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Aloft Beijing Is a Little Different From Aloft Everywhere Else

Where: Tower 2 No 25 Yuanda Road, Beijing, China, 118305

Remember when we said that Aloft Beijing was no different than Aloft everywhere else? We stand corrected.

True story: a Boston Globe reviewer hit up the brand new Aloft Beijing (doors opened two weeks ago), where she found all the amenities we've come to know and love about the hip new ubiquitous Starwood chain.

In the reviewer's room, there was the standard sunny shower, 42-inch LCD flatscreen television, iPod connectivity; in the lobby, the "Skittle-color pillows and nightclubby neon stripes" were familiar and welcoming.

And then she opened up her guest room's closet and found a quart-size canister with a gas mask sort of thing inside. Startling:

The canister, which Aloft only provides in Beijing to meet China’s standards, contained a “Fire Fighting Filter Type Self-Saving Breather.” And it came with this handy step-by-step “method of application”:
1. Take out the fire fighting filter type self-saving breather.
2. Tear at the packaging bag of the fire fighting filter type self-saving breather.
3. Wear helmet and pull contractive belt fast.
5. Choose way and flee for your life decidedly.

Guh! Scary (also: where is step number four?)

And do we smell (er, not smell) a late addition to our Best Gifts for Hotel Geeks?

[Photos: Nicole Wong / Boston Globe]