Just finished up a 6-night stay here. Not impressed. Don't get all the praise this hotel receives here, but maybe it's just me, maybe I am missing the point....
Was refused a suite, claiming they were all sold out. They were not. It was possible to book three plus executive suites online. Well, well - got upgraded to a king premium room, which was large and comfy. Small sofa and table, a desk and a nice bathroom with separate tub and shower. It also had a balcony.
The good stuff: the common areas such as lobby, outdoor patio, the indoor and outdoor pools, and so on are pristine. Very nice. Outdoor pool open til 8 PM, and indoor pool open till 10 PM.
Housekeeping is spotty. Every single day there is something missing, and the dispensers in the shower aren't refilled either. I had to ask several times to get them refilled. But then only one of them gets a refill, and so on....
The bar is nice, loved the outdoor patio, however, the service is rubbish. No staff in sight, and when you first manage to track one down it takes ages to get food or drinks. Half of the stuff on the menu is unavailable. The same goes for room service. Bar is open till 1 AM daily.
It's hard to reach someone from the room. The direct line to room service or reception does not work - so you have to call the guest service desk - but usually no one answers. Last night I had to go down to the reception myself to place my room service order
The food arrived quickly though.
The lounge, on the 9th floor, has a very, very nice patio as well. With beautiful views of the city center, with beautiful views of the sunset. The food and drinks offered are the usual lounge fare... fried calamari/union rings/springrolls/potatoes, etc. They seem to have chicken wings on the menu every day. Some cold cuts, cheeses, fruits and cakes. Food is removed at 8 PM sharp. During the day time there are nuts, biscuits, and some type of chocolate cake. Soft drinks are available all day. Beer and wine is available in the evening. No hard liquor. The lounge is OK, but it does not stand out as a great lounge compared to other lounges in the system. The patio is second to none though
Lounge open till 11 PM.
Breakfast is served in the main restaurant, till 11 AM. No breakfast in the lounge. Because of this - Plat/Tit/Amb automatically receive welcome points in addition to the breakfast, according to the front desk.
The hotel is located outside the city centre. But that's fine with me, since I have stayed here before. But if you're a tourist and wanna be close to the centre the Marriott and the Courtyard would definitely be more convenient options.
I have no idea on how Marriott (and Courtyard) compares to the Sheraton, but due to the service issues and so on at the Sheraton I think I will give the Marriott a try next time in town. Don't get me wrong, the room etc is very nice, but the level of service you'd expect from a so-called Sheraton Grand is missing. During my 6 nights here I haven't seen a single doorman, so do not expect any assistance with your luggage when arriving.