First things first: welcome to you and your first post on the board.

A former colleague of mine has stayed there at the Sheraton Miramar. They noted that it had a very nice garden.

I think a large reason that most of these good category 1 resorts don't get talked about more here is that the majority of the board's participants are Americans for whom going to a resort for 1-week in a place that is not as easy to get to (given commercial flight schedules) is not as routine an option. FWIW, (North and West) African and Middle Eastern resort destinations (and resorts) are generally not well advertised in the US. Package tour books to give people such ideas appear to be far fewer (in supply and in demand) in the US.

Your father making one room a cash-paid room may be related to his retaining SPG Plat status. Unlike with Hilton HHonors (and somewhat with Hyatt), award room nights and stays with SPG don't generally count for status.