The refurbished Virtual Aloft hotel in Second Life re-opened today. I stopped by and checked it out this afternoon. It’s really nicely done in pleasing greys and pastels, just like I remembered it a few months ago when I first did my quasi-illicit visit. I frankly can’t see much of a big change from the previous incarnation, even though it supposedly was modified to reflect feedback they received from residents who visited it. I see a new pool table and some slightly different textures, but no major changes to the lobby or guest room setups.
One cool thing announced today was that apparently now that Starwood has finished launching the virtual hotel, they are effectively done with it. So no Starwood-sponsored concerts, book clubs or sleepovers are planned for the future. Instead, they want to give it away to one lucky resident. According to their blog, "until Friday, June 1st, Second Life residents can submit ideas on the best use of the land once the virtual aloft closes." Submissions can be sent in via email to Cider Starbrook or dropped in a dropbox inside the virtual aloft hotel.
How about pastel-toned casino perhaps, or an upscale bordello or maybe a neko role-playing sim? The possibilities are endless…