadelphia. He was the opening General Manager for Le Méridien Philadelphia, recruiting and hiring the hotel’s entire initial staff, and holds additional hotel brand experience with Westin and Hyatt. As General Manager, Evans will be instrumental in opening the new hotel and will be in charge of directing all aspects of hotel operations. Additionally, Anastasia Owens has been hired as the hotel’s Director of Sales. Owens has held positions of increasing responsibility with groups such as OTO Development and CSM Corporation, serving in leadership roles for hotels across the country. She will oversee all sales efforts for the hotel, including training, developing and coaching sales teams to understand and exceed revenue, revPAR and sales productivity goals. 

“We are thrilled to have recruited such terrific talent for two of our hotel’s top management positions. Their strong hospitality background coupled with their knowledge of the Philadelphia area will help guests have an authentic Philadelphia experience throughout their stay. We could not be happier that they joined our team,” said Todd Iacono, Vice President of Operations for HRI Lodging, LLC, a subsidiary of HRI, which will manage the new property.

The Aloft Philadelphia Downtown offers a welcomed alternative to the traditional business hotel. Guest rooms, meeting rooms, and public spaces are all equipped with fast & free Wi-Fi, and the sleek and stylish meeting space features state-of-the art audio visual equipment and full catering options. The hotel’s WXYZ bar serves as a hot spot where guests can unwind over signature cocktails, live music, and a full menu of tasty bites. The bar will offer free access to local, live events featuring emerging artists as part of Aloft's signature Live at Aloft Hotel events that take place around the world. Inspired by the vibrant public mural program in Philadelphia, the hotel will also feature large-scale art installations and a rotating art wall featuring local artists.

Robotic Butlers Roll Out To Select Aloft Hotels Across US

Botlr reports for duty at Aloft South Beach for summer stint

Aloft Hotels today announced that its second robotic butler, or Botlr, is officially reporting for full-time duty at Aloft Silicon Valley, effective immediately.

This is the brand’s second full-time cyber associate, following the debut of the world’s first Botlr at Aloft Cupertino last year.

Additionally, starting August 27, the original Aloft Botlr will hit the road, rolling across country to Aloft Miami South Beach, and will later be transferred to the new Aloft Manhattan Downtown - Financial District for a short stint this Fall before returning to Cupertino.

“We embarked upon this robotic experiment years ago, and it has proven what we suspected all along — humans and robots can co-exist and work side by side to elevate the guest experience,” said Brian McGuinness, Global Brand Leader, Starwood’s Specialty Select Brands. “Botlr has been an integral part of the Aloft Cupertino experience, and the demand from guests and associates around the world to interact with our biotic bellhop has been astounding. As we add our second Botlr to the Aloft team and transfer our first Botlr to new hotels around the country, we know they will continue to not only make hospitality history, but, more importantly, memories for our guests.”

#BotlrOnCall

Starting today, the brand’s second Botlr will officially be on call full-time as the able android of Aloft Silicon Valley, where it will assist Aloft talent in delivering amenities to guest rooms. Smartly dressed in a custom uniform and nametag, Botlr autonomously transports everything from toothbrushes to the day’s paper as it navigates the 172 rooms and five floors of Aloft Silicon Valley with ease. Like its predecessor, it accepts Tweets in lieu of tips, and during its training period was known to roll around the hotel’s lobby and W:XYZ bar (obliging guests with selfies along the way, of course). This newest Aloft associate not only frees up existing talent’s time, allowing them to create a more personalized experience for guests, but enhances the hotel’s current tech-forward offerings.

#BotlrTakesMiami

Aloft made history last August when it became the first major hotel brand to hire a robot for both back and front of house duties. This omnipresent operative became an instant overnight sensation and travelers from around the world have flocked to Aloft Cupertino to watch it in action. All of this attention is why Botlr needs to recharge its batteries with a change of scenery. Starting August 27, Botlr will be moonlighting in Miami for a few days at the new Aloft South Beach where it will surprise guests with deliveries from a special “Botlr Takes Miami” menu that includes every day beach essentials. It will also hand out towels in the lobby and act as a “wingbot” for sly singles at W:XYZ bar.

#BotlrHeartsNYC

After soaking up some sun, Botlr will temporarily join the staff of the new Aloft Manhattan Downtown - Financial District in early Fall. As part of this short Manhattan transfer, Botlr will greet guests on select evenings with either bull or bear shaped cookies and candy (depending upon how the stock market performs that day) as well as fetch guest deliveries from a special “BotlrHeartsNYC” menu including bagels, MetroCards, and every day essentials for survival in the Big Apple. Botlr will also be a part of the hotel’s official ribbon cutting ceremony, slated for early September. It will then return to Aloft Cupertino and re-join the staff full-time.