Another in my series of "exploring the middle eastern Starwood properties"

Checked in as a platinum on Friday, for one day. 40 BD rate (about USD 100). I was planning to try to find other more "local" accomodations in Bahrain, but now I'm having meetings with people, and while the Ritz-Carlton or IC are a lot nicer, Sheraton is nice enough as a location to meet people, so I continue to stay. Ironic that I need to stay in a "nice" hotel in order to meet up and go out to other places...

I was given a junior suite on the 4th floor (x18 are JS, end of the buildings are full suites), which is nice. Pretty much two separate (smallish) rooms, but no actual door between them, only a doorway.

Plat amenity choice did not include the 500 pts yet, so I chose the gift, which is a small wooden box in local style.

All of the starwoods in ME seem to have improved SPG policies post some recent meeting.

Platinums are given access to the Towers lounge, which is nice. I haven't been awake in time for the breakfast yet (heh), but

Internet is expensive (BD 9/day) wireless, but decent performance, and unfiltered. UAE is the worst for filtering, as they block even AIM, and if you run an http proxy, your performance is horrible. (and blocked sites include flickr...) Kuwait you can just use a proxy and get around the filter.

Food&Bev is the true weak point of the hotel. Lobby cafe is decent, Persian restaurant is closed, and ordering room service 2 minutes after the cutoff means no food from the Chinese place, so they were probably not too busy either, and had knocked off early. Regular room service food is quite possibly the worst food I've ever had in a hotel.

Housekeeping is great -- I tend to only venture out around 1600, and the guy has been standing in the hall and asks if he can clean my room. Full restocking of supplies, towels, etc.

I've been stuck extending my stay a day at a time, at BHD63/day++, which is kind of painful. At least I'm getting triple points.