Review Aloft Stuttgart
General Impressions:
For the property: 
For the staff:
Details:
Duration of stay: 2 nights / Weekend trip
Check-in / Check-out:
Check-in Process:
Check-out Process:
Concierge Service: N/A
Staff @ Front Desk:
Bonvoy recognition:
At Check-in:
In General:
Posting of points & nights:
Room / Bathroom:
Bed, quality of sleep:
Bathroom, Shower:
Room Atmosphere:
WiFi / Internet:
Housekeeping general:
Cleanliness:
Food & Beverage:
Breakfast:
Bar:
Restaurant: N/A
Lounge: no lounge
no lounge
Staff:
Paul‘s Mix:
Pool, Spa: no pool, no spa
no pool, no spa
Gym: gym not open
gym not open
Hotel Location:
Mojito Rating 
:
:
General Customer Care:
Staff attitude, interaction and responsiveness:
Social media interaction:
—-
= bad, a lot of work needs to be done
=not good, you will be busy with corrections
= good & normal, nothing special
= high level, but the icing on the cake is missing
= topnotch, leave me here!
= Half a Point/sheep
—-
Spoiler:
The Aloft Stuttgart must be the most idle and lazy Aloft Hotel on earth.
The hotel and all staff members were basically dead.
Every sleeping pill has more energy than these staff members here.
Full review below, step by step.
Update 8th January 2024:
After our stay at the Aloft Stuttgart, I got contacted today by the GM via phone.
I would like to express my gratitude to the GM for the call this afternoon.
Above all, I would like to thank her for the very open, honest, and constructive conversation. It was not just a typical "blabla" call from a GM after receiving negative feedback; instead, we
had a very pleasant and lengthy discussion. I truly appreciate this and commend the sincerity and honesty with which we were able to conduct the conversation.
I want to thank her for receiving my feedback constructively, and I am confident that it was well-received. She and her team still have a bit of a journey ahead, but I am curious to see how
the situation will unfold by the end of the year and where the journey will take Aloft Stuttgart and the team.
General Info:
The hotel is located in the rather new Milaneo Complex of Stuttgart.
The hotel was opened on 29th July 2015 and is now 8.5 years old.
The hotel is declared and considered as a lifestyle brand and has a total of 165 bedrooms including suites.
The hotel is located downtown Stuttgart and everything can be reached by foot.
Check-in:
The check-in was on the very poor side. The agent had the vigor of a walking valium tablet. In general he was friendly but no procedures followed.
If the staff member would have worked one step slower, I would have started with cpr.
Check-out:
Check out was the poorest ever experienced in my hotel career.
The first agent was standing there, again and always no good morning no nothing. So I told her I would like to check out. She asked if I would like to have a print or email and I opted for
the print out. No question about the stay, feedback etc.
Apparently she had a problem with the computer when she left for the backoffice and came back with another lady.
Also this new lady again no good morning, no eye contact no nothing. No explanation why she came. In addition, sorry my words, an absolutely bitchy pissed off face that she had to come to the
front. She hacked something around on the computer for a while and humbles something to her colleague.
She then tells me in a most arrogant and annoying voice that my Bonvoy profile is the problem she can't check me out. I told her that in the last 9 years I was 7 years Ambassador and now the
second year Titanium and I never had a problem checking out with my profile. She replied she could not care less as she has never seen this problem either. She said she will not be able to
check me out right now and needs to talk to IT. She will send me the receipt via pdf. I then asked if she could at least print me a proforma invoice as I have nothing in my hands. She said
also this is not possible. She made her system problem to my problem because my Bonvoy profile was the issue.
As she talked down to me and in such an arrogant way, I stood up and told her it is not my fault that she needs to work on Sunday and that I would like to have her name. She then handed over her
business card when I read Mr. A-L. F. Front Office Manager.
Holy camoly if the front office manager is not able to greet guests, offer a customer service and maybe apologizes for the inconvenience how the hell should she be a leader and ask it from her
team.
A perfect example how it should not be.
Front desk in General:
Staff at the front desk nicely and generally said was simply useless.
The front desk agent who checked us in on Friday could rather be found in front of the hotel smoking instead of the reception. Also the handover from late shift to night shift was done
outside with a cigarette.
After the first night in the morning, when I told the two front desk ladies about the stains in the bathroom (see below bathroom and housekeeping) they did not even say sorry. All they said
was we will tell housekeeping, they should be cleaning it today.
When returning from the city at 15:30 the bed was done by housekeeping but the stains were not cleaned.
The staff at Saturday afternoon at the front desk did not speak any German.
At Saturday evening when we returned from dinner and passed by the front desk no one was there. The agent just opened the backoffice door made one step out and when she saw it was us she went
back in. No greeting, no good night no nothing!
The worst front desk team I have experienced in a long long time. And as the check out showed the problem is made top to bottom.
You have to pass the reception when getting out of the elevator but none of the staff would ever have greeted us first and some did not greet at all! All they do is starring into the
computers. Pictures available.
Staff in general:
In all my years I have never ever seen so many useless and unmotivated staff in a hotel. Basically in this hotel every single staff member we encountered was a sleeping pill.
Okay, every hotel has one or two black sheep's but the rest usually pulls into the same direction.
At this property there are only black sheep's.
No one, but really no one greets customers, has a smile on the face or shows passion for what they do.
This hotel employs the largest number of disinterested employees I have seen.
As always, "the fish starts to stink from its head". What we have experienced over the last two days at this property is a disaster and in our eyes a huge, no a massive lack of leading and
management. Staff is doing what they want, dirty rooms, not following HACCP rules, no customer service etc.
I really question myself, what the hell is the GM doing at this property and or is she completely blind? Blind as her staff or does she not care at all as well?
The staff is doing what they want, no procedures and not even a little bit customer oriented.
This hotel would need urgent coaching from the brand or Marriott to bring it back on track or at least a GM who knows what to do.
They all give you the feeling that you are not welcome. No Hospitality no customer service etc.
As a guest you disturb the staff at this property.
Marriott Bonvoy Recognition:
The Hotel did not adhere fully to all Marriott Bonvoy procedures.
At check-in, they asked which benefit (points or breakfast) we would like to have, and we did choose breakfast as our amenity.
The upgraded us to a higher floor room but same category as booked. As per inventory there would have been higher categories available and even suites but the front office agent sold the
higher floor as best upgrade available.
There was no amenity or a card or anything in the room.
In addition we were given a voucher to choose an additional drink from the pantry.
No question of late check out or anything else.
Posting of Points, Nights & Revenue:
Nights, Points and Revenue were posted on my account the next day.
Revenue was posted completely wrong as only the revenue of one room instead of the two rooms were posted to the account and even the one revenue was wrong.
With the wrong revenue ergo also the wrong amount of points was posted to the account.
Also here nothing correct.
Room/Suite:
We got an urban king size room on the 7th floor.
On the first look the room looked okay but you should not look any deeper.
The room is very modern in blueish colours and lots of wood. There is a king size bed, a sort of bench and a desk with chair.
The room has two big windows which can be opened for fresh air.
As said, once you look deeper you recognize that the room is 8,5 years old and is getting into the end of its life cycle.
Wallpapers are coming off the walls (see pictures) and also the carpet shows used signs.
Bedding was actually really good. The mattress was good, the duvet was light and fluffy and also pillows were perfect. One was a light feather pillow and the second one was a firmer one.
Bathroom:
The bathroom is great in size. The vanity and the wardrobe are in the room itself and the toilet and shower can be separated with a sliding door.
Also here on the first look everything looks modern and nice.
Second look, oh well here it gets more disgusting.
The floor in the shower is calcified and dirty. The seals on the shower door are already yellowish and some are full of mold.
The water pressure in the shower is great.
There's tons of disgusting toothpaste and other stains on the wall next to the sink. We told it to the front desk but nothing happened. I tried to clean some stains myself and they could be easily washed away with water. (see pictures). Also in the bathroom the wallpapers are coming off.
The entire bathroom urgently needs a deep cleaning.
Housekeeping:
I don't know but it seems that Housekeeping is blind or is doing the absolute minimum. As discribed above, the bathroom would urgently need a deep cleaning.
Never the less, the bed was done nicely and also the water bottle was replaced.
F&B:
The hotel has only one F&B outlet which is the WXYZ Bar & restaurant.
It is located on the second floor right opposite of the reception.
In addition, at the reception there is a pantry with drinks, some long life sandwiches and the fridge for the fresh produces is empty.
WXYZ Bar & Restaurant.
The WXYZ Bar & Restaurant serves as Breakfast venue, Bar and as regular hotel restaurant.
Breakfast at WXYZ:
The buffet has a very decent size and offers cold and warm options. In general the breakfast good for an Aloft Hotel and actually better than the breakfast at the sister property in
Strasbourg.
The buffet offers bread, croissants and some Danish an area with cold cuts (sliced cold meats and cheese) some fruits and yoghurt, a juice station and some cereals. As hot items the hotel
offers some scrambled eggs, tomatoes, breakfast sausages and bacon and there are also pancakes.
The quality of the food was good and everything was fresh.
A nice buffet for an Aloft Hotel.
Staff at breakfast was unfriendly. The two members on the first day walked around but would not greet the customers or at least say "good morning". No one checked if you were entitled for breakfast.
The second day a super grumpy east European lady went from table to table with broken English and all she said was "room number". No good morning, no enjoy your breakfast, nothing.
The second staff went outside with a mug and cigarette for a smoke and had some black gloves on. She came back, continued working at the buffet with the same black gloves she was smoking with!!!
Disgusting and a huge HACCP problem. (pictures available)
No smiles on their faces, nothing.
They were stoicaly doing their job.
WXYZ Bar & Restaurant:
First of all, a huge but really huge downturn at this property is the bar and restaurant.
Online the hotel announces the opening times for Friday & Saturday as 5:00PM - 00:30AM (see picture from the hotel website)
On Friday, when we wanted to go for a drink after our arrival, the bar only opened at 18:30 local time.
At Saturday it was even worse and the bar only opened at 19:00 local time.
On Friday we tried some cocktails. Quality wise they were actually good, but....
I have never seen such a desolate and waiting hall style bar in an Aloft. Staff didn't even turn on the lights or set the FAMOUS WXYZ bar sign on.
On Friday at around 19:00 there was a class in the middle of the bar who learned to paint and so only very quiet background music could be played.
Also at 21:30, when we returned from dinner, there was still only quiet background music and a very depressed atmosphere in the bar.
Saturday we did not want to wait until 7:00PM until the bar opens, so we went outside for drinks and dinner. When we returned at 22:00 the bar was dark, no signs on and just some very quiet
background music. The same staff member from the day before was there playing billiard with two other people. If the hotel doesn't need any revenue, we can also give our money to other
locations.
And again also here, the staff.....
Well if you don't like what you do, then better don't work in customer service.
Staff was unmotivated, grumpy and unfriendly.
Needless to say we haven't tried the food at this property.
This Aloft Hotel is a thousand miles away of how an Aloft bar should work and is in our eyes a massive disgrace for the entire Aloft brand.
Pool / Spa / Gym:
The gym is actually locked and the roomkey does not work until you go to the reception and fill out a liability form.
This hotel is the first hotel in Germany where I have seen such a form and it is actually the first hotel in Stuttgart with such a form.
When staying at the Le Méridien or the Marriott Sindelfingen on previous stays we never had to fill out something alike.
The hotel has no pool and no spa.
Social Media:
The hotel is active on social media and posts on Facebook and Instagram.
I assume like the Le Méridien Stuttgart, that an agency is handling their social media as no interaction at all on posts and no comments.
I don't know when properties are finally getting it that social media also serves as a communication channel with guests.
Summary:
All in all one of the worst hotel stays in a very long time with a lot and various issues.
A huge bunch of totally unmotivated staff throughout all departments.
Dirty bathroom and room at the end of their life cycle.
A WXYZ bar which is miles away from the brand standards and does not even sticks to the published opening hours.
HACCP problems on food handling.
As a guest you feel terribly unwelcome at this property and you get the feeling that you are disturbing the staff.
Due to our experience during this stay, we would not recommend the Aloft Stuttgart hotel and we will definitely not consider it for future stays.
There are much better options in the city and area.
Every single Moxy we have been so far has offered a much better and higher service than this Aloft.
Notes:
- Paul the Sheep does not get any benefits from the Hotels/Airlines etc.
- Paul will always pay for the services in order to be able to rate freely and truly about the experiences.
-If you are interested in more details, please send us a private message and I will be happy to share more information and pictures.