I booked a night at the Aloft Abu Dhabi, and when booking I noticed the Aloft in Abu Dhabi was priced quite competitvely when compared to Alofts in the US, so it is a welcome change from the trend of hotels here (from HI Expresses to Marriotts ) overcharging.

The hotel is brand new and kept very clean so the most important part got done right (very right I should say).
The location is ideal if you have anything at ADNEC, the leaning Hyatt will obviously be the first choice in this area, but they were priced 3 times as the Aloft.
The room was nice, the beds were probably the best i had slept in over the last 2 years, and the washrooms were good enough. There was free wifi which is always welcome and the staff helped me when i faced some issues.
The view was awful but thats ok as I had chosen the lowest room type.

The staff are a mix ; the reception was quite friendly but the valets werent. On returning to the hotel at night, they were not willing to help me , and when i requested them to, i was asked 'where are you going". Of course it was my fault , as i was expected to go to them and tell them each and every time that i was staying there when for many other guests, they were ready to rush to help.
If the valets improve their service, the Aloft will be a very good choice at the price I had paid

The rooms are pleasantly spacious and so are the wash room spaces and wardrobe. The breakfast buffet is awesome, it has oriental, Asian, continental, great variety of fruit and bread.Whats unique is the free wi-fi , in addition to internet terminals for browsing at the lobby. I liked the bar on the terrace- great view !

I chose Aloft instead of a hotel down in the Tourist Club Area because I was going to the Abu Dhabi Golf the following day.
Dead easy to find from the Airport or Dubai because there’s a thousand signs for the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) and they are side by side. I got there about 2pm and used the free valet parking before I went into the big glass atrium. You have to work out that you take the lift up to the next floor to the reception.
Check in was no problem, room 717, facing east and overlooking the 5th floor pool and bar. A very nice compact room; certainly smaller (and cheaper) than those at Le Royal Meridien and the Sheraton; but not a problem when there’s only one staying there.
A long, three part bathroom; first the wash basin area, then a sliding mirrored door to the loo, then a further step in shower room with opaque door . Great shower when I used it the next morning. Wall mounted body wash and shampoo holders completed the room.
Back in the main bedroom, wide but not very deep space. Twin windows, great comfy 6 foot bed, latest wall mounted flat screen TV with 50+ channels of rubbish. Good room lighting. A simple built in desk and free wifi!
I took the camera straight upstairs to the twelfth floor bar and I had it to myself because they don’t start serving until 5pm. Looking north towards the Corniche, you could just about make out the city centre towers in the distance. Looking south you could see the Grand Mosque in the middle distance. You are in No man’s land, the only problem with the hotel.
Photography over, I went down to the fifth floor bar on the terrace next to the pool and spent a very pleasant hour in the sun
I went back to the 12th floor to watch the sun set over the residential villas on the island to the west. It was very nice to watch the lights coming on in the high rise buildings surrounding the hotel.
Morning came and I enjoyed a nice breakfast in the lobby level café. Again, it is a very “modern” industrial design with exposed ducting and huge windows; fine for breakfast. Wonderful strong latte from a fancy machine, good orange juice, and a strawberry smoothie followed by excellent scrambled eggs on toast made by the “egg chef” and then a yogurt and a mini Danish pastry washed down by a second coffee.
Check out no problem ; remember to get the valet parking ticket stamped!
Was there anything wrong? Not really, pleasant staff, value for money room, gym looked good, pool and bar areas first class.
Would I use it for a romantic weekend; definitely.
Would I use it for business; definitely
Will I use it again instead of the more central hotels for my single leisure trips to the city? Probably not; location, location, location; it’s hard to pop out for a beer elsewhere!

It's clean, modern and close to the exhibition center but that's where the positives end. I arrived with three heavy bags and shirts on a hanger and had to ask several times before somebody helped me out. The staff was just standing around, watching me struggle and when I asked the third time 'Would somebody please help me?' the reply was an unenthusiastic 'Why not?'. When I ordered dinner to my room it arrived in plastic containers and with plastic cutlery. Funny, as most of the guests were attending the World Future Energy Summit which is about conservation and green initiatives. Overall my room felt cold and uninviting, perhaps too minimalistic in design.