A Downtown Sarasota hotel at last has opened. Aloft Sarasota, part of a $60-million development opening its doors, hosts its first guests tonight, and locals just looking for nightlife can enjoy first-floor amenities at the Re:mix lounge and WXYZ bar without checking in. But select media got a guided tour of the 139-room facility Thursday, with the chance to walk through the minimalist modern interior and up to stunning views of Downtown Sarasota visible from an 8th-floor pool deck.

While those stepping into the lobby will immediately absorb the slick and urban design, a walk into the “backyard” outdoor area delivers the greatest impact regarding sense of space. An open court at the bottom of a 10-story well, three sides of the entertainment area have windows into Aloft Sarasota hotel rooms or into some of the 138 apartments at the connected One Palm residential structure on the development’s western exposure. Janet Hansen, director of sales and marketing for Aloft Sarasota, said the intent is for guests to spend as much time in this shared space as they would in their own hotel rooms. “The objective is to have people social in the lobby,” she said. Decor in rooms themselves remains deliberately understated, with slate grey walls, singular bowl sinks and inornate desks designed more for work than play. Sustainability and practicality rule room amenities as well. Shampoo sits in a reusable dispenser inside the shower, and guests who belong to the Starwood Preferred Guest Program earn point incentives if they elect to re-use towels instead of restocking every night.

Aloft Sarasota General Manager Jason Samson expects use of the bar and lounge to be split 50-50 between hotel guests and locals coming downtown. But the Splash Bar on the 8th floor will be open to residents and guests only. That’s where a rooftop pool beside the beverage counter gives a bird’s eye view of Palm Avenue. And most nights, expect live entertainment. This hotel marks the first entry for Starwood Hotels and Resorts to the marketplace, and Samson wants everyone to understand what this young and hip brand means to its loyal customers. “The focus is on music, on a vibrant beverage and social scene,” he said. “It’s unlike a lot of other brands in that it’s really a place people gather.”

Rooms at Aloft Sarasota are available to book now in the mid-$200s price range.

Photos by Wyatt Kostygan. (top) The pool deck, located above a parking garage serving Aloft Sarasota, overlooks Downtown Sarasota. (above) Rooms at Aloft Sarasota feature modern minimalist decor.