Welcome to the Aloft and Element Hotel

My gosh I miss traveling. I miss staying in different hotels, different cities. Even a staycation over in Tampa is a welcome distraction from the every day hustle of my own reality.

When Ben and I were invited to stay at the Aloft and Element hotel in Midtown Tampa, I was all about it. I knew it was going to be the tiny refresh I needed.

The Aloft and Element hotel recently opened in February of this year. It’s perfectly placed in the action of the up and thriving district: Midtown Tampa. Among its neighbors so far? Shake Shack, Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea company and even a Sephora.

We didn’t waste any time pulling up and heading straight to our room at the hotel (shoutout to mobile check-in). Immediately upon entering our space, I felt transported into what I assume a New York City studio apartment would look like?

I used to dream of moving to the the big apple. The city girl on the go life was the one for me. Naturally the fantasy came equipped with my own studio apartment in the heart of NYC. In my mind there is such simplicity to a studio apartment layout, which is likely why I enjoyed Aloft’s room so much.

Upon entering, you walk into a small entryway area and to the right is your bathroom sink, shower and a separate closure with a toilet. A modern style partition separates the bathroom space from the bedroom one. My inner city girl was beaming with excitement.

One of my favorite spaces in our room was the cute corner nook. I imagine as Midtown continues to come to life, that nook will be prime for people watching during morning coffee.

Date Night at Sal Y Mar Rooftop Bar

Sal Y Mar Rooftop Bar sits atop the Aloft and Element hotel. I’d visited the restaurant earlier this year for my birthday and I was thrilled to have a reason to go back. Sal Y Mar harnesses its design inspiration from Tulum, Mexico. It impresses with its bohemian deco themes and the aesthetic is incredible.

Personally, I love the textures incorporated into the restaurant design. While we dined, my wheels were spinning with inspo for our own patio and outdoor space.

Sal Y Mar is a fantastic Tampa date night choice even if you aren’t staying at the hotel. They offer an array of tapas to split, sophisticated and approachable entrees, plus eye-catching cocktails to enjoy. I heard they even have a brunch menu. Catch me back there soon to try.

For dinner, Ben and I enjoyed:

Cocktails:

• Rosabela (Don Julio Blanco Tequila, Fresh Lemon, Lavender)
• Love You More (Belvedere Vodka, Coconut, Rose, Raspberries)

Starters:

• Charcuterie Board (Chef’s choice meats and cheeses, parmesan crostini, marinated olives, mango chutney and honey comb)

Entrees:

• Blackened Grouper (Quinoa, brown rice, lemon beurre blanc, dressed arugula)
• Pan Seared Scallops (Asparagus, cucumber, tomato relish, pineapple ginger sauce)

Dessert:

• Chocolate Truffles & Macarons

Full and happy, we ventured out to Midtown after dinner. Ben and I walked up and down the sidewalks studying the spaces that were there as well as the ones to come. We plan to come back and enjoy them at some point, equipped with another hotel stay of course.

The beauty of the Aloft and Element hotel is that it’ll be central to all of the action and experiences coming to Midtown Tampa. You can really use this hotel to level up date night to a mini date-away (date getaway ☺️). Or do we prefer datecation? You get the idea.

Our night came to an end with front lawn hangs and midnight snacks that we scored from the lobby pantry.

It’s not goodbye, it’s just checking out

I love how walkable the Midtown area is. On the morning of checkout, Ben and I strolled over to Joffrey’s to get our caffeine fix. In some ways it makes me wish this was something we could do every leisurely Sunday morning. There’s just something so convenient about the accessibility to places that you can get to via foot.

I would absolutely recommend staying at the Aloft and Element hotel in Midtown. Not only is their location fantastic, but the experience itself is freshly inviting and modern. I know it’ll only get better as Midtown Tampa continues to expand.

Thanks so much to Hayworth PR and the Aloft and Element hotel for hosting us. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.