NBSPGMEMBER

Here is a mini review to start this thread:

I know that this hotel is not a favorite around the Boston area and is sometime forgotten. But I wanted to start an official thread for this Sheraton since it recently went through a major revamp and my experience over there was a good one. The guestrooms are all done, but the lobby, restaurant & meeting rooms are a work in progress at this time... the last time I was there was the end of August 2007. There was construction going on when I was there; lots of junk, trash and trucks around the property. As for the guestrooms, well everything looked new to me; carpet, wallpaper, furniture, lamps, linens, curtains, bathroom tiles, granite counter, faucets, but the tv, bathtub, bathroom door and the guestroom door itself was not new but in good condition. I was on the 11th floor (club floor). The only disapointment was that there was no HD flat panel tv, even in the club rooms, ah well, soon maybe. To me a great room is a great bed and a cool flat screen HDTV, it makes the room. The room smelled very strong; paint, glue and carpet, so it's a 2 week old room I would say. The AC worked fine (if somewhat noisy), it was around 95-100 degrees in Boston when I was there and it cooled the room nicely. The style of the rooms/hallways reminded me of the new Sheraton Framingham styled guestrooms, if not better. As a SPG Gold, I was upgraded to a club room and given breakfast coupons, this property scored many, many points in my book with this treatment. Maybe there's no plat members here ever, so they treat any SPG member nicely, I don't know. Nonetheless the property was quite full, so I felt lucky and happy to be upgraded. If there's a few negative things that I could say, it would be...
1. There were suspicious cars & suvs with "strange" characters driving around the parking lot late at night. They were just driving slowly and looking at the cars. There is a need for more patrol & security at this sprawling & isolated property, there is more than one entrance with the golf course & country club/sports club. I parked my rental car in the front of the hotel, where I could keep an eye on it...
2. Other than the manager who checked me in, the staff seemed "blah", not bad, not good, just depressed looking almost zombie-ish. Maybe it's the paint fumes, we'll see the next time I stay here. Renovations are never easy for the guests or the staff.
3. Only two very old, small & tired elevators in this 11 floor tower. It was always packed and a good wait was the norm.
BTW, this place has some competition from another Sheraton nonetheless; the Sheraton Ferncroft in Danvers just a bit further up the hill is also renovating, they're a bit more advanced though, if it's not already over.

sbtinme

Thanks for taking the time to post this thread. I am particularly interested to learn that this hotel is undergoing what sounds to be fairly significant renovations.

You're also right about this hotel being forgotten much of the time. It's not really in a core area for too many business travellers in the Boston area. It's sort of in the "middle of things" without accomplishing the goal of being "near" anything vital. It borders a nice enough golf club on one side and some not so nice areas on the other. I fully agree with your assessment about this hotel's failure to provide visible, uniformed security patrols at night. This property warrants it [and you can bet if Marriott were running it, you'd have visible security patrolling the lot 365 nights a year and one stationed inside the public areas of the hotel]. In all my stays, I cannot recall seeing any security personnel, but I can recall wishing there was one in that dark parking lot.

On the other hand, this property can often be had for cheap -- most especially when one considers that it's sort of at the doorstep of greater Boston. If one doesn't need to be center city, this hotel can work and often at less than half the price. Knowing that the new owners (sold about 18 monhts ago, I think) have committed to renovations to guest rooms before they were really worn out (my opinion from previous stays) says something.

I also agree with your assessment of all of the hotel employees I've ever encountered there. They are, indeed, zombielike. Just going through the motions. I remember being there last year and heading down to the bar for a drink before bedtime. Walking in to the bar felt like 1974! Very dated feeling and certainly not too clean. The bartendress was surprisingly old (not that I care, but how often does one see elderly bartenders at 10pm in hotel lounges?!?!?), I remember that. She couldn't have cared any less about what she was doing. Just getting through one more night. The bar was 80% empty, but everyone still had to flag her down just to get her attention for the slightest things. Ugh.

I don't have much occasion to stay at this hotel more than a time or two a year, but I'll be interested when I do get back here to see what they've done with the rooms.

NBSPGMEMBER

I was thinking of returning to this property since my last stay was a very good one. However, I recently heard about some more car break-ins at this property. It caught my attention because I also noticed some "suspicious" characters in the parking lot when I was there in August. This observation was also mentioned in my original post. Why is the property not doing anything about it??? I'm sure the management of this property is aware of the situation. But really, what's going on in the Peabody area, I thought the North Shore area was a relatively safe and quiet place. I guess I don't know the area that much, even if I've been there many times...

sbtinme

NB --

This hotel is right on the border of some great parts of the north shore and some not so great spots. Peabody is perfectly safe and plenty nice. However, the immediate area around this hotel is sort of a nebulous zone of "north Melrose" and maybe "west Saugus." These areas are, to some extent, sketchy. Regardless, there are certainly hotels in far far far worse locations within the US, yet hotel management works around that by hiring a competent, visible security staff to accomplish two primary goals:

1. make customers feel safe and comfortable

2. thwart theft and mischief on hotel property

Like you, I really hope this hotel wakes up to the need of having a solid security presence on premise. Shame on them for failing thus far.

derby44

I'll be staying at this hotel tomorrow night---now I'm a bit worried about car break-ins that is mentioned in this thread. The renovations sound nice and possible upgrade to club floor sounds great--but having to worry about the car is a bummer.

owner1

The hotel is actually in Wakefield on the Lynnfield/Saugus border, I live a couple exits up from the hotel and have stayed there many times without any problems. There really isnt anything around there to entice undesirables to hang around, but If you are still a little worried, insist your car be parked right outside the front entrance, and tell them why.

FV

NBSPGMEMBER

I'm sorry if I worried some members here, it's not the purpose of my comment. I just wish the hotel would do something about this issue... I also want to tell others to keep an eye out. Being aware, will deter a thief or vandal; park near the front entrance or close to the building itself and next to some outdoor lighting, lock your doors and don't leave anything in your car that is visible from the outside. Telling the hotel of your worries can only help, I will tell them again next time I'm there. Other than this matter this is a good suburban Sheraton property and I recommend it to others.

owner1; I know the hotel is in Wakefield, my bad for mentioning Peabody, it's just that when I heard about it they mentioned the ''Peabody area of the North Shore''!?, I don't know why, you probably know better than me.

owner1

NO Problem, I was just suprised to hear that this property had theft issues out in their parking lot. Believe me I would be very upset if I came out and my car was broken into and the hotel was not doing anything to get undesirables off the property.

FV

Flews

What a dump!

We stayed there twice in September. The second time, we left the same day we checked in because we couldn't stand to stay overnight.

Bad service. Worst lounge I have ever seen. (One night they 'forgot' the snacks!) Someone else's food tray left outside our door at check-in still there when we checked out two days later (and yes Lurker, I personally complained to the front desk every single day. They did nothing about it).

Breakfast buffet wasn't too bad, I guess - at least we didn't get ill. Although it wasn't ready when we showed up at 7 am!

All in all, probably the worst *Wood experience I've ever had. Which, given I have stayed in hundreds and hundreds of *Wood properties, is saying a lot!

sbtinme

I don't disagree with you here -- it's like walking into 1974. Sloppy surroundings and surly barstaff. Why does Starwood allow this sort of ultra-dated Holiday Inn mid 1970s bar to exist in a newly remodeled property?!?!?

NBSPGMEMBER

Hum... very different from the experience I had in August 2007. Maybe not all guestrooms are redone. Mine was very nice and very new. Wasn't this place a Hilton before and not a Holiday Inn?

sbtinme

Yep -- it was the Colonial Hilton for many many years before reflagging to Sheraton. However, the lounge reminds me of every Holiday Inn lounge from the mid 1970s.

derby44

Stayed at this property last Friday--as gold unfortunately ( or maybe fortunately?) I wasn't upgraded to the club floor--I was upgraded to a junior suite on the first floor. Parked in front of the hotel with no problems. I've stayed in much worse properties-------including the very next night Saturday the 22nd---at the Sheraton Ferncroft in Danvers. Unfriendly staff--new rooms with wallpaper already pealing and a club room closed with furniture upside down and who knows how long it's been out of service. If you stay at this property be prepared to deal with MANY kids/children--not that it's bad--however very noisy. The Cococay Water park attracts many families and after a visitors pass to check it out--it's definitely for kids up to maybe 12 years old. Said hello to the chambermaid and gentleman picking up sheets on the floor and might as well been talking to the walls. The check in person also seemed annoyed that I asked for no folio slipped under the door---rather please mail or fax. Will stay at these two properties two more times each for SPG promotion. Did mention my concern with car breakins at the Colonial--but told not to worry.

NBSPGMEMBER

Even if this Sheraton is usually the cheapest property in the Boston area (year round), it is creeping up to Category 3 in March. Interestingly, the hotel is now called ; Sheraton Colonial Wakefield Hotel and not Sheraton Colonial Hotel & Golf Club Boston North.

pvd2mco

According to an article in North Shore Golf magazine, the Colonial golf course has been sold to a developer. It will be open for 2008 in the current format but after that it will be redeveloped into "a combination retail/residential/9-hole complex." Just what we don't need: more condominiums and strip malls!