Starwood Preferred Guest - ? I'll start here. Lebanon and Jordan. Sheratons.

I would like to visit Beirut, Lebanon (BEY) and Amman, Jordan (AMM). Onward to Petra from AMM. I notice each has a Sheraton. Anyone have comments on the properties? Travel between BEY and AMM or vice versa. Tour from AMM to Petra. Any information helpful. Also what carrier would you take into BEY or AMM? Any information great. Thanks

Did a trip to Jordan in Nov. 2001. Virtually no tourists (as you might imagine after 9/11), but a terrific experience with very friendly people.
Did fly with LH into AMM (on LH points). Stayed in the Hyatt (sorry no experience on the Sheraton since I wanted to burn some Hyatt points at that time). I definitively can recommend the Hyatt. Very good and friendly staff. Due to the really early arrival of the LH plane (3:30 a.m.) we were at the hotel at 4:30 a.m. and had of course a reservation only for the next night. Nevertheless they gave us already a room at no charge and we could catch some hour of sleep. In Amman you can go around very easy by car. After 2 days getting used to th crazy drivers we rented a car to go to the sights in the vincinity like Jerash (a must see). To Petra we drove in one day from AMM with stopping at Mt. Nebo in between. The scenic route is long day, there is also a highway which is rather boring, but faster. In Petra plan to spend at least two days. If you really want to see the city you have to walk a lot, since some of the best sights are a bit off. I stayed at the Crown Plaza (at that time still the Forum). That one boost to be the one closest to the old city, which is true, but since you have to walk 2 km to the entrance anyhow, 100 m more or less does not matter at all.
You could do also Wadi Rum from Petra if you want. The red sea (Aqaba) is not worth it. Small beach a few reefs. There are definitively better places at the red sea.
If you need more information, drop me a line.
Enjoy your trip.

Dampfolk Very nice. Thank you. I will contact when I start planning. Anyone with information on the Sheratons? Thanks

Bump.

Any info on the Amman Sheraton in particular. At about GBP45 a night it seems like a bargain for a long weekend.

I stayed in Amman last December. All of the hotels were empty and very cheap. The Sheraton is rather tired. I moved after 1 night to Le Royal which was VERY nice, presumably because very new. Like many places, nice hotels seem to get built in Amman but they are either built cheaply or not well maintained and they fade quickly.

I stayed at the Sheraton Coral Beach in Beirut in 2002. It's a very modern hotel, reminiscent of a "classy" more "traditional" W-type hotel. As a Gold, I was upgraded to a junior suite and provided with an amenity (forget what it was).

THE GOOD:

Decor: Beautiful hotel -- it was brand new when we were there; in fact still under construction in many parts
Breakfast buffet: Fantastic spread with breads, fruits, jams, juices... very tasty with wide selection and good patio service
Gym: Very well equipped fitness facility with on-hand trainers
Staff: Polite and courteous -- they knew they were working at a fine hotel and went out of their way to serve well


THE NOT-SO-GOOD:

Location: A lot may have changed since I was there, but the hotel isn't located in a great area. I certainly wasn't ready to go out and take an evening stroll... Walking down the pier, you could look left and right and see the ruins of Lebanon. I never feared for my safety (good security and drivers) but at the same time I wasn't free to saunter about.
No Alarm Clock: Minor detail, my room wasn't equipped with an alarm clock -- had to use the TV alarm which was slightly annoying (it played an irritating song softly at first then progressively getting louder and louder until you turned it off)

I was in BEY about 6 weeks ago and had a look at the Sheraton. The surrounding area hasn't improved !.

Just back from 2 stays at the Amman Sheraton. Overall, I was very, very impressed and would happily go back.

We were upgraded to a junior suite on the Towers Floor both times (Plat member) and the new European amenity was offered without fuss. Should anyone be interested, the local gift is a pack of Dead Sea treatments. The junior suites are nicely set up - not super luxurious but very comfortable. The Towers lounge offers a decent breakfast buffet with hot and cold choices, along with a drinks from 5.30-7.30. Not bad for USD85 per night.

The staff are very friendly in the best traditions of Middle Eastern hospitality though things can get a little bit chaotic when busy - also in line with Middle Eastern tradition. The hotel was surprisingly busy - mostly with Americans enroute to or from Baghdad. The location is pretty good for the upmarket areas of Sheimeishani and Abdoun. It is a bit further into Downtown but taxis are super cheap - no more than USD3.

Can anyone comment on the Towers lounge at the Sheraton Amman? What are the food presentations like? Are they open on weekends?

Can the hotel arrange airport transportation?

How are the Towers Level rooms?

Can anyone comment on the Towers lounge at the Sheraton Amman? What are the food presentations like? Are they open on weekends?

The food presentations are OK - snack food i.e spring rolls etc. Nothing special, but when are lounge presentations anything else? Waiter service for booze which is nice

Can the hotel arrange airport transportation?

Yes, for about USD25 if memory is working. We got picked up in a truly hilarious white stretch Mercedes. :D Call the hotel to sort the pick up out - the staff speak excellent English, and will ensure Hertz get someone there to meet you.

How are the Towers Level rooms?

Our suite was classically decorated, but in good repair and very comfortable. The photo on spg.com is a good representation.