FlyerTalk Forums - Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, London, United Kingdom [Master Thread]

FlyerTalk Forums (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/index.php)

- Marriott | Marriott Bonvoy (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marriott-marriott-bonvoy-766/)

- - Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, London, United Kingdom [Master Thread] (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marriott-marriott-bonvoy/411801-sheraton-grand-london-park-lane-london-united-kingdom-master-thread.html)

I don’t ping the hotel for the lack of an upgrade - it truly was full - but more the other factors. I just wasn’t at all impressed.

SNA's cleared for grand park view suite

SNA's for 2 nights cleared five days in advance for grand park view suite. Lovely suite with distant Buckingham Palace view across the park.
Unfortunately, heat not operable either day, dropping suite temperature at night to high 60's Fahrenheit. Property compensated with sufficient points after complaint and some haggling. Used welcome amenity for nice breakfast buffet in restaurant. Thought customer service at a high level.

Overall, I quite enjoyed my stay at the Sheraton Grand in London and would return to the property. Here are my pros, cons, and photos:

Pros:

No suites available online, but I was upgraded to a Club King, which ended up being one of the two direct-park-facing rooms on one of the wings on the top floor - fantastic room placement by the property
Nice spacious room with two windows directly facing Green Park - you could see Westminster, the roof of Buckingham Palace, the Shard, the Eye
Wi-Fi was very effective
Bed was quite comfortable - plush covers, just-right mattress (pillows seemed to either be too soft or too firm, but mixing a soft and firm was effective)
Shower pressure was quite nice
Bathroom had a frosted window for natural light and a separate tub
The food at the lounge was good - really tasty spinach cannelloni
Breakfast is interesting - the staff at check-in encouraged me to take breakfast in the restaurant as my welcome gift choice - the lounge breakfast didn't look bad, though - eggs, bacon, pancakes, etc.
The welcome gift breakfast is the buffet at Mercante - very tasty - good omelet made-to-order and delicious soft pancakes - the highlight was easily the best strawberry smoothie I have ever had
Staff asked proactively on late checkout - no issue with 4 PM
75 GBP charge for dining noted at checkout and promptly removed with no pushback (not sure if it was the breakfast, but I definitely didn't have any other charges) - I love how international properties review bills at checkout
Nice gift of oranges and red wine in room upon arrival
No service charge nonsense here, even on a cash stay

Cons:

Lounge was crowded and food was often out of stock in the evening
No real dessert choices during the evening service that I saw in the lounge
Breakfast is very self-service even with servers present - I waited many minutes before realizing that I needed to just get the coffee pot next to the silverware myself
The two elevators are not very fast - no wonder so many use the central staircase
No Internet TV OS

If you are platinum member and up can you have the free breakfast in the main restaurant, or can you only have it in the executive lounge ?

I stayed in room 810, park view suite, one bedroom suite, one king, green park viewon 29 July to 2 aug. first, the positives:
Outstanding central location
Engaging, professional and hospitable staff
Extensive breakfast buffet
Lounge meal beverages and food
Comfortable bed
Strong AC
Lots of complimentary still water

The reason for my complaint is the actual guest room compared to the description on the Marriott website. I was very much looking forward to a luxurious suite and I was very disappointed.

The suite was very small: living Space, bedroom and bathroom. The website said the suite would:

be 549-710 sq ft - the space was closer to 450 sg ft
Would have walk in closet - it did not
Marble bath room - it was tiled
Double vanities- it had one sink and very little counter space
Table Seats 5 - no dining table, room was too small
Evening turndown - never received
Both rooms were very dark
Dirty windowsills and cracked paint
Very slow elevators

I paid in cash and points. Right after we arrived in the room, I called the front desk to complain and request a different room. I was told the hotel was sold out and was given back some points. It was a nice gesture, but it doesn’t take away my disappointment every time I entered the room.

We had a very good 8 night stay here in mid-September. We had an Art Deco Suite on the top floor with a view over the park toward the towers of Parliament and the London Eye. The hotel is very attractive, and we liked the spacious club lounge. The location is excellent for tourists - we enjoyed walking through the park to Buckingham Palace and even Westminster Abbey and Parliament, and the Green Park tube station is just a few blocks away. It’s also easy walking distance to many good (and even excellent) restaurants. Palm Court always looked so appealing when we walked past, and we had a nice, casual dinner there one night after a long day trip to Oxford. Returning to the elegant, serene atmosphere of the hotel after a day of sightseeing was always a pleasure.

I chose the breakfast buffet in the Mercante restaurant as my welcome gift even though we had access to the club lounge, because we enjoy a big, leisurely breakfast. The restaurant breakfast buffet was quite extensive, but the club lounge breakfast selection was almost as extensive, so I would not make that same choice for a shorter stay.

6 of our 8 nights were booked using cash and points, and the ability to use points for an Art Deco Suite was much appreciated. Our Art Deco suite did not seem quite as large as the one pictured on the website, but it was roomy enough for a lengthy stay with two large suitcases, and we enjoyed the view, especially at night. Although we arrived very early after an overnight flight, we were not able to get into the room until after the normal check-in time, due to a late check out by another Titanium member - but we were able to use the club lounge, and the hotel managed the situation as well as could be expected. The club lounge offered different “themed” late afternoon/early evening offerings - we particularly enjoyed the Indian dishes and the British beef pie. There is even an afternoon tea spread earlier in the afternoon. We enjoyed our stay very much.

Looking to find a hotel for June 2024 (coming in to see Taylor Swift so everything is more expensive than it should be) and debating between a Lounge-access room at the Sheraton or a standard Queen room at St. Ermins - anyone have any thoughts? Booking on points. Only Gold status so lounge access would be nice for free breakfast in the mornings/beverages throughout the day....

Quote:

Originally Posted by wander_around (Post 35801203)

I would take the Sheraton. Lounge is quite decent and I think the hotel is better located than St Ermins. Basic rooms are not large at either, but again prefer the Sheraton. I am also in London for 3 nights that weekend and now understand why rates are so high...

St Ermins is really a tourist hotel in a tourist location. The Sheraton is actually quite nice, and most of the rooms on the club floor are reasonably large (not quite 100% of them).

Optional 5% Daily Service Charge at Sheraton Grand, London

Hi

People may well already know this, but some hotels are now subtly including an optional service charge of 5% to the daily rate.

It's not advertised in the prices, but it is on the Reservation Details on the booking in the Bonvoy app, if you click and go into the details.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b41e72b1b.jpeg

The front desk should inform you at check-in and ask if you want to opt out. They forgot to ask me this week, and I often take fast checkout, so I only see the bill when I get the email later. When I got my bill on the way home, it had an additional £62.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8a760d09b.jpeg

I spoke to the front desk, and I have to admit they were very helpful and immediately agreed to refund it, although it will take 5 days, but it's one to watch out for!

Shaun

It's becoming disgracefully common amongst US-chain hotels in London. Despite me having looked into how the money was used, I've still not been able to get any transparency on to what degree the service charge actually acts as a "tip". I strongly suspect it doesn't, which may or may not be the wrong side of grey of UK law.

I saw this service charge at this property. So, I booked my room somewhere else🤪

Quote:

Originally Posted by EuropeanPete (Post 36172335)

Just watch- they’ll be introduced as discretionary, and then in a year or two they will be mandatory. Basically UK hotel version of the destination/resort/amenity fees so prevalent in N America now

Quote:

Originally Posted by dw (Post 36172741)

Just watch- they’ll be introduced as discretionary, and then in a year or two they will be mandatory. Basically UK hotel version of the destination/resort/amenity fees so prevalent in N America now

In the UK/ EU they won't be able to be added on after the fact like in the US, because we have much better consumer protection and so it is obviously illegal. So the only way that we'd notice is that Marriott would give us a fraction fewer points - but they very often undercut anyone staying in a non-USD hotel anyways.

Very rarely does a London hotel merit paying a service charge....90% of them are a let down in so many different ways.
Always refuse paying this this sort of charge unless you got amazing service from everyone (very rare).
If one particular member of staff impresses you, just tip them privately and directly in cash.
At least you'll be sure that the funds go to who deserves it.