My Personal Review of Aloft Waco Downtown

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 18, 2025

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I’ve been a longtime fan of the Aloft hotel brand from Marriott. I find it to be ridiculously low-priced for the modern feel, and Aloft hotels tend to be built in convenient locations around the city. I had an overnight work trip to Waco recently and chose to stay at the new(ish) Aloft Waco Downtown. I just needed a place to sleep for one night, get a little bit of work done at my desk, sneak in a quick workout at the gym, and maybe relax a bit. And TBH, there aren’t many options in Waco in regards to big corporate hotel chains (however there are quite a few cute boutique hotels!) so I didn’t have a lot of options. I decided to check out Aloft.

Aloft Waco Downtown Location

The Aloft is on the southern edge of downtown, so it’s not really an easy walking distance to the cool stuff like the Riverwalk, Magnolia Market, and some of my favorite shops and restaurants. So while it’s easy to drive to all the Waco hot spots, it’s not exactly in a walkable area.

That being said, they do offer a free shuttle to Magnolia Market, Baylor University, and the Waco Regional Airport. So if you’re travelling without a car, the Aloft is actually a great option.

Places you can walk from the Aloft Waco Downtown: if you just want a quick 3-5 minute walk, your options are Cajun Craft restaurant (highly recommend this place for lunch!) Raising Cane’s, Chick-fil-a, and MOD pizza (if you want some fast food), and honestly? That’s about it.

If you’re up for a longer walk (about 15+ minutes) you can get to Magnolia Press coffee, Magnolia Market, Terry Black’s BBQ, and more of the fun spots in downtown Waco.

Aloft's Modern Feel

Ok, let’s just call it what it is: Aloft is a 3-star hotel that’s pretty moderately priced. It’s definitely not a luxury stay, and it’s a chain hotel.

Aloft markets itself as an overnight accommodation with a boutique hotel feel, and I think that’s why I’ve always liked staying at Aloft locations. I love how they have modern lobbies with cool design, a craft beer bar in the lobby (and yes, they actually have Waco craft beer on tap!), a pool table, a pretty outdoor patio, and other nice amenities.

The check-in process at this Aloft is pretty much what you’d expect: walk in, get greeted by a friendly staff member, swipe a card for incidentals, and get a key card to your room.

The hotel is pretty new (it was built in 2020), so it still feels fresh and clean. It looks exactly like the online photos you can see on the website.

The Rooms at Aloft Waco Are Very Simple

Ok, this is where I think Aloft starts to feel a little bit like a budget hotel: their rooms are kind of stark. The king-size bed takes up the majority of the space, and there are two simple little desks with a bench between them.

The bathroom has hanging space, but there’s no formal wardrobe or closet.

I think that Aloft Waco Downtown is a comfortable place to stay for one night, but it’s not the type of hotel that you can really “settle in” for a long time.

My favorite part of Alofts Hotels? The Dry Bar toiletries. This is my favorite brand of dry shampoo to buy at Ulta because it smells soooo good, so I’m always very happy to use the shampoo and conditioner provided in the showers at Aloft Hotels.

Review of Amenities: Pool, Gym, and Bar

WXYZ Bar

The lobby bar is called WXYZ, and it’s gorgeous! It’s open from 5 pm - midnight and has a daily happy hour. I was SO pleased to see that they actually have Waco craft beer on tap! They had a few taps from Brotherwell Brewing and from Waco Ale Co, two breweries you can find on this guide to the best craft breweries in Waco.

I’m making a big deal of this because there are soooo many corporate hotel lobby bars that say “craft beer bar” and then only sell domestic big-name beers. So it was refreshing to see a place that actually sold true craft beer on tap.

RE:CHARGE Fitness Center

The gym at the Aloft Waco is very good, but not exceptional. It’s pretty much all the basic gym equipment you might expect at a standard hotel gym (treadmills, stationary bikes, ellipticals, free weights, strength equipment like bands and mats, and weight machines.) They had a clean stack of towels, a water station (that wasn’t working), and a TV.

A lot of hotels are starting to notice how people really value wellness these days, and so they prioritize putting the fitness room somewhere inspiring with a view (like on the top floor!) The Aloft did the typical old-school hotel move and tucked the gym into a room near the pool. It’s a windowless space except for all of the windows overlooking a sidewalk and a fence, so there’s nothing too inspiring to see.

That being said, all of the gym equipment worked well, and the space was clean and fresh and cool.

Outdoor Pool

They did a great job designing this outdoor pool! It’s a nice, big pool deck with bright chairs, and a small pool that caters toward the type of people who will stay at this hotel (mostly professionals who will lounge rather than kids who are going to be splashing in the pool all day.)

I love that they even added outdoor fire pits so the pool deck space can be used year-round. It’s a really cool spot to bring your beverage from the bar and enjoy a conversation outside in the evening air. There are a few TVs out there, too.

Grab-And-Go Bites at Aloft

While there's no formal restaurant at the Aloft Waco Downtown, there's a grab-and-go kitchen in the lobby where you can get beverages (juice, gatorade, soda, protein drinks), snacks, and other little breakfast-y items you might need first thing in the morning.

Aloft Waco Is Very Pet-Friendly

If you’re traveling with a dog, Aloft is well-known for being one of the best dog-friendly hotel chains. There’s no pet fee (as long as your dog is 40 pounds or less), which makes it a very easy place to travel with your furry friend.

That being said…I saw exactly zero dogs during my stay here! Haha. Maybe they were just all in their rooms with their owners? Or maybe it was just a quiet time of year for canine travel.

Final Review of Aloft Waco: The Good And Bad

Good:

- very clean, modern, and new

- Dry Bar toiletries in the bathrooms!

- the lobby bar actually had some really good drinks

- Aloft excels at all the basics (easy check-in, friendly staff, clean rooms, nice gym)

- no pet free

- complimentary shuttle to Magnolia Market

- really nice outdoor pool (for Waco…it doesn’t compare AT ALL to hotel pools in San Antonio or Austin)

Bad:

- no great Waco coffee shops within easy walking distance

- the rooms are very simple and small

- I would have loved to have the gym and/or outdoor pool on rooftop floors!

Overall, there’s not a lot to complain about with the Aloft Waco Downtown. It’s a clean, modern space with a “boutique hotel feel” in downtown Waco. Again, this isn’t a luxurious stay, but they’re not marketing themselves as that. It’s a 3-star hotel, and they deliver very well in the 3-star hotel category. It’s still one of my favorite lower-cost national chain hotels, and I plan to stay again at the Aloft Waco Downtown and at other Aloft locations in the country.

WEBSITE | 900 S 11th Street, Waco, TX, 76706

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