FatBoyYVR

I agree, you dont want to stay in a standard room. Nasty. You might find that it is not much more to book a paid exec room, I have often seen about a 10 pounds difference (and sometimes the same price). I find this is a hotel that it is really worth looking through all the available rates for. Often the internet only rate is more expensive than some of their other rates etc.

venk

As others have said, the standard (read non-renovated) rooms were very bad. Smelly, moldy, etc., with outdated power and phone connection points. Don't know how many of them are still unrenovated but you are likely to find yourself there (or next to the janitor closets which can get extremely noisy in the morning) if you land up on a busy day and that is something that should be avoided.

I have considered this type of situation myself for that area and have come to the conclusion that getting a PL stay at Sheraton Skyline down the road (not the one being discussed above) for between $60-$65+taxes is a much better solution than points at this hotel since neither of them earn stay credit. It is very easy to assure the skyline for PL.

If you really don't want to spend the money and have plenty of points, then even consider the 7000 point stay at the Skyline.

mario33

I have booked 2 award stays at the Sheraton Heathrow.

On the reservation confirmation email, there was a section that says that I was able to upgrade to the executive room with sweet sleeper bed for GBP25.

Has any SPG Gold been upgraded to the better rooms or should I just pay the GBP25 ?

SNA1K

I just had a go around with this hotel on that very point. The "wonderful" Sheraton Heathrow considers these executive rooms to be a level about a premier room to which a Gold upgrade is entitled. Therefore, they will not give out this upgrade unless they are lightly sold and you get a lucky agent. Although I have received this 80% of the time the last time I did not and spoke with the manager. She made note that I should have never received this upgrade and has put a remark in my file should I ever request it again.

Note that these rooms are all identical size with similar, albeit newer, furniture arrangements. The only real difference is that the executive rooms are in a part of the hotel that can receive T-Mobile WiFi. The only thing that I really want is to utilize the WiFi and get some work done while at the hotel and they tell me to just "come to the lobby and use it." Personally, I think this is an outrageous way to assure that a businessperson needs to pay an extra GBP25 just to have WiFi access in their room. There should be no reason that these "executive" rooms are not available to very regular gold customers.

Personally, this hotel has lost my 12-15 visits per year after this last go around, as has Starwood.

venk

The executive rooms are typically given as the Plat upgrade in most cases. Getting a suite in 3400s is a hit and miss.

While this is not my favorite hotel (albeit a cheap and convenient one), I am not sure there is a case to be made here for Golds for what is typically given as a Plat upgrade.

Despite SPG's false advertising for Gold privileges, no hotel is required to provide upgrades to a room for Golds for which they charge additional in points or money. It will be a "preferred" room within the same catergory you have booked. SPG will continue to set wrong expectations with the Golds and we will continue to see posts like this.

GUWonder

You cannot sleep in the unrenovated rooms. They have literally the worst beds I have ever TRIED to sleep on. [If you sleep, you'll probably wake up with back problems.]

... and they have the audacity to advertise renovated rooms with good beds on the website.

If Golds and Plats get this kind of "welcome", then one understands why I would never recommend the Sheraton LHR.

mario33

Yes, I like your second post ^ It gives a more balanced view of what to expect rather than what I "should" receive.

venk

Relax, I am not postulating what Golds should get but explaining what SPG really is and what the situation is in this particular hotel.

1. The quote you have from the SPG web site is exactly the quote that is false advertising, in my opinion, in SPG description of Gold benefits. While some hotels may give you an "upgrade" on their own to a room that would have cost more or required more points, the program does not require them to nor can you ask for enforcement according to the benefits statement when they do not. If they have put you away from the elevators and not downgraded you, thet have satisfied the program rules. The norm is that as a Gold you do not get an "upgrade" to a different category. In most cases, you get a room on the SPG floor which is the same type of room and the only difference is the plaque on the corridors. Also note that this is subject to availability not a guarantee.

2. In this particular hotel at Heathrow, the executive rooms are the "best available" except for the few suites (which are pre-renovation so it is a toss-up whether they are better or not depending on what you are looking for). So these executive rooms are typically given as Plat upgrades. For Golds to have an expectation that the hotel must upgrade them to these rooms is, in my opinion, unrealistic given the program benefits and what is available in this hotel. In my opinion, it is SPG's false advertising that creates this higher expectation. I am not stating that Golds shouldn't/

3. I believe they have a category that describes the rooms as "smart" rooms which are essentially renovated rooms but not "executive rooms" but I have not noticed any difference between them. Don't know if Golds are entitled to these as "preferred" rooms. But I could be wrong on this categorization.

If you get an upgrade to these rooms, great. I am happy for you but I am just trying to get you to manage your expectations as far as this particular hotel is concerned.

I was a gold once too.

GUWonder

Most SPG Plats who go in expecting nothing will still be disappointed, for this hotel, even without SPG benefits, is not akin to any other Sheraton stayed at. Indeed, this would be one of the lowest end Four Points around.

"A mediocre standard" is a very kind phrase. Those who get a non-renovated room (that's most everyone besides Plats and occassionally including some Plats) should expect an old Hampton Inn or new Motel 6 at best.

PremEx

I've stayed at both of these properties many, many times in the last 2 years and granted I'm not a Gold member (I'm Platinum), but I've had really good service and excellent Platinum recognition and upgrades at both LHR Airport Sheratons. And on cheap rates too. I don't think I've ever paid more than 85GBP at the Skyline and no more than 65GBP at the Sheraton Heathrow (and often less).

All of my rooms and beds have been fine or excellent, although regular rooms can be a bit small at these two.

Here are some photos of just a few of them I've had on different occasions:

Sheraton London Heathrow Airport - Executive Room
http://members.aol.com/premexfiles/sherLHR1312.jpg

Sheraton London Heathrow Airport - Executive Room (newest design)
http://members.aol.com/premexfiles/sherLHR1219.jpg

Sheraton Skyline Hotel London Heathrow Airport - Executive Room
http://members.aol.com/premexfiles/sherSKY1044.jpg

Sheraton Skyline Hotel London Heathrow Airport - The York Suite
http://members.aol.com/premexfiles/sherskyLHRyork.jpg

Sheraton Skyline Hotel London Heathrow Airport - The Edinburgh Suite
http://members.aol.com/premexfiles/sherSKYedinburgh.jpg

At the Skyline, just be sure you don't get an inside pool/atrium view room, as that's where the bar is and it's a pretty happening place with live band at times. And that can keep you awake if you're trying to get to bed early.

KyRoamer

Am flying into LHR from SNN arriving about 10:30 am. My goal is to drop my bags, head to town, return to sleep and get to the airport in the morning to meet Princess Line rep for transportation to Southampton. Which Sheraton at Heathrow will serve me best, Skyline or Heathrow. I am platinum.

I need to get from airport to hotel to tube/train to London and then back from tube/train around midnight to hotel. Is one hotel better located or have better access. i will stay on points 4,000 for Heathrow or 7,000 for Skyline. Is Skyline worth the extra 3.000 points?

boolean64

I did a similar thing over the summer...arrived in the morning, spent the day visiting friends in central London, and took the last tube back out to Heathrow to get some sleep before my flight the next morning.

I picked the Sheraton Heathrow and it was completely servicable. It's close, the rooms are a decent size, the bed is comfortable enough (not sweet sleeper at the time), and the shower works. Based on various reports here, the Skyline is apparently a better hotel that treats its platinum guests better. But if all you're doing is crashing and waking up early, unclear you'll get value out of being treated better. Unfortunately, have never stayed at the Skyline so cannot do a direct comparison.

There's a bus that runs between several hotels and LHR. Comes by every 20 minutes or so and takes 10-15 minutes from the Sheraton Heathrow to the airport. It's under 2GBP compared with an 8 quid cab ride. I don't know how late the bus runs, as I just hopped a cab when I got back to Heathrow in the evening.

An alternative you might consider is to leave your bags at the checked luggage counter in Heathrow and head straight into central london and check into the hotel with a day-pack and a change of clothes when you get back in the evening. This will save you probably at least an hour and save you some money as well.

boolean64

The Hoppa is what I used. very convenient...stops right outside the front door of the hotel. The concierge has a schedule.

NickW

The Skyline has bigger rooms. The Heathrow is cheaper. Both have the Sweet Sleeper bed in the Executive Rooms (to which I have never failed to be upgraded as a Platinum). It sounds like you're going to be there only for the period when you're asleep, so I'd call it about even. Travel time on the Hotel Hoppa bus is basically identical and the price is the same.

There's no way I'd spend the SPG points on these kind of low-value properties. 7,000 points for the Skyline vs. 10,000 for the Westin Palace in Milan or the Belgravia/Park Lane in London? No way.

Breakfast at both places is an expensive rip-off so get it in your rate if you need it. The Skyline has a place in the property where you can get a toasted bagel with cream cheese to take away for about £3 though.

luckypierre

the LHR sheraton is an adequate airport hotel, however, the food costs are modern europe at its best-fish and chips at 17.50 UK pounds, or over 30 usd.