Starwood Preferred Guest - Windsor Sheraton Bangalore, India [Master Thread]

Flew down from Delhi yesterday morning for my first (quick) visit to Bangalore. Checked in at around 2 pm (local office had reserved a Towers room). Finally! During my five months as a SPG Plat this was the first time I'd been treated as expected outside the US. Upon presenting my Platinum card at check-in, the receptionist immediately and without being asked upgraded me to a large suite on the top floor of the Towers.

The hotel is part of the Welcomgroup of Sheraton properties throughout India, and is a first-class property. Very nice grounds (there appears to be a golf course adjacent to the hotel) and public rooms. Several restaurants and bars, with a complimentary happy hour (drinks and snacks) in the evening for Towers guests. Had dinner at the South Indian restaurant last night and was favorably impressed.

Service in the hotel, bars, and restaurants is top-notch. During happy hour, my beer was replaced twice without asking, and the waiter brought by a continuous variety of snacks. When arriving in the room, the hostess didn't like the looks of the fruit basket and a new one was brought up within 5 minutes. Since I didn't have time for lunch, I noshed on the fruit...and upon returning in the evening found that the basket had been replaced!

All in all, a very positive experience, and a highly recommended hotel. I hope that I will return here again, and that my next stay will allow me to explore the hotel better.

There doesn't seem to be any availability at all for this hotel over the next few months. I know Bangalore is busy with tech and outsourcing people - but surely it isn't this busy?

William - is this another hotel that hasn't loaded it's rates?

I have been checking for an award stay here and there doesn't seem to be much if any, availablity from here till January.

I wonder if anyone has (recently) successfully booked an award with points at either of these hotels. I wanted to book nights using points for Jan 05 and tried several dates with no success. I then tried various random dates over the next 8 months or so at the Hyderbad Sheraton and still had no success. Anyone knows what is going on?

I wonder if anyone has (recently) successfully booked an award with points at either of these hotels. I wanted to book nights using points for Jan 05 and tried several dates with no success. I then tried various random dates over the next 8 months or so at the Hyderbad Sheraton and still had no success. Anyone knows what is going on?

It'll be hard to get these hotels using points. They are always oversold. I often have to stay at the Taj in BLR (on paid stays) because the Windsor Sheraton is usually sold out. 2 out of my last 3 trips were like that. Stuck at the Taj (once at West End and once at Taj Residency)... definitely not as nice as the Sheraton. So, I believe that they are being honest when they say that point-stays are not available.


PS: One thing I should add that while the Taj hotels are not as nice as the Sheraton, their service tends to be at least 100% better than the Sheraton. The Sheraton staff have clearly become a bit cocky. Since their hotel is always oversold, they think that they can lower their service standards and get away with it. I'm not saying that they are rude, but they are simply not as attentive as the staff at the Taj hotels.

Thanks Nowhereman. I will very likely be looking into alternative options as well- perhaps a Taj property following your advice. However, I find it hard to believe the Sheratons in Hyderabad/Bangalore are so heavily booked for a period of 8 months. One can obvousy get a paid room for pretty much any date one likes at these properties. I do understand how playing around with room designations can yield the result that paid rooms are available but award rooms are not but that is perhaps a counter productive strategy for a property to follow. In your case, when you could not find an award availability, you chose to pay for a stay at a different hotel chain. I will very likely end up doing the same thing, and make even less effort (award or paid stay) to use a Sheraton in either of these cities in future.

Compare this to my stays in Bangkok, where I have fair success in finding an award stay in a Starwood room. But if I don't occasionally find an award room when I want it, I am happy to buy a paid stay within Starwood because I am used to these properties. However, it is possible that the Sheratons in Hyderbad/Bangalore do not have to compete in the same way as the Starwoods in Bangkok, so they can get away with their current business practices.

Just a quick clarification. I have never attempted to use points at a Starwood (or any other hotel, for that matter) in India. All my stays have been for business purposes and were paid for by my company. What I am saying is that it is often very difficult for paying customers to get a room at the BLR Sheraton.
Yes, I too have used points for stays in BKK and have quite easily found rooms. But BLR and HYD don't have the plethora of 5 star hotels that BKK does, so rooms are scarce.

I too have found the same thing at the BLR hotel - I have randomly tried various dates and found no availablity even though I was really only interested in 1 night in January.

The website shows a room for sale that is called standard but SPG confirmed it is not the room that would be available as an award. Starwood lurker did check for me and let me know that the BLR hotel did have a 'windsor suite' for the night I needed. Since this was a suite it was twice the points. I found it strange that the first spg rep I talked with did not see this or did not mention it to me.

Based on what the other posters indicated, I guess business is so good that the hotel is normally sold out. This would indicate the lack of award rooms.

I have never had a problem getting a room at the Sheraton in HYD. Sheraton Bangalore is a different story often enough.

Bangalore Leela and Sharaton are almost always fully booked for next 6 months. I work for a software company and we have offshore setup in Bangalore and 90% of the time none of us can get a room in these.

I see rooms available at the Windsor for November 7-9 when I need to be there, but only at rack rate of 275 USD per night. No corporate discounts.

How is the Le Meridien? It is only 195 USD for a club room with airport transfer.

Isn't there a Hilton resort in the vicinity of (or in) Bangalore still?

I have never had a problem getting a room at the Sheraton in HYD. Sheraton Bangalore is a different story often enough.

Me neither - My most recent trip was in February of this year. I decided to use my points for Sheraton Hyderabad while I was in India.. Went online and booked it - piece of cake!

I can imagine why Sheraton Bangalore would be tougher - When I travelled to India on business, I could never find a room there for even paid stays.

Good luck.
Kamala

I'm also wondering what the availability issue is with this hotel. I checked the last 2 weeks of February, first week of March, and all of April 2005 and nothing is available. It can't be that the hotel is sold out for all of these dates, can it???

I'm also wondering what the availability issue is with this hotel. I checked the last 2 weeks of February, first week of March, and all of April 2005 and nothing is available. It can't be that the hotel is sold out for all of these dates, can it???

Yes. It can. This hotel is home to a lot of high tech companies who have offices in Bangalore. My understanding is that they are sold out almost every night.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

The Bangalore Windsor Sheraton costs an arm and a leg, and it is difficult to book a room less than three weeks in the future. However, this is true for all of the few decent hotels in BLR.

The rooms are fine, nothing special.

The bathrooms are fine, nothing special.

The beds are excellent - firm with good bedding.

The service is excellent.

The restaurants are fine.

The gym is tiny and always full.

The barber shop is small and plain, but the current barber is very good.

The concierge service is good.

The grounds are pretty nice.

The housekeeping is very good.

They serve a nice buffet breakfast in the mornings with fresh croissants, partial English and Indian breakfast. Not at the level of the Oberoi, but nicely done and overlooking the classical pool area.

Any insight into better/worse/etc of the ITC Windsor & Le Meridien Bangalore?

No, sorry, I've never stayed at Le Meridien.

Does anyone know how many suites are available at this hotel? Or if they are available at all?

Does anyone know how many suites are available at this hotel? Or if they are available at all?

What do you mean? You're post is a bit vague.

Are you inquiring what suites are in the upgrade pool?

What do you mean? You're post is a bit vague.

Are you inquiring what suites are in the upgrade pool?


Does this hotel have suites? Yes/No
If yes, how many suites does the hotel have?

Does this hotel have suites? Yes/No
If yes, how many suites does the hotel have?

Consider this hotel running at 100% occupancy every day without any chance for upgrade. That would be the most honest description of the situation there. I've secured upgrades twice there, but I consider myslef very lucky in regards to those experiences.

Does this hotel have suites? Yes/No
If yes, how many suites does the hotel have?

Not enough. And demand is such that they manage to get people to pay up for them. Executive Suites for as little as say $250 one day sell for $600 on other days. India, the land of ridiculously expensive hotels. It wasn't anywhere close to this bad 3 or 4 years ago.

Agreed 100%. 2-3 years ago a 1st class hotel in New Delhi was about USD $100-125 (Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Marriott, etc.) and now these are going for $250-350 per night!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, I wanted to purchase a suite, but none appear to be available online.

Does anyone know the email address for this hotel? I actually have a few queries in addition to the suite question. :) TIA

Just completed a four-night stay on business here. Booked a deluxe room (non-towers) that included buffet breakfast and the cocktail hour mentioned in the previous post. As gold, I neither received nor expected an upgrade. I was given complimentary use of one of the meeting rooms for a several hour meeting one day.

Fruit (replenished daily) was a trio of apples.

Breakfast was standard hotel buffet with an Indo-Asian touch. You can get masala dosa to order, which I had three out of the two mornings.

Toiletries and amenities are apparently locally acquired and unique. I enjoyed them. They also include an eye mask, ear plugs, and couple of aromatherapy roll-on scents to relieve stress and aid sleep.

Service is excellent, but to be honest, sometimes you just want to be left alone. Multiple staff are everywhere and anxious to help, but, being so attentive, it can be unnerving to realize that they pretty much know your every move. I went to the complimentary cocktail hour on one of the nights and though I said nothing, the bartender could tell by the look on my face that I had a less-than postive reaction to the wine. He immediately poured it out and gave me a fresh glass. Didn't know he was paying that much attention!

I'd say the place is top notch and would stay there again, now that I know what to expect. Apparently this hotel is the choice of many foreign dignitaries (including, among others, the Dalai Lama and Tony Blair)

Stayed here as a gold for a little over 1 week. Booked a Towers room, and received an upgrade to a Towers Garden room (slightly larger, view of trees, no other significant differences).

The staff was amazing. I agree with the previous posters comments that it can sometimes be too much attention, but we had a stressful trip, and it was welcome to be catered to :)

The breakfast buffett is great, and there service staff there is great as well.

Even trying, I can't come up with a single negative about the trip. I would highly recommend the hotel.

Is free breakfast included in all rates? Is the Towers lounge that gorgeous atrium-style space or is that a public area?

Is free breakfast included in all rates? Is the Towers lounge that gorgeous atrium-style space or is that a public area?

I believe breakfast is included for all TOWERS rates - but not necessarily the regular part of the property.

The atrium is the Towers lounge. There is a bar there for happy hour and they serve a decent (but not great) selection of snacks to go along with it.

Just got back from a several day stay. Good room (upgraded to room with patio).

When I was checking in another guest was receiving a photo of them meeting the Dalai Lama, who had stayed there a few days early and met many of the guests apparently.

Be aware that depending on where the office where you are working is located the commute can be very long. Traffic in Bangalore is very congested. My trip was 45-90 minutes depending on the time I left.

The staff was amazing. I agree with the previous posters comments that it can sometimes be too much attention, but we had a stressful trip, and it was welcome to be catered to :)

Just came back after spending a few nights in Windsor. The staff makes efforts to converse, which is good after a long work day. But when two of them ask the same questions.. ;)

Rooms are getting a bit dated. But the evening club hours and some restaurant food was good.

The rates are now almost 40-60% of what they were last year and they claimed occupancy is over 50%.

The property offers upgrades from the regular to the tower rooms.

Stayed here for one night on an award stay (12k pts ouch!) in mid-May 2009.

Staff was very friendly. Pick up by the hotel from the airport cost around Rs2100.
No free wifi/internet anywhere.
Breakfast buffet was pricey -- around Rs1500 I believe on a weekday.
Lunch for two ran close to Rs3000, non-veg, no alcohol.

Pool was nice, as was the whirlpool. The dining area where the breakfast buffet is served overlooks the pool -- just an fyi for any of you shy folks since there will be quite a few gawkers while eating their breakfasts.

Staff was over-the-top friendly, to the point of annoying. I stayed at the Bangkok Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit the night before and they are also over-the-top friendly, but the staff at the SGS don't really go down the road of trying to have an actual conversation so it is a bit more sublime than at the Windsor.

As far as the location is concerned, I didn't really get a chance to walk out of the compound but it does not seem like there is much within quick walking distance.

One annoying point -- I took a taxi from the hotel to be dropped off about 15km away and the taxi driver charged me for the tip/distance to get back to the hotel. I've never experienced that before, I tried to argue about it but I gave up. Call down to the coincerge an hour in advance if you need a lower cost, metered taxi.

Pick up by the hotel from the airport cost around Rs2100.
Use metered taxi (radio cabs) which are equally comfortable and cost a third of this amount.

No free wifi/internet anywhere.
Agreed. The hotel does not give free internet, though the speed is good compared to some other hotels in this city.


Breakfast buffet was pricey -- around Rs1500 I believe on a weekday.
Must be for two. I remember it was close to 700 or so. But the spread is good and there's lots of good stuff.

The dining area where the breakfast buffet is served overlooks the pool -- just an fyi for any of you shy folks since there will be quite a few gawkers while eating their breakfasts.
;) go early or go late for a swim

As far as the location is concerned, I didn't really get a chance to walk out of the compound but it does not seem like there is much within quick walking distance.
You need to catch a rickshaw or a taxi. The nearest place is 3-4 km off.

One annoying point -- I took a taxi from the hotel to be dropped off about 15km away and the taxi driver charged me for the tip/distance to get back to the hotel. I've never experienced that before, I tried to argue about it but I gave up. Call down to the coincerge an hour in advance if you need a lower cost, metered taxi.
Agree. Metered taxi is the way to go.. !

Did you try the Kaya Kalp Spa? I liked it, even though its not the best this chain has.

What were the Plat benefits? Did you get a suite upgrade?