Portland's Aloft Hotel Jumpstarts First Ever "Bike & Fly" Program
Hotel Near PDX Airport Offers Free Loaner Bikes and Bike Storage
Portland, OR (August 6, 2009) - PDX travelers can leave their cars at home next time they head to the airport - Pollin Hotels' new Aloft Portland Airport at Cascade Station has got them covered. The bike friendly airport hotel has announced the country's first ever "Bike & Fly" program, an eco-friendly twist on traditional "Park & Fly" programs. Departing guests can leave their bikes in the locked bike parking storage area at Aloft for up to 14 days at no cost with a one-night stay.
The Bike & Fly program is not the first time Aloft Portland has impacted the city's biking scene. In May, the hotel raised funds for Friends of the Historic Columbia River Highway, an organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the historic Columbia River Highway. The organization aims to link drivable portions of the highway with pedestrian and bicycle accessible pathways, creating a continuous route through the Columbia River Gorge that is reminiscent of its 1920s appearance. To raise funds for this project, guests entered a contest to win a complimentary bike from the hotel in exchange for making a $20 donation to the cause. The contest raised more than $2,000. Most recently, Aloft Portland has supported the city's bike community by participating in a growing movement to make travel with bikes in and out of the Portland International Airport free.
"A lot of people come into Portland and want to experience the local culture. As the largest bike friendly city in the US, what better way than by bike?" asks David Porter, Aloft Portland's general manager. "We can be the starting point on the map for these travelers, giving them easy access to modes of alternative transportation and offering loaner bikes to visiting guests of the hotel."
Built along the city's MAX light rail line, the hotel was designed around accessibility to public transportation. Visiting guests can check out bikes from the hotel's fleet of Electra cruisers and Bike Friday folding bikes, then ride from the hotel or jump onto the MAX that stops in front of Aloft and heads to downtown Portland.
Created to shake up the staid, traditional select service segment of the hotel industry, Aloft delivers urban-influenced, open and vibrant design and a social guest experience at an affordable price point. In the same way that W Hotels broke through the clutter of conformity in the upscale hotel arena a decade ago, Aloft is shaking up the industry for the next generation of traveler. Aloft hotels are geared toward savvy, design-conscious consumers who grew up with the democratization of design. Aloft hotels are wired for the future and an aggressive growth plan is in place with close to 50 properties set to open by the end of this year from Abu Dhabi and Baltimore to Dallas and Beijing and everywhere in between. For more information, please visit www.aloftHotels.com.
Aloft Portland Airport at Cascade Station is located at 9920 NE Cascades Parkway, Portland, OR 97220. For more information visit www.aloftHotels.com/PortlandAirport or call (503) 249-7601.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 960 properties in 97 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le M�ridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
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