Aloft Hotel in Portland, Maine, is a beautiful new place to stay in one of the most picturesque towns on the East Coast.
The hotel’s modern, stylish rooms allow guests to take in the dynamic waterfront views of Portland. Guests can exercise at Aloft’s fitness center or grab food at the hotel’s casual refuel market that’s open for dinner, signature cocktails, and live acoustic performances. Aloft also offers meeting space for intimate events or conferences.
When Aloft opened in September 2021, the restrooms required pressure-assisted toilets to withstand the high usage associated with guests in nearly 160 rooms. The hotel specified ultra-high-efficiency Flushmate 504 Series systems using 1.0 gallons per flush, which have a proven track record of water savings, reliability, and reduced maintenance.
In addition to water savings and ease of maintenance, Flushmate 504 systems are commonly specified in hotels like Aloft because of their powerful flush performance. Flushmate pressure-assisted systems offer the best opportunity to achieve maximum water conservation without sacrificing performance.
Steven Fennell, director of engineering, Aloft Hotel, and NAHLE certified chief engineer, said the Flushmate 504 systems have performed consistently well at the hotel since its opening. “The Flushmate 504 systems have been reliable,” Fennell said.
“My sense is that there is less need to double flush than I’ve seen with other low-flow units from other manufacturers. I also recommend reviewing the excellent training videos available on the Flushmate website.
“My staff and I need to be as proactive as possible in preventing guest-oriented complaints, and the Flushmate systems have helped tremendously in preventing these types of complaints.”
Guests usually don’t forget a negative experience in any type of commercial restroom, especially in hotels. Fennell said the Flushmate pressure-assisted systems have saved him and his maintenance team valuable time because they aren’t prone to clogging and other issues.
“At Aloft, we have a saying to communicate that a toilet needs plunging – ‘Code P,’” Fennell said. “This can be a constant problem in a busy hotel. Some other low-water-use toilets just don’t flush properly. We very much appreciate that, because of the Flushmate systems, our ‘Code P’s’ have been essentially eliminated at Aloft.”
My staff and I need to be as proactive as possible in preventing guest-oriented complaints, and the Flushmate systems have helped tremendously in preventing these types of complaints.
Steven Fennell - Director of Engineering, Aloft Hotel, NAHLE Certified Chief Engineer