A couple of recent articles from the
Arizona Republic about the opening of the new Sheraton Phoenix Downtown:
'Republic' reporter surveys classy Sheraton next door
by Dawn Gilbertson
The Arizona Republic
As assignments go, this one was pretty cushy.
Anonymously check into the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown on opening night and report back on the plush new pillows, the oversized gym, the restaurant, the Internet cafe, the lap pool, you name it. One colleague wanted a rundown on the minibar.
Let me start by saying this overnight stay didn't break the corporate bank: I snagged a $101 opening special on the hotel's Web site (it's still available this month). I walked over, avoiding the $23 overnight valet-parking fee. And I brought my own wine but never got to open it - more on that later.
This was old-fashioned neighborhood reporting. The Sheraton is so close to The Arizona Republic that we can make out guests' swim strokes from the ninth-floor newsroom.
My first impression: The new neighbor is a classy, welcome addition that will not disappoint the conventioneers that are expected to fill its 1,000 rooms night after night in peak season.
(Entire article can be found here.)
and
Sheraton aims to redefine image
by Dawn Gilbertson
The Arizona Republic
Guests staying at the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix won't just be checking into a new hotel. They will be checking out a new brand of Sheraton.
The chain, owned by hotel giant Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc., is undergoing a critical, multibillion dollar makeover, with Phoenix the face of it.
The 1,000-room convention hotel, the biggest Sheraton to open since 1992 and now among the chain's largest hotels, is the first to feature the brand's modern new look from head to toe.
Guests will be the first to sleep in Sheraton's newest bed and to work out in its large, custom fitness center. The lobby has an Internet cafe - a feature the chain offers at only three locations.
(Entire article can be found here.)