Aloft hotel opens in OUC building in downtown Orlando

General manager: Building completely renovated with some original elements

ORLANDO, Fla. – For decades the OUC building has been a fixture of the downtown Orlando landscape. Now, the 45-year-old structure houses a new business: The Aloft Hotel.

General Manager Craig Leicester said the building was completely renovated, but you will still find some original elements, like teak wood panels and terrazzo floors in the lobby. Marble near the elevators is also original.

The 110-thousand square foot building features 118 guest rooms, and sixty of those are suites.

The main draw in the lobby area is the ultra modern WXYZ lounge.

"I walk into it... I feel good. It's lively," Leicester said. "It makes people happy."

Leicester told Local 6 that out-of-town guests do make up a huge part of their business, especially among tech-savvy travelers.

The Aloft offers free, high-speed internet throughout the property, and even tables in the bar area are equipped with outlets and chargers.

Leicester said he hopes locals will also embrace the lounge's daily happy hour, as well as the conference and event spaces.

"There are a lot of people shifting in their dynamic to live in a more urban environment," said Leicester. "We have a lot of young professionals who are looking for something new and exciting, and we want to be that."

Standard rooms range from about $159 to $200. For more information, click here.


About the Author:

Julie Broughton's career in Central Florida has spanned more than 14 years, starting with News 6 as a meteorologist and now anchoring newscasts.

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