Sheraton Dubai Creek [Master Thread]
Nov 18, 2004, 11:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Programs: AA EXP, BA Gold, UA LT-Gold, SPG Plat, HH Dia, Hyatt Dia, MR Gold
Posts: 2,221
Sheraton Dubai Creek [Master Thread]
I have a trip coming up to Dubai next week and given the choices of hotels, I wonder if Sheraton Dubai Creek is worth AED1200 (US$326) +20% tax
Any suggestions on getting a lower rate?
Also, does anyone have recent stays at the Four Points and Sheraton Deira in Dubai?
Any suggestions on getting a lower rate?
Also, does anyone have recent stays at the Four Points and Sheraton Deira in Dubai?
Nov 19, 2004, 1:01 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Europe & Middle East
Programs: BA GGL (LTG), Marriott LT Titanium, EK Plat, Amex Cent
Posts: 899
Originally Posted by ws8n
I have a trip coming up to Dubai next week and given the choices of hotels, I wonder if Sheraton Dubai Creek is worth AED1200 (US$326) +20% tax
Any suggestions on getting a lower rate?
Also, does anyone have recent stays at the Four Points and Sheraton Deira in Dubai?
Any suggestions on getting a lower rate?
Also, does anyone have recent stays at the Four Points and Sheraton Deira in Dubai?
Nov 19, 2004, 1:37 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Bangkok
Programs: NH-SFC, SPG-LTP, MR-P, HH-G
Posts: 85
I used to stay in there at least 3 times per 1 year since 1998.
The renovation of Sheraton Dubai Creek has been completed already, and it is a good hotel to me to enjoy staying in there.
I used to get a standard room rate at AED400-500, or a Tower room rate at AED600-700 from spg.com, or sometimes from sales person in Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel.
The hotel driver can wait for you inside Dubai airport facility since they have a permission from the government. So, after you pick up your luggage from baggage claim, just go to pass the X-ray scan section and look for the driver who will have a board of Sheraton Dubai Creek. It is complementary hotel transportation as well as the airport transportation at your departure.
Advance request is required.
I have also stayed at Sheraton Deira Hotel while Sheraton Dubai Creek had been renovated. It was also nice hotel, but as my personal preference, I like Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel. Only Internet connection is poor as compare with Hilton Dubai Creek, although there is one PC, which is high-speed Internet connection, in the Tower lounge as free usage for only Tower floor stayers and SPG Platinum members.
I am sure that there are many great hotels in Dubai and some of them may be better than Sheraton. But I always prefer to stay in Sheraton Dubai Creel Hotel since they treat me well as an SPG Platinum.
Also, I can get more benefits with my Cities of the Sun member card now.
The renovation of Sheraton Dubai Creek has been completed already, and it is a good hotel to me to enjoy staying in there.
I used to get a standard room rate at AED400-500, or a Tower room rate at AED600-700 from spg.com, or sometimes from sales person in Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel.
The hotel driver can wait for you inside Dubai airport facility since they have a permission from the government. So, after you pick up your luggage from baggage claim, just go to pass the X-ray scan section and look for the driver who will have a board of Sheraton Dubai Creek. It is complementary hotel transportation as well as the airport transportation at your departure.
Advance request is required.
I have also stayed at Sheraton Deira Hotel while Sheraton Dubai Creek had been renovated. It was also nice hotel, but as my personal preference, I like Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel. Only Internet connection is poor as compare with Hilton Dubai Creek, although there is one PC, which is high-speed Internet connection, in the Tower lounge as free usage for only Tower floor stayers and SPG Platinum members.
I am sure that there are many great hotels in Dubai and some of them may be better than Sheraton. But I always prefer to stay in Sheraton Dubai Creel Hotel since they treat me well as an SPG Platinum.
Also, I can get more benefits with my Cities of the Sun member card now.
Nov 19, 2004, 4:39 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Programs: AA EXP, BA Gold, UA LT-Gold, SPG Plat, HH Dia, Hyatt Dia, MR Gold
Posts: 2,221
Strange as it is, I am unable to pull up any classic rooms. The only ones available are towers level or exec suites, which could justify the high rate. This is really strange.
Nov 20, 2004, 8:58 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
I have stayed there a few times early this year and I like this hotel. Great restaurants! The rooms are not extremely well appointed, but my Plat upgrades have always been to large rooms. The Towers lounge in the lobby is nice.
But $300 is far more than I've ever payed. It's usually $120 or so for me.
But $300 is far more than I've ever payed. It's usually $120 or so for me.
Jan 13, 2005, 3:21 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: South Bend, IN
Programs: AA EXP 3 MM; Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 18,560
Sheraton Dubai Creek Questions (merged thread)
Hi All,
Does anyone know the hours of the Towers check-in at this hotel?
I'm staying at this hotel for the nights of Feb. 15, 16 and 17 in a Towers Creek view room. I will be arriving on the BA 107 at 11:10 p.m., and I would assume I'll be arriving at the hotel around midnight. I have arranged the free transport to the hotel for Towers guests through the PLT Concierge.
Thanks!
Does anyone know the hours of the Towers check-in at this hotel?
I'm staying at this hotel for the nights of Feb. 15, 16 and 17 in a Towers Creek view room. I will be arriving on the BA 107 at 11:10 p.m., and I would assume I'll be arriving at the hotel around midnight. I have arranged the free transport to the hotel for Towers guests through the PLT Concierge.
Thanks!
Jan 13, 2005, 9:20 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Yes it will be open. The "Towers" room is actually in the lobby next to the Front desk. So even if you don't see anyone at the Towers desk, just go sit down and someone will arrive quickly. Plus the doorman should arrange things.
Jan 19, 2005, 10:17 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold,Starwood Platinum
Posts: 17
Sheraton Dubai Creek Questions (merged thread)
I am a UK citizen and visit the Middle East frequently in the course of business, staying most often at Starwood group hotels in the region. I am SPG Platinum and I always book via the SPG website. As it is business I will normally take the lowest priced room and typically be given an upgrade because of my Platinum Status.
I have stayed at this hotel on many occasions previously doing exactly this to make my reservation, without problem.
On this occasion I booked as usual and was given a confirmation number of 683128558 (Starwood Lurker please note) for 2 rooms one for myself and one for a colleague also SPG Platinum, checking in on the 13th Jan 2005 and checking out 14th Jan 2005. The rate was 485 UAE Dhirams less taxes per room.
Upon arrival on Thursday 13th Jan 2005 around 6 p.m. we went to check in, and were told that the rate we had booked was for day rate only 9.00 am until 6.00 p.m. and that to stay overnight would be 780 UAE Dhirams per room less taxes. This came as a surprise, as no where in the rate plan or room details had it been evident that this was a booking for day occupancy only, indeed the booking screen calendar had confirmed arrival as 13th and departure 14th. Also in my limited SPG experience albeit only 5 years I have never known a hotel to promote day only occupancy through a web site.
On querying this with the deputy manager, he said it was clearly evident on the booking screen that this was a day occupancy rate. We asked him to demonstrate this by accessing the SPG website and showing us where it was so clearly evident. After 30 minutes of attempting to do so with a great many projected future reservations he was unable to do so.
We had now been attempting to check in for nearly an hour and requested to clarify the situation with his manager, at all times during this process there was an extreme lack of customer service, with the attitude being presented that the Hotel was always right and we were wrong to question the Hotel.
We then asked to talk to a more senior person in the hotel and after a further 10 minutes wait a Mr George Kamel the Director of Guest Services came to the SPG check in to see us. He continued to promote "the guest is never right" atittude to myself and my colleague.
When we queried that the deputy manager was unable to demonstrate that the day rate plan was evident when we booked on the web, and could he explain to us. He said that this rate could not be future booked as the posting had been withdrawn by his staff from the SPG website therefore he could not show us how evident the Day rate information was at the time of our booking. Upon further questions from myself was it in the room description field? was it in the rate description field? He admitted that it wasn`t. He said that it was stated in another area in the rate details and that I should have clicked on the rate details box to view this information at the time of booking. I said I hadn`t considered it necessary to view this box when making my reservation as I considered I was familiar with the taxes etc applicable to the rate in the UAE.
By this time (we were in the Towers check) several other SPG guests were agreeing with us, in that they always booked on the top level details presented on the web site. Mr Kamel then advised that in future we should be more carefull in how we make our reservations.
I was seething, and still am, at such an arrogant atittude towards customers
We would have immediately left and checked into the Intercontinental Hotel a few hundred yards from the Sheraton Dubai Creek if it hadn`t been so late in the evening. We took the Sheraton room at the new rate but declined to accept or use any SPG privileges such as a room upgrade or use of the towers lounge as we wished to indicate that we were now accepting the room rate not through choice, but by compulsion.
I am sorry about the length of this posting but as you can probably sense I am very angry about the whole fiasco.
I would welcome any feedback from the Starwood Lurker
Gulf Clubber
I have stayed at this hotel on many occasions previously doing exactly this to make my reservation, without problem.
On this occasion I booked as usual and was given a confirmation number of 683128558 (Starwood Lurker please note) for 2 rooms one for myself and one for a colleague also SPG Platinum, checking in on the 13th Jan 2005 and checking out 14th Jan 2005. The rate was 485 UAE Dhirams less taxes per room.
Upon arrival on Thursday 13th Jan 2005 around 6 p.m. we went to check in, and were told that the rate we had booked was for day rate only 9.00 am until 6.00 p.m. and that to stay overnight would be 780 UAE Dhirams per room less taxes. This came as a surprise, as no where in the rate plan or room details had it been evident that this was a booking for day occupancy only, indeed the booking screen calendar had confirmed arrival as 13th and departure 14th. Also in my limited SPG experience albeit only 5 years I have never known a hotel to promote day only occupancy through a web site.
On querying this with the deputy manager, he said it was clearly evident on the booking screen that this was a day occupancy rate. We asked him to demonstrate this by accessing the SPG website and showing us where it was so clearly evident. After 30 minutes of attempting to do so with a great many projected future reservations he was unable to do so.
We had now been attempting to check in for nearly an hour and requested to clarify the situation with his manager, at all times during this process there was an extreme lack of customer service, with the attitude being presented that the Hotel was always right and we were wrong to question the Hotel.
We then asked to talk to a more senior person in the hotel and after a further 10 minutes wait a Mr George Kamel the Director of Guest Services came to the SPG check in to see us. He continued to promote "the guest is never right" atittude to myself and my colleague.
When we queried that the deputy manager was unable to demonstrate that the day rate plan was evident when we booked on the web, and could he explain to us. He said that this rate could not be future booked as the posting had been withdrawn by his staff from the SPG website therefore he could not show us how evident the Day rate information was at the time of our booking. Upon further questions from myself was it in the room description field? was it in the rate description field? He admitted that it wasn`t. He said that it was stated in another area in the rate details and that I should have clicked on the rate details box to view this information at the time of booking. I said I hadn`t considered it necessary to view this box when making my reservation as I considered I was familiar with the taxes etc applicable to the rate in the UAE.
By this time (we were in the Towers check) several other SPG guests were agreeing with us, in that they always booked on the top level details presented on the web site. Mr Kamel then advised that in future we should be more carefull in how we make our reservations.
I was seething, and still am, at such an arrogant atittude towards customers
We would have immediately left and checked into the Intercontinental Hotel a few hundred yards from the Sheraton Dubai Creek if it hadn`t been so late in the evening. We took the Sheraton room at the new rate but declined to accept or use any SPG privileges such as a room upgrade or use of the towers lounge as we wished to indicate that we were now accepting the room rate not through choice, but by compulsion.
I am sorry about the length of this posting but as you can probably sense I am very angry about the whole fiasco.
I would welcome any feedback from the Starwood Lurker
Gulf Clubber
Jan 19, 2005, 10:29 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rheinberg
Programs: LH SEN, SPG Plat, HH Diamond, BA blue
Posts: 259
Thanks for Your posting. I've booked this hotel from 6th to 7th february 2005, tower level 645 plus tax. I'm plat too. Will see what will happend by arriving. I made this reservation in february 2004.
Jan 19, 2005, 2:29 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: South Bend, IN
Programs: AA EXP 3 MM; Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 18,560
Sheraton Dubai Creek Platinum Amenity and a Minor Warning
Hi All,
Just got back from a three night stay at this hotel. Overall, a very positive experience. I was upgraded to a junior suite on a Towers floor (had booked a regular Towers room), with a good view of Dubai Creek.
The hotel is triangular shpaed, with most rooms having a Creek view. The point of the triangle faces the Creek, so depending on which side of the triange your room is located, you either a view up the Creek or down the Creek. While both views are nice, I would think the down the Creek view is more interesting, as you will see more dhow action and more of the Deira skyline. The up creek view offers a good view of the Emirates Towers and, at night when the haze has dissapated, a very distant view of the Burj al Arab. From what I could tell from the floor plan on the back of the door, the only junior suite on the floor faced up the Creek.
The one downer was the Platinum amenity. I was not offered the 500 points, but only a mystery local gift, a $10 mini bar credit and soem other things of minimal value. I chose the mini bar credit, but consider a $10 credit (not $10 per day), pretty chinsey. I thought all Starwood hotels except those in Europe offered the 500 (or 250 for a 4 Points) points and I am pretty sure I was offered the points at the Sheraton el Gezirah in Cairo last year. William, should I have been offered the points?
Now for the warning. For the Dubai Shopping Festival, which lasts until February 12, Dubai stages a fireworks show every night at 8 PM. The fireworks are launched from a barge on the Creek, which is positioned right outside the hotel, making for a perfect view of the pyrotechnics. However, if you do not realize that the show is starting, you (if are like me), will just hear and incredible loud explosion that sounds like it is coming from within the hotel. So, if around 8 PM you hear a large boom, it is in all likelihood not a truck bomb, but the fireworks display.
Just got back from a three night stay at this hotel. Overall, a very positive experience. I was upgraded to a junior suite on a Towers floor (had booked a regular Towers room), with a good view of Dubai Creek.
The hotel is triangular shpaed, with most rooms having a Creek view. The point of the triangle faces the Creek, so depending on which side of the triange your room is located, you either a view up the Creek or down the Creek. While both views are nice, I would think the down the Creek view is more interesting, as you will see more dhow action and more of the Deira skyline. The up creek view offers a good view of the Emirates Towers and, at night when the haze has dissapated, a very distant view of the Burj al Arab. From what I could tell from the floor plan on the back of the door, the only junior suite on the floor faced up the Creek.
The one downer was the Platinum amenity. I was not offered the 500 points, but only a mystery local gift, a $10 mini bar credit and soem other things of minimal value. I chose the mini bar credit, but consider a $10 credit (not $10 per day), pretty chinsey. I thought all Starwood hotels except those in Europe offered the 500 (or 250 for a 4 Points) points and I am pretty sure I was offered the points at the Sheraton el Gezirah in Cairo last year. William, should I have been offered the points?
Now for the warning. For the Dubai Shopping Festival, which lasts until February 12, Dubai stages a fireworks show every night at 8 PM. The fireworks are launched from a barge on the Creek, which is positioned right outside the hotel, making for a perfect view of the pyrotechnics. However, if you do not realize that the show is starting, you (if are like me), will just hear and incredible loud explosion that sounds like it is coming from within the hotel. So, if around 8 PM you hear a large boom, it is in all likelihood not a truck bomb, but the fireworks display.
Jan 19, 2005, 3:41 pm
#12
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Originally Posted by PresRDC
...The one downer was the Platinum amenity. I was not offered the 500 points, but only a mystery local gift, a $10 mini bar credit and soem other things of minimal value. I chose the mini bar credit, but consider a $10 credit (not $10 per day), pretty chinsey. I thought all Starwood hotels except those in Europe offered the 500 (or 250 for a 4 Points) points and I am pretty sure I was offered the points at the Sheraton el Gezirah in Cairo last year. William, should I have been offered the points?...
By the way, EAME stands for Europe, Africa & Middle East.
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Cast your vote! Visit www.freddieawards.com and choose your favorite frequent travel programs today.
Jan 19, 2005, 4:19 pm
#13
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Originally Posted by gulf clubber
...I would welcome any feedback from the Starwood Lurker
Gulf Clubber
Gulf Clubber
When I looked at your reservation, the rate plan id was DAYBREAK, which means that it was a day use rate reservation. The database will always generate a next day check-out date on these day use rates as you cannot search it for less than a single day.
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Cast your vote! Visit www.freddieawards.com and choose your favorite frequent travel programs today.
Last edited by Starwood Lurker; Jan 19, 2005 at 4:23 pm
Jan 19, 2005, 10:51 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
You should have tried the gift. When I did it was a nice silver picture frame with an Arabian carving type thing of a camel and palm tree.
Jan 20, 2005, 2:55 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold,Starwood Platinum
Posts: 17
William,
thank you for your prompt response, can you confirm that the rate plan i.d. Daybreak was "clearly visible" on the web site at the time of my reservation, I don`t believe it was.
I don`t think my complaining directly to the hotel will make one jot of difference. Their atitude when I was present at the hotel was simply appalling, why should it be any different if I contact them remotely.
Next time I am in Dubai, I will simply take my custom to a different hotel group.
regards
Gulf Clubber
thank you for your prompt response, can you confirm that the rate plan i.d. Daybreak was "clearly visible" on the web site at the time of my reservation, I don`t believe it was.
I don`t think my complaining directly to the hotel will make one jot of difference. Their atitude when I was present at the hotel was simply appalling, why should it be any different if I contact them remotely.
Next time I am in Dubai, I will simply take my custom to a different hotel group.
regards
Gulf Clubber