ALOFT by Marriott – Green Bay, Wisconsin Review
UPDATE: As of 2024, this hotel now charges a pet fee for dogs
Aloft hotels are supposedly targeted to the hip, young, tech-savvy traveler on a budget. While I wasn’t particularly perusing a hip, modern, techy hotel, I ended up staying here a few nights while in the area. While Green Bay has plenty of hotels from which to choose, I chose this particular hotel for a few reasons:
Aloft hotels are supposedly targeted to the hip, young, tech-savvy traveler on a budget. While I wasn’t particularly perusing a hip, modern, techy hotel, I ended up staying here a few nights while in the area. While Green Bay has plenty of hotels from which to choose, I chose this particular hotel for a few reasons:
- It’s a Marriott brand
- Fitness center looked nice
- Very cheap rate
- And best of all – dogs stay free!
I stayed here for two nights in mid-October and actually used it as a base for exploring Door County (I don’t recommend this, but I was traveling solo so I didn’t care). So let’s get into my review of the ALOFT by Marriott hotel in Green Bay, Wisconsin
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Aloft Green Bay – Hotel Location
The Aloft Green Bay is located in a business park. There’s nothing within walking distance, except a pond with some nice walking trails. If you’re looking for a place that’s walkable in Green Bay, this ain’t it.
Within a mile or two is a large shopping mall, as well as a bunch of stores and restaurants – it’s not walkable from the hotel, but it’s a quick drive.
Aloft Green Bay – First Impressions
This is one of those hotels that’s going all in on ‘let’s target the millennials’ vibe and it just oozes desperation. Like in a “How do you do, fellow kids” kind of way.
Check in is at a round station placed in the middle of the lobby. No standard check-in desk here, folks! The round, 360-desk is just so hip and youthful.
There’s a lot going on in the lobby itself – there’s a pool table, a bar, plenty of seating. Snacks and assorted beverages were for sale at the lobby kiosk.
Essentially, Aloft is Marriott’s answer to a Tru by Hilton, if you’ve ever stayed there.
I have and I was underwhelmed. Read my review here.
ALOFT Green Bay – Rooms
I had a king bed room on the fourth floor. The thing about these types of hotels (this goes for Aloft, Tru by Hilton, Moxy, etc) is that the rooms are very small, almost European in style. As I was traveling solo, this wasn’t much of an issue for me, but if you’re sharing the room with 3 or 4 people, it’s going to get very crowded.
The beds here face the widows, which is a bit different than most hotels that I’ve stayed at but it was kind of nice. Even though the view wasn’t anything special (remember, this hotel is located in a business park), I did like being able to stare out the window at night when I was relaxing in bed.
There is a desk / table area where you can work or eat right up against the window. I thought this was nice, but if you’re using it for an actual workspace, it’s kind of small. But at least they had a desk and a chair – Tru by Hilton doesn’t even give you that!
The bathroom was fine – but if you’re staying here with others, do note that the door is a sliding glass barn door and lacks privacy. Again, I was traveling alone so I didn’t care. They stock Dry Bar personal care products in the bathroom, which I thought was nice.
ALOFT Green Bay – Amenities
This hotel has an indoor swimming pool and hot tub – I used the hot tub one night and found it very relaxing – I was the only one in the swimming pool area, so it was nice and calm – but I also stayed here mid-week. I could see this area getting overrun by children.
The gym was really nice – plenty of modern cardio equipment (treadmills, elliptical and bikes) and a selection of weight equipment. I used the gym each morning and was impressed.
Breakfast is where this place really fails. Breakfast is not free here – and what they do offer is not impressive. They have a selection of continental items offered in their $6(!) depressing buffet. Hot options are not included in the so-called “buffet” and are made-to-order from on a menu.
I have to say it again for the people in the back — breakfast here is just flat-out terrible. This is similar to a bleak Motel 6 breakfast – pre-packaged cereals, pre-packaged muffins, terrible coffee, stale bagels – and you have to pay $6 for it. At least Motel 6 gives it to you for free.
The hot breakfast offerings aren’t any good either. All I wanted was a little bit of bacon and eggs and it was like pulling teeth. (They want you to order off the menu – they offer things like Acai Bowls, Chia Oats, Nutella Waffles, and Egg / Chorizo wraps – maybe these items are pre-made and all they have to do is fish them out of a fridge or toss them in a microwave? I don’t know). I just wasn’t feeling any of these options so I thought I’d just do an ala cart thing and order bacon, eggs and a small cup of fruit.
The cook looked at me like I had three heads but took my order.
And put my bacon and eggs in a paper coffee cup…ok.
So weird but whatever. (Though the next morning, I asked for same thing and the cook put the bacon and eggs on a plate).
And it wasn’t good. I stay at hotels a lot and I’m familiar with the free breakfast offerings and I can tell you that this bacon is the same bacon offered for free at a Fairfield Inn. The eggs – they’re your typical hotel-standard powdered eggs. Ugh. This pathetic breakfast would’ve probably cost $13 here had I not had elite status.
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A quick word on this elite thing: If you have high tier elite status with Marriott, like I do, one of the benefits is that you typically can get free breakfast for your stay when the hotel does not offer the free breakfast. At the Aloft chain, you are entitled to this – a free breakfast each day.
However, I had to practically beg the front desk clerks for the amenity. They didn’t want to offer me the free breakfast, so I kinda had to pull a Karen here. (hey! I mean, when you stay over 100 nights in hotels and spend over $20,000/year at Marriott to get the status, the least they could do is hand over an oatmeal packet, a glass of orange juice and a strip of bacon for crying out loud!) Although I think most of the staff when I was working was new and wasn’t familiar with the benefits Marriott offers to its members. So just a head’s up if you’re coming here with Marriott status.
ALOFT Green Bay – Final Thoughts
Would I stay here again? Yeah, probably, if I’m traveling with pets. Saving money on pet fees is definitely important to me, and if a hotel doesn’t charge them – and is a clean, modern hotel – I’m all in. I’m not into this forced fun/trying-too-hard-to-be-hip vibe but the hotel was really nice (and it’s more toned down than the brashness of a Tru by Hilton). I didn’t like that the staff had no idea about elite status recognition and I had to beg for a guaranteed benefit of breakfast.
Aloft hotels would never be my first choice, but it works well when you’re traveling with a pet and want to stay at a Marriott property.
If you’re interested in staying here, here is a link to the Booking page for this hotel.
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