3544quebec

Then what is the point of coupons for a couple of free pool towels which are normally free ?

AAEXP

I think the OP misunderstood the purpose of the coupon. Without the coupon showing that you are a guest of the hotel, you will get no towels. Believe it or not, some people tend to misplace these towels () if there were not some kind of control.

Anglo Large Clawed Otter

After staying in an Executive Suite at this property back in July, it would be tough to convince me to stay at the Sheraton Rio, which gets consistently mediocre reviews:

Sweet Willie

nice pics, thanks for posting.^
We enjoyed Sheraton Barra for the beach scene, Sheraton Rio was for the nightlife of Rio itself.

bigguyinpasadena

Thank you SO MUCH for the photos ALCO ^ these really put the property in a much more favorable light IMO

WScottsdaleInsider

Does this hotel have a club lounge?

AAEXP

Yes it does. It opened earlier this year and is located in the former suite 602. It serves breakfast and evening drinks from 6-8pm (weekends strangely from 4-6pm). Nice and helpful staff. The lounge is on the smaller side, but has a fine view of the beach and also outside seating.

SometimesFlyer

Breakfast on the balcony (aka outside seating) is really quite nice! Usually nice breeze and a great view of the ocean. On my first stay, I was initially concerned with road noise from the street below but never once was it an issue. I prefer this place over the Sheraton Rio.

claes059

See pics: http://travel.webshots.com/album/580722278UvehZp

After a wonderful stay in the Sheraton Rio I headed to the Sheraton Barra, excited to experience the new lounge. Well it appeared it was a big mistake for me to stay here.

I checked in at the Clubfloor reception. Ms. Thais was very friendly and offered me also a drink. After this I went to my room and was helped with my suitcase. Only to notice my suite did not offer a bathtub. I had made a request for this pre-arriving via mail.
In no time ms. Thais found a suite with a bathtub and the butler Gabriel helped me out with my luggage. When we walked in the corridors I smelled something, but could detect what it was. But it was irritating my eyes and nose. When I entered the suite, it did offer a bathtub. However I smelled a very strong moldy air. I did not want to ask for another room again, but since I noticed I the air was causing allergy I had to ask for another room. The butler did smell the moldy air too.
The butler called the reception and in no time mrs. Deborah Arrasi of guest relations was waiting in front of my room. She showed me some rooms, and was very accommodating and friendly. Nevertheless I smelled the moldy air in almost every room and in the corridors. Especially on one floor it was very strong. In one suite I did not want to enter, since when the door openen a gulf of strong moldy air came out of the room. Meanwhile my allergy started to bother me and I had trouble with my breathing. I did not feel comfortable. Well at last I found a room which seems to have less moldy air. The concierge helped me again with my suitcase. Since the round carpet in the sittingroom generated much moldy air, they took it out of my room. Mrs. Arrusi was very helpful and friendly, she opened the door of the room for me and turned on the A/C to blow away the moldy air.
She invited me in the lounge and offered me a very nice present, a caipirinha kit. It was very nice. The butler made a nice caipirinha for me and I enjoyed the snack. Since the lounge does not have a lot of wooden furniture and no carpets, I was started to feel a little better.
That night I slept with open doors. The sleepingroom has carpets and wooden furniture. Everything seemed to have this moldy air in this room. It was still hard to sleep and I was happy to have my allergy pills with me. Still I had some trouble breathing and I did not like the moldy smell. Since I slept with the open doors a noticed a loud low noise. I did not know what it was, but together with my allergy I could not sleep well. Next day I noticed on the roof of the twin Sheratontower, my room was located on a high floor, the big machines. I guess for the electricity of the building.
The suite was divided in a small sleepingroom, a livingroom and a spacious bathroom with bathtub with jaccuzi. The suite offered a large kitchen and a desk with two chairs on wheels. A coffeemachine was placed in this room, however the plug did not fit in the outlet. After a call with guest service, it was fixed: a different coffeemaker.
I still do not know the purpose of the large kitchen, since one cannot use it as a kitchen ( no pot and pans, etc) And it’s a lot of wood which generates a lot of moldy air.
The balcony offered a partial ocean view again, quite disappointing this kind of view. The Sheraton twin tower was blocking my view on one side, the other twintower where my room was located the other side, so it was a kind of “tunnelvision”.

I tried to have a relaxing bath. When I open the tap and tried to pull the standard up so the water would stream in the tub it continued to go down so the shower showered me wet. I was not pleased, but I kept pulling the standard up since I wanted to have my bath.. The first night the I only received the standard Sheraton bath amenities, the second night I noticed the L Occidentale mini bottles I could not use anyway. I did like my bath with the Jacuzzi and started to feel a little comfy..
I could not find any slippers, needed since in the livingroom and bathroom are tiles. Second day my bathrobe was gone! I did not have turndownservice, I only noticed the S chocolates on the small table next to the entrancedoor.


Next day I told the reception the problem of my bath and I even invited her in the room. She could smell the moldy air also, since she was also allergic. I showed her the problem with the bath and she would take care of it. However on the day I was checking out, next day, a man of maintenance tried to fix it when I was in my room. He did not speak English so I showed him the problem. Guest relations called me and told me to give her this man on the phone, so I did. In the meantime I was packing my suitecase so I was not happy with this situation going on.
Later the man made me clear I had to speak to guestservices again. She told me it would take a lot of time to repair this so I could not use the bath for a while. I told her I was checking out and did not care anymore. She appearently was not aware of this.

I was relieved to leave this room and to go to the lounge for my breakfast. I have spend as much as time outside of this suite with dreadful moldy air.

The lounge was stylish in white and bright colors. It offered a small buffetcorner. Many small tables were inside. A large flarsquare tv with some chairs.
It was nice to have no breathing problems in here, since the floor had not carpets but only white tiles.
Service was friendly and Gabriel the waiter was professional in his service. Breakfast products seemed to be of good quality. I had two pleasant breakfasts here.
However the range of breads is very limited, no croissant at 09:45 in the morning, only two sorts of cold cut meats, only one fruitdrink ( orangejuice). Expresso con leche made by Grabriel the waiter was great.
Small paper napkins instead of the linen or cotton napkins.
I my experience the lounge can give a very cramped feeling, too much small tables with chairs are placed in this space. When the next table is occupied, one can hear everything the person is telling, and I would like some more personal space.

I remembered I had very nice dinners in the hotel restaurant, two years ago. Perhaps my expectations were too high. The salad and meat with veggies were ok, but not as special I had in my mind. Well that’s often the case when one has too high expectation.
The waiter could hardly talk English, though service was friendly, efficient and professional.
When I received the bill, a small note was placed on it: service charge is not included, and it was only possible to pay in cash! Well it happened I did not have my wallet with me, and I was very surprised. I have never encountered this in a Starwoodhotel as a guest, that I was forced to pay in cash the service charge. The waiter was smiling at me and waited for his money. He did say in English to me: hotel laws!
Well, I went to the manager and hoped he could speak English, and he did! He told me this was a hotelrule and everyone had to pay the servicecharge in cash, this way the waiter would get the money only.
Ofcourse I am in favor the fact the waiter should get this money, the waiter was still waiting for the money not far from me. But I did not like I was forced to do so by Sheraton / Starwood. Never heard of this kind hotel law either. Since I could not pay in cash, the manager told me I could pay in cash the next day when having dinner here…… For now they would put it on my roomaccount.
Well did not like to return to this place and decided to have dinner somewhere else. Never thought I would end up like this in a Starwood hotel.

Next day I was looking for an ATM, to have some cash. It appeared the hotel did not offer an ATM. I had to walk 15 minutes or if you do not like walking and searching you can take a taxi. Since I could not find it I asked a tourist in the area with it supposed to be located. He told me where the small supermarket annex coffeeshop was. He warned me I had to pay a lot of commission.
Well I did find the supermarket and spend around 20 minutes now to get some cash. When I noticed the moneymachine I did read the commission, it was around 8 euros for 100 euros cash!
Well it was easier to find the hotel again on my way back. But did not like this experience at all. I was asking myself why in the name I had to leave the excellent Sheraton Rio and booked a room in this lightly expressed disappointing Sheraton property.


Concluding:
The mouldy air in the corridors and my suite caused allergy and I did not feel well. Besides this mainfactor of trouble for me I experienced even more trouble:
My first room did not offer a bathtub, which was my preference.
A bathtub that had to be repaired in my second room, so I could not enjoy a bath.
Standard Sheraton bathamenities the first night.
Only one bottle of complimentary water in the bathroom.
Only one sachet of coffee for the coffeemachine, not milkpowder available.
Partial oceanview, with blocked view from the Sheraton Twintowers.
Loud heavy noise, especially during the night with open doors, from the machines on the roofs of the Sheraton twinbuildings.
No turndownservice.
Only one small complimentary bottle of water.
Super mini bathamenities of L Occidentale.
Mediocre dinnerexperience, perhaps due to my overrated expectations. Being forced by “Hotellaw” of Sheraton/Starwood to pay servicecharge in cash as a guest this evening or the next evening while having no cash at that moment.
No ATM in the hotel of different ways to get money, f.i. a free pay out from the hotel so it would be on my roomaccount. This way I could take a taxi and drive to a ATM in the city, or even the Sheraton Rio. Now I did have to walk 20 and 15 minutes and search for a supermarket with an ATM and paying
8 euro (!) commission for 100 euros. I showed mrs. Thais of the Clubreception my receipt of the ATM.
The Clublounge offers a computer to use, I liked it and used it. However this place it just too cramped. Only for one person. Sometimes it is used as a storage. I noticed the kitchen here was also very cramped.
Though I had so many problems, no reaction from the management.

On the sunny side:
A moldy free Clublounge, bright and with the most friendly service. I told the receptionist that night I was thinking in my bedroom I could almost want to place my bed in this area so I would not be so allergic!
A nice breakfast, the butler Gabriel even made warm croissants and fresh mango for me!
The very kind and accommodating receptionists of the club reception.
Friendly and efficient check-in and check-out with mrs. Thais. ( Its indeed very easy to remember the name!)
Personnel of the reception seem to be very dedicated to their job.
Very friendly and dedicated attitude of mrs. Arrusi.
Very nice welcome presents: a Brazilian drink kit and cheese and a delicious red wine!
I felt at home in the lounge and appreciated the attitude of the personnel here. They did try to help me out but I guess they could not find a solution. The reception even mailed the situations I encountered to the managers but I did not hear from them ever.

Would I return….
Well I would for the very kind, professional, friendly service in the Clublounge. I guessed it saved me for Crying out loud!
I just felt so miserable with my allergy and all the other situations. The first night I only wanted to go out of this hotel, far away! Since it was only for two nights and Clublounge staff helped me so much I guess I coped with the situation!
I do not think I want to be ever in this situation again. But one never knows, a hotel can improve!

See pics: http://travel.webshots.com/album/580722278UvehZp

uxb

Je beseft dat je verblijft in Brazilië, niet? Rio is vochtig het hele jaar. Het verlaten van uw raam open zou alleen maar toenemen de aanwezigheid van schimmel. Je was beter af lewving de ramen gesloten en de A/C op. Also, there was an ATM in the building next to the hotel and several ATMs behind the hotel including Citibank and HSBC.

AAEXP

Please do write Ms. Gomes, the hotel general manager with your comments. You deserve a direct answer to your issues. Then post the feed-back here for all to see.

claes059

Try to write in English, so everyone can read what you are writing!

"You stay in Brazil, in Rio its all year humid":
I know Brazil is a (sub) tropical country, I have been traveling in many tropical and subtropical countries with a humid climate. I have never experienced this very strong moldy air in a hotel. The Sheraton Rio is even more closer to the ocean, but does not have moldy air.

"Close the doors and turn on the A/C":
I could not have stayed in the room with the windows closed and A/C turned on, the moldy air was too strong and my allergy due to this also.

Concerning the bank/ATM. Two years ago I used the ATM next to the hotel, in bank. When I went inside only national cards could be used. I asked in the hotel, the concierge and in the Clublounge. They all referred to the ATM in the supermarket. Hey, I am a tourist here and do not know where to find an ATM for international bankcards (Maestro, Cirrus). Appearently you do know even better than the hotel where to find the ATM for international cards!

uxb

My experience at this property was that the rooms were extremely damp due to humidity. The a/c did take some of the humidity out, but it doesn't surprise me that moulds exist on the inside of certain rooms.

Re: room, did you notice the smell in the first room - the one without the WC? If not, then why not move back to the first room and forego the bathtub?

Re: ATM, I am part Brasilian/Portuguese, so I just asked one of the locals. Even still, that is no excuse for the Concierge to not know where the Citibank and HSBC were. Both took Maestro/Cirrus. I think Citibank also took Visa.

I agree with AAEXP that you should contact the hotel GM regarding your stay. Good luck.

claes059

Thank you for your first effort to translate the text in Dutch by the way! I do not remember if the first room smelled that badly, I have seen too much rooms/suites!

I am waiting for a response from the hotel!

uxb

Let us know your response.