Cheektowaga’s ‘hospitality row’ growing
By Sharon Linstedt
Updated: 09/15/07 7:19 AM
Cheektowaga’s growing “hospitality row,” along Genesee Street across from Buffalo Niagara International Airport, is getting another player — an upscale, $15 million “aloft” hotel.
Manga LLC, of Mississauga, Ont., has filed plans with the Town of Cheektowaga for the proposed eightstory, 149-room hotel to be built on Burgess Boulevard, just off the 4200 block of Genesee Street. The aloft chain is one of the newest nameplates for Starwood Hotels and Resorts, whose stable of hotels includes: Westin, W, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, St. Regis and Le Meridien.
“It’s nice, new and trendy. It will be something brand new to your area,” said Manga President Sukhdev Toor.
Toor, whose company owns and operates six hotels in Canada, plus the Holiday Inn in Lockport, said he targeted the Cheektowaga site because of its proximity to the Buffalo airport.
“It’s a great location because it is so close to the airport, and there are no boutique hotels there. This will be geared to a 20 to 40 crowd that wants a very modern place to stay,” he said.
Starwood unveiled the “aloft” concept in 2005, describing it as “a radical departure” from traditional hotels, with loft-style rooms, featuring high ceilings, edgy furniture and fixtures, wireless Internet connections, MP3 docking stations, flatscreen TVs and oversized showers.
The hotel also will offer guests indoor and outdoor gathering areas that are designed to promote social interaction. The chain calls its workout facilities “re:charge,” and its lounges are dubbed “re:fuel.”
With room rates ranging from $129 to $179 per night, “aloft” is a less expensive version of Starwood’s high-end trendy “W” hotels.
“It’s for people who want something more than a typical hotel experience, but it is still affordable,” Toor said.