aussiechris

I book on spg.com because I am after stay credits and points.
These sites do offer, from time to time, some special pricing on certain Starwood hotel room categories or special offers.I would only suggest you use them if price alone is your criteria. You did originally ask for what sites gave you the best value.
If you end up at a Starwood hotel on one of the "secret deal" offers then you will certainly get no stay credit as well as no spg points.

alanslegal

Booking on 3rd party sites will not be eligible for Stay/Nights or Points.

If you do happen to find the equivalent room from a 3rd party site cheaper than SPG, I'd recommend submitting a Best Rate Guarantee to SPG - but for the past 6 months I have not been able to find a better rate for the equivalent room, but YMMV.

I use www.hotelpricefinder.com to undertake my hotel room search.

bseller

It will also NOT be eligible for Status comps such as suite upgrades, or late checkout as well, if the hotel follows the "rules"

Dave

snufl

Had two single night stays in the past month. Booked lowest category and on both occasions, as a Plat, was upgraded to a Darling Harbour view suite plus received a bottle of wine, cheese and biscuits. As a fairly regular visitor I sometimes get the wine, sometimes not, it is nice when it happens.

What I noticed more than anything was the attitude of the staff. Every person I came in contact with (regardless of department) was so friendly and helpful. On a recent stay the chef came over to tell me about the ingredients in a new salad recipe he was trying. I love it when people are enthusiastic about what they do.

Others have mentioned the rooms here are looking tired and I would have to agree with that, however I hope this hotel is not leaving the Starwood stable (as reported by aussiechris). The current team working here deserves a big ^. Spruce up the rooms a little and this hotel would be a gem.

Leumas

Did a quick mattress run over the weekend. Booked the cheapest, pre-paid room, and got upgraded to a harbour view king-bed room, with a balcony (only a gold) - looking directly at the big flag pole.

I usually get upgraded here without asking. As mentioned before, the staff is always friendly, and a late check-out is never a problem.

A nice touch this time, staff dropped in with some cookies and a welcome card from the GM. It seemed like anyone with SPG status gets something. Golds get cookies, Platinums get a bottle of bubbles.

I don't know if there's a cutback or just an oversight, but there was less toiletries this time - no bath gels and only one bar of soap. There used to be 2, one for the hand basin, one for the bath. Toiletries also seem to be of a different brand now, and ever so slightly better.

3544quebec

Without wishing to Jinx myself I notice that my stay in a couple of nights has been upgraded to the Governor Suite. Anyone have any experience of it? Could I hold a dinner party there? What are the kitchen facilities like?

Thanks

ChrisG

I had the unfortunate experience to stay at the Sheraton Four Points - Sydney - the last of 3 Starwood Hotels in my home town - Sydney during this last weekend.

The last 2 weeks have involved me travelling to New Delhi, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Lisbon, Porto, London and the final stop - my home town of Sydney for a Birthday celebration with my lovely wife and 3 children.

We checked in a 3:00pm on Saturday (15th August) afternoon to be told one of the 2 adjoining rooms was still to be cleaned - reception could give us a key to one of the rooms. We took advatage of this this only to find the door to the joining room open and the room clean - this was great news however reception was still unable to release the adjoining room as it 'hadn't been cleaned'. It took them 60 minutes to provide a second key to us so we could access the room via the front door.

After taking the kids to the Aquarium my family and I went downstairs to the restaurant for the buffet dinner.

We had previously visited the Sydney Four Points Website to see:

"If seafood’s your thing, be sure to visit the Corn Exchange restaurant—home to one of Sydney’s best seafood buffets, as well as an inspired seasonal a la carte menu"

Based on this advertising and with great enthusiasm we ordered seafood off the al carte menu and it was disgusting. The $35 seafood dishes for both my wife and I were reheated from a frozen state and it was inedible with chunks of frozen seafood still attemtping to pass themselves off as food 60 minutes after being served (the plates were still to be removed from the table).

The next morning the family and I thought the last evening was an aberation and we visited to the breakfast buffet at $33 per head the next morning. Unfortunately we were again dissapointed as the breakfast was no better than the dinner with the buffet being empty on most ocsasions during a 60 minute period and staff being less the helpful to refill the empty trays.

After breakfast I had to go and visit some friends in Sydney, I had parked in the Hotel supplied parking across the road in Sussex Strett. I attempted to exit the 'hoel paid parking' only to find the Hotel supplied voucher was unreadable and I spent the next 45+ minutes attempting to exit the ($34+ cost) parking station. The parking station advised us the error on the voucher was a known problem with the hotel supplied vouchers and would be rectified the next time we exited.

On the Sunday - my family had arranged a surprise birthday lunch, at the hotel later in the day, at (you guessed it) the buffet lunch at the 4 Points. We had 10 guests. At the end of the lunch everyone was bitterly disappointed with the quality and quantity of the food - again the buffet was empty on most occassions and the quality of food extremely poor. At $75 per head it was expected this should be on a par with the Sheraton and Westin we had all experienced previously. The ten guests left the hotel being extremely dissappointed at the quality of the lunch.

In leaving the hotel after our weekend stay we paid the hotel bill and for the 2nd time attempted the exit the hotel supplied parking only to find it took us 60+ minutes to negotiate the various excuses of the parking management and hotel management who each looked to blame one another for their respective incompetence.

Overall I find the Sheraton Four Points in Sydney to be the poorest of the 50+ Starwood Properties I have stayed in around the globe. The website information is at best wrong and at worst false advertising. The quality of the rooms, services, staff and amenities was extremely poor when compared to the Starwood Properties in Asia, EMEA and North America stayed at during the last 12 months.

If you have have a choice in Sydney DONT STAY AT THE SHERATON FOUR POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From a Starwood perspective both the Westin and Sheraton on the Park represent a far safer, value for money and more enjoyable option.

Flews

Hmmmm, my last experience was just the opposite. Nice property, fantastic room, excellent service.

Too bad you didn't take one or two of those meals at another of Sydney's fine restaurants. That's what I did after I took a look-see at the buffet before deciding to head out to try something else.

As for parking, well, that sure must have been frustrating. Although I have no idea what the Westin or SOTP are like either.

Personally, I have no need for parking, and I confesss I don't spend a lot of time or money dining at a 4-Pts.

So I, for one, am looking forward to returning so I can enjoy the benefits of this property's waterfront location and relative value.

Cheers,

LilZeppelin

We booked 4points for 3 nights over NYE in December, but checked out after the first night and went back to SOTP to stay on points for the rest of 2 nights. The room was small, almost claustrophobic (no upgrade before NYE), the breakfast worse than the lounge option in either Westin or SOTP. We would not return.

alanslegal

If the price is right ie cheaper than the Westin or SOTP I'd have no hesitation staying here. I've had very good treatment at this hotel being UPG at all times to harbour view suites. Also received wine and cheese plates etc from the GM w welcome notes.

In reference to the buffet at the Corn Exchange restaurant - I ate buffet dinner there last week on a special Buy 1 get 1 Free promotion which also included half lobster mornay per person. At aud$75 for 2 it is good value but if I the cost was going to be $75 per head, I'd definitely be eating somewhere else!! There is soooooooooooooo many good restaurants in SYD where you can eat a fantastic meal for that price.

Leumas

I haven't stayed there for a while, but I think I've only ate there once (a breakfast) in the many times that I've been there.

There're a couple of restaurants in the same block, and quite a few more at Darling Harbour. Even by Darling Harbour standard, the 4Pts restaurant value makes the Darling Harbour restaurants a bargain. And as Alan mentioned, there're many more options in Sydney.

As to other aspects of the hotel and the rooms, one has to remember the 4Pts is not in the same league as the other Starwood properties in Sydney, and the price reflects that.

bseller

I may have misunderstood ChrisG's dissapointment with the hotel, but if I did understand it correctly, most of it stems from the restaurant. I cannot imagine staying at this property and using the hotel restaurant when you are literally steps from Darling Harbour.

There are dozens of choices, even for breakkie, that would make a nice stroll along the water and a nice meal worth leaving the hotel.

I do NOT think that the 4PTs is anywhere near the quality of the SOTP, but it is sometimes cheaper and if you are plat you are likely to get nice upgrades. It serves it's purpose I suppose.

In that sense, it is not dissimilar to the SIN Le Meridien (now since out of the program), but which many people simply detested. Fine, understood. But for others, the cost and the location and the "relatively" decent hotel served its purpose.

Dave

carberrie

Does anyone know why for the month of September, Four Points by Sheraton is more expensive than the Westin or Sheraton on the Park? It sounds like I should just plan to NOT stay here unless I want to use points or cash & points, no? Otherwise, I'd be paying more for less??

bseller

Altho I've NO clue why it would be more expensive, but I can assure you that either SOTP or Westin would be better choices than 4Pts for the same or less money.

SOTP gets my vote, since you've got a reasonable shot at Park Views.
Dave

Leumas

I think the Westin may be a better value if pay by C&P. The Westin is only 5 mins away from Darling Harbour.

As Dave said, for roughly the same money, go with the Westin or SOTP.