By Donna M. Airoldi
Special to DNAinfo
HARLEM — Seventh time was not a charm.
The much-delayed Aloft Harlem hotel canceled its opening Thursday — the seventh time it's had to scrap plans to launch.
The property — the first new major hotel to open in Harlem since 1967 — was initially scheduled to welcome guests on June 1.
The need to put a few polishing touches in place apparently is the reason for the most recent delay.
Aloft is a trendy boutique brand under the Starwood Hotels & Resorts umbrella. The company didn't go into specifics as to what has held up the opening yet again, but instead issued a statement.
“Aloft Harlem did not open as planned on December 2," it said.
"There are final elements being completed and we, of course, want to ensure that we are providing the best possible experience to our guests,” said Stacy Trevino, corporate PR for specialty select brands at Starwood.
The current new debut date for Aloft Harlem is December 9.
