We stayed here for NYE as a staycation and were disappointed. First there was an event at DPAC which makes parking here harder. There is also no hotel entrance from the deck. They were kind enough to upgrade us, but once we got to the room, we were greeted by trash in the hallway and trash in our room. Then the best part of all, noticing the refrigerator is very close to the toilet. This is extremely unappealing. Other than the trash and a stray hair I cleaned with Clorox wipes, the room seemed otherwise clean. The shower was good. The walls and window seals were showing wear and rust. Paint chips. It felt very run down to be attached to DPAC. I won't be returning. read more

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I can't rave enough about this hotel, the location and the lovely service I received from the staff, especially Sharon! She was especially friendly and helpful when I had a few obstacles to overcome with business needs while staying at the hotel. I really appreciate her warm smile and positive attitude. It's because of her, I was inspired to leave a review thank you Sharon for all your help! read more

I paid over $300.00 for my room to attend a concert. They asked for a credit card when I checked in, I told them I already paid online. They said they need the # for the stay in case their was a charge. OK, it was only $15.00 on my credit card but why? I took a pen and paper and if that is the reason for the charge that is terrible. I only used 1 bed and no towels except a wash cloth and hand towel. I am having the worst time getting in touch with them so I figured I would do my complaint here. Yes, it is only $15 but paying over $300 for A ROOM is ridiculous. I will never stay there again. read more

The room was nice upon first appearance but look a little closer and there's dust in corners and buildup floors in bathroom area. The breakfast was terrible! I ordered the OG, an eight dollar breakfast item. I was informed that none of the vegetables were available so basically I had a sausage and egg on a hamburger bun.My husband order the sausage biscuit which he tossed. This breakfast is not covered as a part of your room expense so you do pay out-of-pocket for overpriced items that were tasteless. Sleeping wasn't pleasant. There wasn't enough covers on the bed which made it difficult to get warm. No bedspread was on the bed just 2 sheets and light very thin comforter. The 3rd floor view from our room was nice as it faced Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Sorry I didn't get photos of breakfast! read more

Aloft by Marriott Durham Downtown - View from room - Hotels Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I had stayed at the Aloft Durham Downtown for a work trip. Upon entering, the walls adorn posters for comedians and music artists that have performed at DPAC throughout the years--it was pretty cool to see! The hotel gave a funky artsy modern vibe. In the lobby area there was a bar and a snack area that was open 24 hours and a kitchen available during the breakfast hours. Check in process was easy. I was staying for 3 days and 2 nights and had a cozy king suite. The room was fairly large and very clean upon my arrival. I had nice view of the front of the hotel and thankfully my room was in the middle and could barely hear the train passing. I had a great nights sleep and the bed was very comfortable. The bathroom was nice and the shower had good water pressure. The fridge didn't work very well but not a big deal for me. The breakfast kitchen only had breakfast dishes and sandwiches but didn't have coffee even if there were photos of lattes. The bar was nice area with tons of TVs and a seating area-- drinks were great too! Overall it was a great stay and it was close to my client's office. There are also tons of restaurants and cafes nearby in the cute downtown area and all were walking distance. Also an ideal location if you were to attend a show at DPAC which was literally next door! read more

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From the second I walked in, I felt at home yet still on vacation. The atmosphere here in unmatched. Checking in and out was easy and quick. The bar and lounge area was incredibly comfy. The bartender, Aaron, went above and beyond to give us advice about the area and where to go (he suggested Bar Virgile, my previous review). He also made very yummy drinks and kept good company. As the evening went by, the lounge started to become alive with people and life though it was only a Monday. It was the perfect little buzz without being too busy. The rooms were lovely, clean and had a beautiful view. Only strange thing was the mini fridge was positioned under the sink in the bathroom lol. Strange but hey, whatever works amirite? Kept the wine cold While we didn't have the chance to visit the pool since it was a bit chilly, it looked lovely. Overlooking the same view as the room. It had many comfy lounge chairs and little round chairs as well (not pictured, sorry). The hotel parking was easy. Just remember to drop of your stuff before parking since the deck isn't connected to the hotel. Also there is a $15 parking fee. Not bad for the convenience tho as it's a 3 min walk at most. If you're wanting to be near the DPAC (it's attached!) or be near downtown, then look not further because this spot was a quick walk to the downtown action yet still had a homey feel. Look forward to my next stay here. read more

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I had to give them two stars just because we found a bunch of someone else's toenail clippings all over our bedroom floor- so I don't think they clean properly unfortunately. The breakfast was also very mediocre, but the people were super sweet! Hope they improve in the future. read more

The worst experience ever, all because of an associate that works the front desk that was rude, condescending, and unwilling to help. quite honestly it was a complete embarrassment to the Marriott brand. I warn you not to stay at this property ever unless as an adult you want to be talked to and treated as you're a child that needs to be reprimanded. Such a huge disappointment that it makes me think twice of my loyalty to Marriott and clearly drove me to the point of writing this review. read more

A good location, next to the arts center and just a short walk to busy dining and shopping area, and the Durham bull stadium. The hotel, however, needs a refresh. Aloft isn't a fancy hotel. It should feel like an IKEA hotel. Everything works. This one is well maintained but the furniture shows age, like the obviously well used, Italian leather stool where the leather is coming off the stool. The hotel should replace it. read more

Arrived late at night and had a Travelocity booking. Checked in fairly quickly. The parking deck is not connected to the hotel parking for hotel is on the 3rd floor so you have to drag any luggage through parking deck and walk through front entrance of hotel to elevators to get to room. Got to room And tv did not work too late to call to get it fixed at midnight. The heat NEVER came on in the room Only fan blowing out cold air so that was turned off and tried to warm up under the covers which were soft but very thin cheap comforter. The fire alarm green light was blinking on all night. The bathroom is oddly situated no lock on the door and sink is open to the rest of the room only privacy is in toilet and shower area. Our room. Was on 3rd floor same as gym area and the hallways smelled like gum B.O. Positive was the Room was pretty clean and dark at night and very large. read more

I stayed here as a prospective PhD student at Duke, which also covered the cost of my stay. I was highly impressed with this hotel! When I checked in, the hotel gave me a goodie bag that Duke University had prepared for me. The room was HUGE (at least compared to hotel rooms in Manhattan NYC, where I had just visited before Durham). You have ample space to put your belongings and the bathroom had a large counter to put all your stuff. The bathroom and the room overall looked pretty new. I forgot my toothpaste but luckily the front desk had extra. Overall it's a very nice hotel and I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Duke University. read more

If you are looking for a quality night's sleep, I wouldn't stay here. Besides the train noise, a smoke detector battery in the hall was chirping all night, about every 20 minutes. Then expect housekeeping to come pounding on the room door, hours before checkout to ask when you are departing. I chose to stay at the Aloft in Durham because it is close to DPAC and I was attending a performance three times and it did not make sense to drive home in between. Although if I had driven home I'd at least gotten some sleep. I avoided the parking garage issues with needing to check in first by parking at another garage and saved the $10 too. Check in was listed at 3pm but my room was not ready at 4:30pm. I realize many of the Marriott Bonvoy members like myself can have a late checkout. When my room was ready I was given a room on the 6th floor that overlooked DPAC. It overlooked the train too. I had no idea how often the train went by with the train horn. The hotel has two elevators so the wait was never long. The room was clean and I had no issues with the room besides the chirping smoke detector or at least that is what I think the noise was from. I liked the swivel tv, couch and there was plenty of desk space. Two bottles of water were complimentary. The lack of maintenance with the backup batteries in the smoke detectors and housekeeping pounding of the rooms, not just mine, the morning of departure will keep me from using this hotel in the future as I did not get quality sleep. read more

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We stayed here for a wedding that we were in town for. This place is very much adequate but not worth the rack rate. We got a wedding rate and would not pay the posted rates for it. When we checked in they ran out of key cards so we couldn't go up to our room right away and had to wait until they got more cards. The shower was not clean, there was hair on the walls from the previous guests. They only gave us 3 (very small) bath towels when we had a double room and 4 people listed on the reservation. The sheets were scratchy. The location was great for where we needed to be. Overall very much just ok and I would not pay the rack rate price for this room, which I believe was at least $100 more per night than our discounted wedding rate. read more

Aloft is located center city in Durham. You have to park your vehicle in parking deck on levels 3-7 which was a little inconvenient when you wanted to use your vehicle. When I checked in I asked the front desk if the hotel was non smoking because it smelled like people have been smoking in lobby area and on the floors. To be completely honest, I was a fan of this property the hallways seemed very dark, I didn't feel comfortable walking down the long hallway on my floor being alone. The only reason why I chose this hotel was to attend a holiday party at Bay 7. I thought it was within walking distance, it wasn't and I ended up taking Uber to the location read more

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Stayed here for a show at DPAC. Excellent location and service. Parking was straightforward.

We were in town to see Phantom so we opted for convenience since this hotel is right next to DPAC. Parking is in a garage next to the hotel but there is no direct hotel access which means you have to go into the weather to check in and haul in your luggage. Not a big deal on a nice day. The check in was painless and the staff was friendly. We paid for our room in advance which may explain the unexpected room upgrade given to us upon check in. Parking here is an extra $10 a day but worth the convenience. One of the elevators was out of order, annoying but machines break from time to time. No biggie. The room was spacious enough to be comfortable with two beds and a sitting area. The room was clean and bright. The bathroom area was spic and span. The room has a modern flare to it which is a nice change of pace from the hotels that seem to be decorated in "early American dead grandmother". Our only issue was that we couldn't get the heat to work. It kept blowing cold air on a cold day but one call to the front desk fixed that issue promptly as a staff member came up and for our heat on. Beds were comfortable and clean. Pillows soft but not squishy. Check out is at 12:00 noon which is a little later than many hotels. This is appreciated so we weren't running around like crazy people to check out on time. Check out was a breeze and we were on our way. The staff is friendly and the rooms are clean and comfortable. There is a bar in the hotel as well but we didn't have time to check it out. It was a little more expensive to stay here that some of the other comparable places but the clean convenience of being able to walk to restaurants and to DPAC made the scores cost worth it because we didn't have to worry about traffic or hunt for public parking. We had a great experience here and would definitely return on our next trip to DPAC. read more

Aloft by Marriott Durham Downtown - Hotels Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

This hotel is definitely a little different, very funky vibe, the hallways are on the dark side and our room was nicely decorated, I really liked it! We had a large king room and it was almost twice the size of most hotel rooms that we've stayed in. They have a nice bar and a snack area, but like most hotels the snacks are ridiculously overpriced. My wife and I came to see a concert at DPAC and this is a perfect place to stay, we walked there in 30 seconds! The only downside is, if you're a light sleeper, the train runs very close by and it will wake you up several times, best to bring ear plugs. We will definitely book here again, all in all a very nice hotel. read more

absolutely awful. $300 per night plus parking fees in a 7 story EMPTY garage. Breakfast buffet consisted of warm coffee and muffins. Cereal was $3.00 EXTRA! Hot fresh drip coffee was $4.00 extra. Water pressure in the shower was pathetic. DO NOT waste your $! read more

Modern hotel right in the heart of the Durham Bulls stadium.Billy checked us in and he's a doll!! Parking is $10/day. WiFi is complimentary if you are a BonVi member. Basic hotel room that doesn't have a closet. Small bathroom too. It's a great location though so overall 3.5 stars. read more

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Pros: Ultra-convenient for shows at DPAC or games at DBAP, adjacent to NanaSteak, good bar, nice-sized rooms, interesting downtown "Durm" views, very comfortable beds, and empty mini-fridge for chilling your own stuff Cons and quibbles: Elevators can be slow to come, parking garage elevator is mildly confusing, light switch for the vanity area of the bathroom was next to the door to the hallway I enjoyed my weekend staycation here for a DPAC show and dinner with family. The Aloft has its own atmosphere that's different from other hotels downtown, though the rooms are somewhat similar in feel to The Durham. I liked the silhouette of downtown landmarks on the headboard and the big red chair. There's plenty of closet space and the room has a nice uncluttered feel. Service was fine and the lobby is a fun hang with good bartenders. read more

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If you are looking for a stylish, boutique hotel for a stay in to Durham, NC that puts you close to DPAC, American Tobacco Underground and other places Downtown, then I suggest a stay at Aloft Durham Downtown. I was there for the weekend to cover the 6th Annual Art Of Cool Music Festival. It was suggested as one of the official hotels of the festival because of its proximity to the main venue: Durham Bulls Athletic Park !There is no better place to have as a base camp in downtown Durham than the Aloft Hotel. Once parked there, we could walk to almost every other venue over the weekend in downtown. This property has the perfect mix of urban style and comfort amenities.Their public spaces here are simply wonderful. They have a wonderful little heated pool area that is open year round and a bright workout room. The indoor/outdoor WXYZ Lounge is open for cocktails and late night fun featuring a full service bar. Want a late night snack? Stop by the 24/7 Refuel area next to check in. It has snacks and breakfast needs also. My room was spacious and has an awesome view of Diamond View Park out front where morning yoga sponsored by the Art Of Cool just happened to be held. Overall it was a comfortable stay and I would come hete again for work or pleasure! read more

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, Sleek, contemporary boutique type hotel with surprisingly large rooms (or at least ours was). I will say it seemed large just for the sake of large with a lot of empty space that gave it a bit of a cold feel. The bathroom however was compact, with a separate shower/toilet area separating it from the sink/fridge/safe/closet with a heavy sliding door. There's a lot crammed into this small area, while there's a lot of extra space in the bedroom itself. Nice view! Overlooking American Tobacco Campus, with good heavy shades when we wanted to block off the view and sleep in total darkness. And I do mean TOTAL. We couldn't find any light that resembled something night-like-ish. If we left the light on in the toilet/shower room there was a "window" that shown that light into the bedroom. So we didn't leave that light on. Which meant some fumbling around in the dark if one has to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Maybe that's why the room is so large? Less chance to bump into something in the middle of the dark night? I finally got smart and used my cellphone as a flashlight. Which is also how I found that the plug next to my side of the bed wasn't working and my cellphone wasn't charging as I thought it was. Other plugs (at the desk by the window, and in the bathroom by the sink did work for charging). Fortunately Husband took a shower first and warned me that the temperature control was different than normal. For the hottest temperature you had to barely turn it to the left. More than that and it gets colder instead of hotter. Bodywash and a combo Shampoo/Conditioner are hung in the shower. No taking home little bottles of anything here! The only individual amenities are a small bar of blue soap for the sink and some lotion. Bed was nice and comfortable! There is a safe to store things in, as well as a dorm-size refrigerator. Down in the lobby is a bar which we have been to before and after DPAC shows but didn't utilize this time around. We did like that there is a small store in the lobby also (which I'd never noticed before) where we could buy bottled water. (and other small food items if we had wanted to). On our floor (2nd floor) is also a small outdoor pool that is heated and has the same view our room had...overlooking the ATC. Must have been warm enough as we saw a couple folks actually using the pool in the middle of January...impressive! Parking: $10 a day and it's a deck right next to the hotel which is also used for event parking. Parking for the hotel is on the 3rd-7th levels. You have to come down to the first floor, then walk outside to get to the hotel. read more

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Kay Hess and the team at Aloft Durham Downtown were incredibly helpful for our wedding. We got married at Bay 7 in American Tobacco Campus, so this location was perfect for us to have a hotel block for our guests from out of town. They made the entire experience so easy for us, from setting up the wedding block, to accepting welcome bags we made and keeping them at the front desk, to reserving the perfect rooms for me (the bride) and my bridal attendants to get ready in, and working with us to arrange a brunch for guests the morning after the wedding. They made our guests feel welcomed and gave us one less thing to worry about. read more

The hotel offers a great location close to my office but the hallways and walls are dark and dingy as if I was in a haunted house. The service is great but the absolute worst thing is there is a train that goes by different times late at night and early morning and blaring it's horns repeatedly. Maybe because I'm already a light sleeper, but I did not get any restful sleep my entire week here unfortunately. read more

I found this hotel to be clean and comfortable. Especially liked that the walls appeared to be sound proof as I was unable to hear my neighbors. Rooms were spacious and tastefully decorated. Hotel is located in a great part of town and restaurants, coffee, etc.... are all in walking distance. read more

I stayed in this hotel with my family at the peak of Covid. We were relocating our daughter to the area and needed a safe and Covid-compliant hotel. Not to mention a hotel that was open and accepting guests. The Covid procedures were top notch. The staff was friendly, helpful, kind and so appreciative of guests. The hotel was spotless. The in room amenities are Bliss, which I love. Breakfast in the little marketplace was perfect with all day coffee too. Sleeping rooms were spacious as well. The pool and fitness center were closed due to covid but looked great. This hotel is a perfect location for anyone visiting Durham. A terrific area with plenty of dining options within walking distance not to mention the stadium and the Performing Arts Center as well. read more

This is focused on the bar but with 70 degree weather before we saw A Christmas Story we had awesome drinks and had fun playing Jenga in the stylish lounge. I loved all of the posters like wallpaper on the walls. Anytime we go back to DPAC this will be a staple stop. Great bartender and fun date night all around. I wish we could stay here sometime! Maybe a staycation deal will pop up for mom and dad to get a break? A girl can dream! :) read more

As a Titanium rewards member I am not one who likes to give bad reviews to Marriott hotels but I feel like I must step up and address an issue that occurred Saturday evening around 7 pm (October 23). What I saw was the hotel representative verbally assault a couple over the husband not having a mask on. From what I over heard and saw, the couple was getting ready to sit at the hotel bar for a drink before going to a show at DPAC. The man who came running up from the hotel desk behind them was the most obnoxious, belligerent, Marriott employee I ever could imagine! I was shocked by the verbal assault that took place. He yelled at them aggressively in the bar area and followed them outside. I was embarrassed to be a Titanium Marriott member. There are a lot of Marriotts within the Durham area - I will never spend another nickel at this Aloft or any other Aloft! read more

Beautiful hotel but not quite to our expectation... We stayed here during a reunion weekend at our alma mater. We were on the 6th floor and had a beautiful view of downtown Durham. The room was spacious and well decorated. The mini fridge was in the bathroom which was kind of odd to me and the sliding door to the toilet/shower area kept hitting the sink table. Those are all forgivable, though. There is no free breakfast but you can buy a granola bar for $4 at any time of the day to curb your hunger. When we checked in, they didn't explain anything like where the gym was and seemed like we were a chore they didn't want to take on. The lady that was at the desk the next day was much friendlier so I guess it's just based on the personnel. All in all, it's a beautiful hotel in a great location but service is spotty and there's a lack of amenities. Oh yeah, it was also really expensive. read more

I would give this hotel NO stars. This hotel is shabby - the room furniture was broken and torn, the sliding bathroom door did not open or close, the carpet was dirty, the hotel was loud (barking dogs next to us), and the parking fee was pretty steep. It is definitely not worth the rate. I let the corporate office and the hotel know about the room issues and I got a terse reply of "I'm sorry our hotel did not meet your expectations." read more

The Downtown Durham Aloft provided a great room but lackluster service. After deciding to see a performance at the DPAC, my girlfriend and I decided to stay at the Aloft, conveniently located right next door to the venue. This was the first time I'd stayed at a Starwood property, but to be frank, I was not impressed. From the time we walked in, I knew that this wasn't going to be anything better than a standard hotel stay. When we first checked in, the gentleman at the desk went back and forth between addressing our check-in and another guest's issue instead of just politely asking one of us to wait. And once he made our keycard, he handed it over and said "you're all set" without giving us any overview of the hotel's amenities or even directions to the room. The room itself was neat and clean. I was impressed with the visual aesthetic of the space. It was laid out efficiently, and I was pleased that it came with free bottled water and a refrigerator to use. The bed was comfortable, and there was plenty of space to relax and get work done. After returning to the hotel from the performance, we decided it wold be nice to get a drink at their WXYZ bar. My girlfriend ordered a margarita, and I grabbed a beer. And while the drinks were good, the service was anything but. We spent more than ten minutes waiting on the one bartender -- who seemed new -- and in that time, we had plenty of time to notice how messy the rest of the lounge was. On every table, there were discarded glasses, bottles, and napkins that had not been cleaned up, giving the hotel a trashy vibe. It didn't help that the girl working at the front desk wasn't helping clean up at all, despite not having any guests to attend to on her end. On our way to leave the following morning, the front desk representative was friendly and asked how we'd like to receive our receipt, wishing us well. But two hours after we left, my girlfriend realized that she had left her Blender Bottle in the fridge. When we called to find it, the staff said that there was nothing to be found in the fridge, even though my girlfriend remembered with total clarity leaving it in there. We followed up later after the housekeeping staff had a chance to thoroughly look over the room, and they said once again that they had not found it, even though we were 100% sure that it had been left in the fridge, meaning that this stay had cost us a piece of property. So if you stay at this Aloft, make sure you don't forget anything. You might not get it back. If you're going to see a show at the DPAC, the hotel is a great location, but the staff leaves a lot to be desired. read more

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Terrible service. I will start from the beginning. When we checked in at first, we arrived to our room and the heat didn't work. We asked the front desk to be switched to another room where the heat worked. We were down graded to a smaller room. When we asked if the priced was going to be modified because this room was smaller they said that the price was the same. Where in the world a small room has the same price of a big one??? The day for checking out, we requested a late check out to which is supposed to be at 2pm. The housekeeping service knocked the door twice to see if we were ready. First one at 12.30 and the second one at 1.30pm. Really??? was she kicking us out?? This was totally rude from the hotel staff. Regardless the location of this place is convenient for work. I doubt we will stay here ever again!! Avoid this place!!! read more

Aloft by Marriott Durham Downtown - Nice lounge right? But dirty. Look at the crumbs on the floor. - Hotels Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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There were several options for my stay this week in Raleigh-Durham. Aloft is in an ideal location, normally, for walking to restaurants etc so I didn't mind paying a premium price (30%) However, my room smelled like something between a used car and a dirty sneaker, the hotel bar is not open -no mention of that on the app- I was not greeted but tolerated at the front desk the evening that I checked in and only informed in the morning that breakfast is not included. ($24 for coffee, clif bar and banana). Not a fan. read more

I stay in a lot of motels and hotels but don't rate them on Yelp. But, laughing at myself tonight on reading Yelp reviews and ending up at Aloft anyway. Yep, bizarrely long time to check in. Really long. Yep, bizarrely described parking situation by front desk and totally confusing. He did comp us the$10 charge when I explained all the parking gates were open. And were open when we left. Room was fine but wow, try to avoid checking in :) read more

Overall a very pleasant experience. Welcoming staff, clean room, great location within walking distance to downtown. We didn't experience any of the noise issues some others have listed. Highly recommend this hotel over our original stop at 21C nearby - avoid that place at all costs. My only gripe? The hotel bartender and two patrons engaged in a LOUD political debate while my wife and I tried to enjoy our drinks. Having a hotel employee loudly discuss Trump/January 6th etc is hardly a recipe for relaxation. He was a nice enough bartender, but man, talk about a mood killer. read more

The location was perfectly suited to experience downtown Durham and a convenient drive to explore the Duke campus. The room was quiet and the bed and pillows were comfortable. Another review mentioned the train noise, I did hear it one out of the nights in our three night stay, but it was not the event portrayed previously. The highlight of our stay was an extremely helpful young man at the welcome desk named Jonathon. He went out of his way to help us find late night dessert and other amazing spots like Pressed and M Sushi! He was a very conscientious employee and was readily available at check in, providing parking garage tidbits and additional thoughtful insight all three nights of our stay. The breakfasts were delicious and prepared to order - Gluten Free! The in house bar was very inviting and we left for our Wyoming home ready to come back for another visit! read more

Very nice new hotel. It has a modern decor which both my wife and myself enjoy. Bathroom has a nice walk in shower which I seem to have problems finding in hotels. Room felt spacious with all the amenities. They have the keycards that unlock your door just by tapping them against the lock pad. Great bonus so that you can have it in your wallet and just tap your wallet instead of pulling it out every time. There is a nice bar in the lobby with a patio area. Parking garage attached next to the hotel but is a $10 per day fee. We only stayed one night but I can see that getting expensive fast. The hotel is located VERY close to the ballpark where the Durham Bulls play. Many small districts within walking distance to check out including my favorite, the American tobacco district with their miniature river walk. Durham in general is a nice city with lots to do. We will be back! read more

Aloft by Marriott Durham Downtown - View from our room of the ballpark. - Hotels Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Decent hotel and good location. Service is mediocre, which is pretty much in line with every Aloft experience I've had. I think it has to do with this annoying hipster image they are trying to portray. Went down to get breakfast this morning. It's a counter where you come up and order from the menu. There is a cook that prepares the food. I got my food and went to the front desk to pay and the employee casually says "don't forget to tip the chef". I thought to myself that this was a very rude comment and I hope this is not in line with hotel policies. Of course I am happy to tip the employee preparing my breakfast, which I did but why would someone tell me that I HAVE to tip? read more

Terrible experience. After following instructions to remedy some initial trouble checking because I only had cash and they wanted a card, (wallet had been stolen a while back and my replacement bank card had not come in yet). I asked, would calling my wife and asking her to book a reservation with her card work, and they said yes. I had stopped by during a break at a conference/training, so at that point I left to go back, and left a message for my wife. She made the reservation, and I came back later. At this point, they said, actually the reservation wasn't enough. I had to prove I was the person on the reservation, despite the fact that I would be paying in cash ultimately. OK fine. After showing photo ID and multiple documents with my name, address, and other verifying information, and after a l-e-n-g-t-h-y wait they agreed I was who I said I was... But they still wanted to call my wife to verify the card, because the card wasn't 'on premises.' At this point I'm very irritated, but this the hotel's location is extremely convenient to the training, so... ok. I call my wife, interrupting a rather important moment at her work, but hey, sounds like it should just take a second more. I put her on the line with the front desk staff. But apparently, they now want her to fill out some form. At this point, I do not want to waste more of my wife's time, and am so irritated with the hotel I do not want to reward them with my money. All this from a hotel I learned was rather plain and massively overpriced from other local training attendees. I learned shortly after there are nicer places at cheaper rates about a block away. read more

Yup. What people said here is right. The hotel just isn't quite what you might want. I had read about the awkwardness of the parking situation, but it's more awkward than I anticipated (you check in, get a code, drive your car into a garage that's behind the hotel, and make your way from the garage back to the hotel), but what I hadn't quite processed was the train noise. It's NOISY! You will be woken up at least once - and maybe more - by train horns. On top of it, this is a pretty amenity-light hotel -- breakfast is beyond basic, you can't even get a tube of hand lotion in your room, and the rooms themselves are fairly sterile and box-like. There are no touches that make it feel cozy or intimate, and yet it's not quite cool enough to just be hip. read more