Element Omaha Midtown Crossing

Pros: Eco friendly hotel with half flush toilets and bikes to borrow to explore the city. Very near several restaurants and shops, so you can walk to them. Comfortable bed, good wifi, cable tv. Suites have kitchens. Very clean. Nice lobby
Cons: No pool.

I am so glad we stayed here while in Omaha. I love a Westin hotel. And this place has the luxurious but simple ‘feel’ you really enjoy on a change-​in-​pocket vacation. I was totally mesmerized by our room. The layout was perfect. The desk against the window, the huge closet, the ottoman, and the modern appliances in the kitchen were real difference-​makers. Oh and the bathroom was great. Can I have this at my place? That narrow shelf below the mirror makes all the sense in the world. The only thing I would add is an extra outlet on both sides of the bed (instead of just one). I didn’t care for breakfast. Stick with the yogurts and the cereals. The quiche is store bought and so dry and cold. Waffles were blah. This is the low-​budget part of your stay. Besides that, kick back and enjoy the glamorous lounge areas.
Oh and can I recommend one more thing? The bikes we rented from the lobby were free for the day and that’s great. But oh man. Ugh. The seats were awful! Mine was so small and uncomfortable and his kept falling low. It was also itty bitty and very uncomfortable. Painful actually. We loved our bike ride but really paid for it at the end of the day. Unless your hotel guests are miniature size, forget the lightweight stuff and invest in some real seats that your customers will like.

Element is a «green» hotel brand opened by Starwood in 2008, and focused on sustainability as exemplified by the design of their LEED certifed buildings to the day-​to-​day operations that practice energy efficiency, recycling, and resource management. The hotels themselves are designed with a modern aesthetic that utilizes open spaces, natural tones and lots of light.
The traveler experience is focused on the extended stay concept that’s popular among people who travel for business or family, and prize value and flexibility over services. Element hotels lack a traditional restaurant, bar, or room service. There isn’t a concierge, valet, or bell hop. And certainly no spa or retail outlet. What they do have is a small gym, laundry services, and housekeeping. Each room offers a full kitchenette with sink, fridge, microwave, coffee maker, paper towels, dish rags, plates and silverware. Basically, everything you need to have snacks and a few easy meals in your room. For food, the hotel has a large «pantry» for drinks and snacks that can be purchased ²⁴⁄₇. There’s also a dining area where they put out a basic continental breakfast in the morning, and happy-​hour reception in the late afternoon. All in all, a nice service, but if you’re looking for than a snack (or really good food), I’d visit an area restaurant.
There are self help kiosks for learning about the area, bicycles to borrow, and a parking garage for $ 10/​day with in/​out privileges. (Bear in mind though that the Midtown crossing development garage where you park offers free parking for up to three hours, or for $ 6 per visit over three hours. So depending on how and when you park, it may be cheaper not to take the hotel rate.)
Element is a clean and comfortable place to stay without a lot of frills. This isn’t a hotel that dotes on you. People that expect better service at this price point are kidding themselves. The staff is friendly and will try to be helpful, but they’re there to check you in and answer questions, not fawn all over you. In this regard, I think Starwood’s reference to the Westin brand in the Element’s name, (Element by Westin) is a mistake. These hotels don’t have Westin level ammenities or services and the staff isn’t as professional or seasoned. Also, they don’t use the Westin heavenly beds, which is too bad because those are much more comfortable. Basically, if you look closely around an Element property, you will see some imperfections in quality and design that are the signs of a 2^nd tier property.
That said, I’m nitpicking. I gave Element a 4 star rating based on a comparison to other value, extend-​stay properties, and not relative to what I would consider a 4 or 5 star hotel overall. The bottom line is that the Omaha Element at Midtown Crossing is a great value for the money and fine place to stay. The property is part of a nice development with great restaurants, shopping, and a good local grocery to stock your kitchen. It’s centrally located between downtown and Dunee/​Happy Hollow, with easy access along Dodge Street to anywhere you want to go. So if you’re looking for an affordable place to rest you head, Element is a solid choice.

We stopped in Omaha between our drive to Denver (from Chicago). It’s hard to find a decent hotel for us, as we have a 30 lb dog, and I get super annoyed at hotels that claim to be «pet friendly» but then charge a non-​refundable $ 100 pet fee. Um, if it’s 80% of the charge of the hotel, then it ain’t pet friendly, just sayin’…
So, Element is *actually* pet friendly. They even had a treat and water bowl at check-​in which was adorable. It’s a new building, energy efficient, and sleek. We stayed in their studio suite which was unbelievably cozy– it had a full kitchenette, perfect for re-​heating a drive thru/​carry out meal, and living room with a sofa and t.v. On top of that, the king bed was super comfy and the bathroom unbelievably spacious and modern. I’m a big fan of the hotel brand, as a.) they’re clearly catering to millenials and b.) I am a millenial. I appreciate the energy consciousness. They also had a free breakfast, bikes you could borrow, wifi, etc.
Only annoyance was the $ 5 parking fee– would’ve preferred parking to be included and be upcharged $ 5 at check-​in vs. having to deal with parking gate, etc. but that’s a small annoyance. It’s pretty close to the 80, too. Will stay again on the next trip to/​from Denver to/​from Chicago.

The rear mounted cable boxes on the TV means yoga must be employed to change the channel. During December, the room was hot no matter what was done to turn off the heating, forcing us to open a window and listen to Dodge Street traffic. Upon check in, not only were we charged for the room, having paid on Travelocity but several days later the issue is still not resolved. I’ve stayed at this hotel twice and both times the front desk help is mediocre at best and one manager was rude about their electronic gate system on the parking, as it is not helpful to be condescending when the reader shows arrows going down, but the card has arrows going up. They also shut down the garage card not once but twice having not bothered to check the checkout date. It is clean though, just not on par with Nebraskan standards of service for a hotel. If corporate steps in and guts the management, it’d probably be a four star easily.

Element is in the perfect location to take advantage of all that Midtown Crossing has to offer. Not only that but the hotel is clean, the staff is friendly, and the beds are among the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in. My only gripe was the super crowded breakfast. Unfortunately, many of the items were out of stock.

The staff could not have been more helpful. We stayed two nights and had a block of rooms for my daughter’s wedding. The rooms are wonderful
, especially for a group or long stay with full kitchen, yes, full sized refrigerator! Beds are crazy comfortable. I want one of those pillows. Only possible negative is you have to go to front desk for ice. We just bought a bag and put it in the frig. Shuttle service was prompt. Thanks to all for making it a perfect weekend.

I travel to Omaha every three or four weeks and have consistently stayed at the Elements since it opened. In the past I have been very pleased. This trip hasn’t been the same experience. The desk clerk has been a young woman I haven’t seen before and appears to be more interested in leaning across the desk and chatting with her boyfriend who had dropped by, than in helping guests. The sofa in my living area like something dragged off the curb by frat boys. Let’s just say it was covered in stains of questionable origin. The kitchen had filthy smelly pots and pans stuffed in the cupboard. Cleanliness is table stakes in hospitality, I was really disappointed in the overall condition of my room this stay.

I usually stay elsewhere in a studio suite type of a room in Omaha but as there was an event near the Element so I booked a Studio Suite which had a full kitchen with a two-​burner cooktop and a king-​size bed. The studio suite is the perfect place to relax or get some work done.
There was high-​speed internet FREE and the desk was a nice size to work at with room for two laptops. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom was also roomy.
For those who are inclined, there is breakfast every morning and an evening reception.
There is laundry, fitness center and a business center in the hotel as well as bikes to borrow. A handful of restaurants, a great market and deli (Wohlner’s) as well as a green area adjoin the hotel and the hotel is PET FRIENDLY.
I did get a handicapped room which I thought was odd, but it just meant that the bathroom was large with some bars and a drop down seat in the large shower. I just hope I didn’t take a room from someone who needed it!
Clean, comfortable, convenient. I would stay here again very happily.

I didn’t love this hotel, I just thought it was okay. I normally love most Starwood properties, but I think this one fell short for me.
Luckily I only stayed one night. I got there really late, so I had some trouble finding it, but called the hotel and they kindly helped me out. I had a car to park and I have to say they need additional signage in the parking garage telling you where to go in order to find the correct entrance. Kinda frustrating.
Room was fine, but there were no outlets on the side tables, which I thought was weird. I always plug my phone in and use that as an alarm, but had to use the desk across the room. Surprising the bed wasn’t as comfy as I had hoped and I didn’t get a lot of sleep. It was also really loud in the hallway with people shutting their doors really early in the morning. I wish newer hotels would put in doors that softly close (or hotel guests that don’t slam the doors at 5:00 in the morning).
Bathroom was find and there was a mini kitchen, which was a nice bonus. Plus I think the breakfast was complimentary but I didn’t have time to check it out.
Overall, I was happy to get my Starwood points, but I think I’ll go back to my Residence Inn that I stayed at last time I was in Omaha.

Alert! You better double check your reservations! We stayed Thursday. Wonderful service. Made reservations before leaving for the following Monday for TWO rooms. Tried checking in at 10:00 PM. They claim only one room reserved and no rooms available. Poor service.

Stayed here a couple of times and never disappointed. Love the kitchen area; beds are super comfortable. Great location — steps away from restaurants, bars, a park.

A wonderful hotel that’s minutes away from all the action in Omaha. It’s modern, clean and green. There are complimentary apps weekdays in the evening, not to mention complimentary breakfast seven days a week. Go the front doors, and you have access to all that Midtown Crossing offers — shopping, dining, drinking, concerts in the park, etc. If you’re up for adventuring a little beyond midtown, you can use the hotel shuttle to zip you to and from other popular destinations in Omaha (don’t forget to tip).
All the rooms are suites. So you can grab a few groceries and cook up a storm right in your room if you so desire. Or you can spread out in the living room (naturally, the shapes and sizes of rooms vary).
When relatives come to town, this is where we recommend they stay. And so far, they’ve all been more than happy with all that Element offers.

This hotel really surprised me. The front desk people are super nice, friendly and professional. They have free happy hour (alcohol and food) ending at 7 pm. Awesome!!! They also have free breakfast including fruits, yoghurt, warm fresh sandwiches, bread, cereal, etc. It was delicious!
The rooms are very clean and has full chicken. The bed is very comfortable and and the laundry facilities are very convenient. Their gym is fully equipped and spacious.
One of the best hotels for our road trip.

Stayed here last September. The building is really new and modern. There wasn’t a view to speak of. No SPG Gold benefits. Free breakfast is awesome — there’s hot and cold items.
Parking deck — park on the 2 °F and access the elevator after you check-​in. The doors from the garage are super heavy. There is an attached supermarket but I’ve never been.
There needs to be outlets by the bed.
One weird thing: I’d purchased a big item from Target and asked if they had any empty boxes I could use to package the item up to check in at the airport. There wasn’t good follow through on this at all. Apparently you have to call at a certain time for them to check at a certain time. And if it happens to be after the trash was taken away, no go. I feel like this would’ve been an easy task at a larger hotel.

Needs better maintenance. Food selections are very poor compared to other Elements we’ve stayed at. As far as SPG properties I would rather stay here than the Sheraton simply because the area around the Element is stocked with shops and restaurants.

The hotel is new, green and within walking distance of restaurants and shops. Upon checkin they have snacks and flavored water with kiwi and strawberries. Reception at the hotel is 5:30−7 with free beer and wine. My room was equipped with a kitchen with full fridge, microwave and stove and couch. The beds are comfortable. The night auditor was very friendly and called a taxi for me to catch my flight upon departure.

When Unilocal announced that they were going to have an event that involved a contest to win a free night’s stay at the Element. I was all in!
My family is relocating and there is an Element about 10 minutes from where I will be working as well, a couple minutes from where we are building.
Since there will be a 1 – 2 month time frame where we will not be in a lease– we decided that this was a good solution.
So…
I called 3 weeks ahead of time to book the hotel. It was my daughter’s birthday so we decided to do a stay-​cation as well as see how and if this hotel would work for 1 – 2 months.
Anyway, I assumed that the voucher was for the smaller room. When I called to reserve the room. I asked for the executive suite… as this offered the most window space, overall space and a separate bedroom.
I mentioned that I thought it would be more than the smaller room. I was told during the Unilocal event that the executive suite was around $ 50 – 60 more than the smaller room. I mentioned to the representative that I was more than willing (and expected) to pay the extra cost.
The rep told me that the voucher did not specify the room type and that I was fine. Which is true… it did not specify the room type.
So we arrive to the room… my daughter is extremely excited… walk in… and ughhh… no… not the same room. It was much more small and compartmentalize than the one I requested. I called down to the front desk. They inform me that the executive room was not available. The GM came up to talk to me… she told me the same thing… not available. The GM stated… «you have the Unilocal voucher so you shouldn’t have even gotten this room.» I then stated that I offered to pay the difference. She did offer to show me other rooms… They were much smaller and had tiny windows… I declined.
The room itself was not super clean… stains on the couch. Floorboards needed to be cleaned as there was dust and dirt caked up on the boards.
I was not very impressed and I was even more disappointed with the room as we were hoping to try out the executive suite as this was the only room type we would consider staying in for 1 – 2 months.
NOT happy.
I felt like the employees thought… that since I had a Unilocal voucher… that I should simply be happy with what I got.
They lost a potential customer.
I’ve stayed at hotels that were much cleaner and MORE accommodating (another day with the executive suite should have been offered– since this is what I THOUGHT we were getting when I reserved).
I will contact their corporate office about my experience and if they are more accommodating… I may decide to try the other location out (once we relocate).
Disappointing on several levels… the cleanliness of the room, unaccommodating staff, not the room we wanted and seeing my daughter’s disappointed face when we already showed pictures of the room…
I’m not too picky… just put me in the room that I requested and if you drop the ball… FIX it! And this was not done.

A totally awesome hotel located only blocks away from our apartment. My husband and I haven’t stayed there ourselves but we visited friends who were staying at Element from out of town. The amenities for the price are pretty amazing! I love the modern feel of both the rooms and the lounge area. It feels like an upscale hotel at a chain hotel price. The rooms have a kitchenette where you can prepare your own meals with all of the utensils that you may need but why would you prepare a meal in your room when the hotel is located in beautiful Midtown Crossing with all of its great restaurant options? Overall a great hotel in a great location in Omaha! We will definitely recommend it to other friends and family coming to visit!

What a great hotel!
We booked the Element on a lark when considering a weekend getaway in Omaha. After reviewing some selections, the Element fit right into what we were seeking in price, and overdelivered on amenities.
The Element is a new hotel that is stylized like modern European hotels, with an environmental bent. When coming in through the front, one notices the copious amount of natural light in the open and airy entry area and lounge. Lots of modern furniture with clean lines. Check-​in took a mere minute and we took the elevator up to our room.
The hallway on our floor (5^th) was done in a tasteful dark green and gray motif, with individual fluorescent sconces adjacent to each door. The hallways also has a little aromatherapy going on because I swear it smelled of soothing green tea.
Our room featured a king bed, a fold out couch (which we used for sitting, not sleeping), a flatscreen TV that could swivel to be seen in bed or on the couch, and a kitchenette. Though we didn’t make use of the kitchenette, it is nice to know that it was an option and may be something that comes up for future visits.
The room is well-​appointed with modern-​styled furnishings and a very European-​feeling bathroom, including a commode with half– and full-​flush options, a glass-​doored shower with a generous showerhead as well as a shower wand, and a wide well-​lit mirror over a basin sink.
The bedsheets were a crisp white with a fluffy duvet and very squishy pillows, and it slept like a dream.
Finally, a super-​bonus amenity to the whole package was breakfast. Mrs. R headed down early and picked up a muffin and a pretzel breakfast sandwich. Quality food on both items, of the quality that you would purchase somewhere for a quick breakfast rather than the afterthought the a complimentary breakfast usually is in a hotel. After milling around in the room for a bit, we headed down to get a little more breakfast _​and they had different breakfast sandwiches_​. Yes, one day and different selections a mere hour apart. When we made it down for breakfast, the sandwiches had changed to an english muffin with sausage, cheese, and egg. And they were delicious. I had one of those along with another banana-​nut muffin. Excellent way to start the day.
Oh, and one more thing in the plus column — nice hotel, free wifi.
When I plan another weekend away in Omaha, Element will definitely be at the top of my list of places to stay.
This is the fifth of a series of ~13 reviews about a weekend getaway in Omaha.