Sheraton Columbia, SC, boutique hotel [Master Thread]
 

Finally! A Starwood property is expected to return to my hometown! And this time, it doesn't seem like a dive. (Columbia's former Sheraton Hotel & Convention Center is now a Radisson. A Four Points could do well here, too.)

One of these developers renovated Palo Alto's Crown Plaza Cabana in which I spent a couple months back in 1999. Small world. (Later in Palo Alto, I achieved Hyatt Diamond and then got a status match to SPG Plat. Then started staying at the Westin and Sheraton Palo Alto within walking distance of my office downtown.)

A building photo is with the full article linked below. And on the Historic Columbia Foundation's website along with some history about 1913 skyscraper.

On a related note, the new Hilton Columbia Center is scheduled to open at our new convention center in Summer 2007. No doubt a better location for great restaurants and nightlife. Nonetheless, Marriott recently returned to Columbia just down the block from where this Sheraton is opening.

Also see last November's article.

Sections from today's article in TheState.com:

Now open!
 

Edit: Did not open despite spg.com saying that it was currently accepting reservations.

Original post:
Opened today! I'll see about getting a tour next week when I'm working across the street.

And I'll be visiting in a couple of weeks :D

ouch. cat 4 for columbia sc is rough...

New Sheraton - Columbia SC Main Street
 

SPG returns to Columbia after a 9 year absence.

I toured the hotel last weekend and loved everything about the property. It really has the old school feel. I think it will be a huge success in Columbia.

Also the local rag ran a special video on their site last weekend.

Linky here.
http://videos.thestate.com/vmix_host...4&item_index=4

The rooms look very nice from the video.

I have a stay there next week and will do a full report, so stay tuned :)

Just talked with them. Found out they won't actually be accepting guests until July 15th. You can't book on line for nights until after 8/1. Not sure about central reservations. I called direct.
I will be there on the first night. Never happened before. I am sure that there will be a glitch or two, but am looking forward to it.
This makes getting to plat much easier for me!

Alright. I just spoke with the front desk manager. He said he'd put me in a suite at Marriott, comp valet and breakfast. I don't know. I don't think Marriott is nice. Besides, I have gold with Marriott so I'd get the free breakfast regardless. I'm thinking about just canceling. What do you think?

Umm, is this a leisure trip? I don't generally put Columbia SC in my top ten list (no offense, scflier!)..... and most assuredly not in July. Oy. My last trip to Charleston a few years back was in late July and I nearly withered away with the high 90 temps and the 100% humidity! I swore then and there that I would venture into SC only in Mar/Apr and Nov/Oct thereafter.

Again, no offense meant to the fine folks of CAE, but if this is just a "poke around town and check out the new Sheraton" kinda trip, I'd cancel at once.

Just my $00000000000000000000000000000000.02.:cool:

Hahahah. Yup, I canceled. However, I nearly wasted my entire afternoon trying to make other arrangements. The least they could do was to tell me in advance, but no email, no phone call, and I didn't find out until another awesome FTer told me. So, I no longer feel comfortable and canceled the stay. They are probably happy that I canceled anyway so they don't have to pay marriott but this left a bad taste in my mouth. :rolleyes:

No offense taken about a leisure trip to CAE in the summer. I don't vacation here, either. Even I suggested to BlissWorld that he could have picked a better summer vacation destination than CAE. Nonetheless, this weekend isn't as hot as it sometimes is, and there's a good band for this Saturday's free concert series in Finlay Park near downtown.

I just logged on to announce the hotel's opening delays, though. Wish I had known of them sooner in order to warn BlissWorld before today.

I stopped by the hotel late this afternoon for a tour, and it was quite clear that they weren't open and weren't ready to open. There have been many people busy at work there the past couple of days, but I didn't realize until today that they still didn't have guests. I know that they had been taking reservations online until very recently. The website has now been changed to present the opening date as July 31, but I think that it could open sooner. But my tour guide said that they really don't know the new opening date yet.

So they've been getting final touches done during the past couple of days, apparently, but there are no guests. They apparently have an inspection from Starwood tomorrow, so they are working to get lots of things completed. It looks as if they're planning to work into the night.

A number of the workers today were wearing "Sheraton Opening Team" t-shirts. A young man at the front desk was dressed in a suit as if to greet guests. But they clearly are not ready for guests.

Maids were cleaning rooms and making up beds. Bottled water was being distributed to all of the rooms. It was clear that they were still bringing in some of the accessories such lamps and sofas. There was still some minor painting work at the pub entrance.

They are still setting up the downstairs sports bar restaurant. Some additional TVs are still to be installed in there. I was told that they have not yet set a menu for that restaurant, but that might be misinformation. The chef was there earlier today. They were setting tables with silver and glassware while I was there, but maybe that's just for the inspection.

There is a nice restaurant, P.O.S.H., on the Mezzanine level that overlooks the lobby and that has nice window views to the streets. It has a great looking menu with decent prices. It is very bright in this restaurant. I have photos of the menus, but the wine list was empty so far.

The martini lounge just past the front desk is a main attraction because of its main entrance through the huge bank safe door.

I took a tour of several rooms on the 14th floor, and I'll post pictures later. The 16th floor is the top floor. There are 4 Club Level floors. I see that Club Level rates include "Cont Bkfst Mon-fri Only, Eve Drinks/hors D Oeuvres, Robes And Slippers." I did not inquire about a Club Lounge, so I'm not sure what the arrangement is for that.

Within each floor, every room has a unique layout. Rooms are small, but most of the bathrooms are better than average size. As my tour guide said, someone used to NYC rooms would feel at home. Every bathroom has a TV. Most bathrooms have a spacious glass shower stall, but some rooms have a jacuzzi tub/shower combo.

Rooms have the original hardwood floors. Many parts of the building still have the original decorative tile floors -- including a mosaic in the center of the lobby. They hired a photographer to take black and white photos of the historic building and other nearby sculptures. These photos decorate the rooms and halls.

On each floor, room xx02 is a suite. It has a small living room area and a cozy bedroom area. The couch was not yet in the living room area, but I'm doubtful that it is a big enough area that it could be a sofabed.

The rooftop restaurant won't be open when the hotel opens, I don't think. I was not able to go up there during my tour. It was closed even to the Sheraton staff. Maybe a permit/inspection issue? (Just a guess.)

The downstairs sports bar years ago was The Sherlock Holmes Pub. They've kept the outside entrance to this bar and it's Sherlock Holmes stained glass window.

This morning, I saw the hotel's Escalade parked by the building. That could provide their "Shuttle Service within Surrounding Area (Limited)," but I don't think that they offer service to/from the airport.

I like what they've done. The rooms are "cozy," but they are unique. This isn't just another cookie-cutter hotel. The restaurants all look like something that I'd actually be willing to dine in as a local. We'll see if the service and atmosphere actually meets that expectation after they open, though.

FWIW, the Marriott on the other end of the block might be quite decent. It recently rejoined Marriott (its original brand) after being an Omni and Adams Mark for a number of years. It's been many years since I've been inside of it, though. But the Hilton at the convention center about a half mile away is brand new, and it's also closer to the many restaurants and bars in the Vista area and closest to the Colonial Center for USC basketball, concerts, and other events.

I drove by this Sheraton after dinner tonight, and it does now appear to be open for business. Rooms are bookable online again.

I had never heard of "semi-double" beds before, but that's what's in their 2-bed rooms. (Most rooms there have 1 King bed, though. Suites are showing as having a Double Sofa, too.)

After the whole reservation/not opening mess, I decided to contact the hotel.

I felt that the hotel should have at least contacted the customers and let them know before hand that the hotel was not ready to open and therefore not able to honor the reservations instead of sending them to nearby hotels.

I just received a call from the front desk manager. He seemed to be sincerely apologetic about the whole incident. He explained the whole situation and what they were trying to do. He also said that they attempted to contact the customers but most of the phone numbers on file with reservation led to third party travel agents (whether or not this is true, I do not know). He apologized at least 7 times and told me a letter of apology is on its way :eek:. He gave me his direct line and told me to contact him the next time I have a stay with them and he will take care of me ^

He handled the situation extremely well and I really appreciate the personal phone call.

I have to give this property a big thumbs up ^ for trying. This is how customer service should be ^

I have a funny feeling that this hotel will be a great mattress run place in the middle of winter :D

I'm guessing this was the SouthTrust bank building?

At first I thought it was the old Wachovia where I used to bank...

JP
(also from CAE)

It is a category 4. Not sure how low the rates will go for a cat 4.