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Non-Marriott "Gate Hotel" (formerly Sheraton JFK Airport Hotel), New York

Non-Marriott "Gate Hotel" (formerly Sheraton JFK Airport Hotel), New York

Old Feb 5, 2009, 7:09 pm
  #16  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 42
JFK Sewage Treatment

Use caution when staying here. JFK's sewage treament facility is right behind the hotel. It doesn't always smell, just when they burn their stash.

Rooms don't usually stink but everywhere else does.


We had lots of problems here and promissed points never posted.

I would never stay here again.
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Old Jun 8, 2009, 5:29 am
  #17  
 
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Is the Club lounge open on a Saturday evening?
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Old Jun 12, 2009, 2:09 pm
  #18  
 
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Stayed here on a layover. I'm only a Gold, and don't think I got an upgrade.

The price at this property is very high for what you get. I've stayed at a couple of other properties nearby, and you can get the same facilities for a much lower price.

There's nothing wrong with the hotel (I didn't notice any noise or any smells), I just don't think it's worth the price it's charging (and I booked many weeks before arrival).
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Old Jun 12, 2009, 4:42 pm
  #19  
 
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The pricing does seem to be set by someone smoking crack, but maybe they get enough layovers and people that don't pay attention that they can fill the hotel at the Manhattan charges they list.

I looked for midweek stays for many weeks in September and October. Advance stay rates of about $330 when the Sheraton LaGuardia is just a bit more than half that rate, as were the similar quality and location hotels in the greater NY area.

I am arriving late at night and have an early morning flight to Europe the next day. If it weren't that I was already facing constrained sleep hours, I would just give my business to the other SPG hotels with sane pricing, but in this case I booked a different chain's property instead. Really would have preferred to book Starwood and often pay more for their properties, but not this kind of price for an airport hotel next to a sewage plant.
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Old Jun 14, 2009, 10:51 am
  #20  
 
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I just stayed here on Friday night and it was without question the worst SPG stay I've had in the eight years staying here. I arrived at Federal Circle Airtrain Station around 12.45am having waited for a Shuttle bus for 30 minutes. The bus they had running to and from had Hilton Garden Inn on it (which is next door I think) and the person they had directing people to the shuttle had no idea this went to the Sheraton as well. So I finally got to the hotel about 1.30.

I checked in, received an upgrade to the Club Floor (apparently no suites at this property) and a voucher for breakfast. My room was on the 7th floor facing the highway. The room was really hot when I went in so I turned the AC on which made a horrendous noise and seemed to have two settings, freezing and off irrespective of what temperature you dialled in. Then there was the Internet, I tried wired and wireless but I couldn't get it to work right and when I did finally get a connection some sites would work, others wouldn't. I called up the helpdesk and they reset the access point a couple of times, dialled up the bandwidth but still no dice. The helpdesk suggested I wandered around the hotel with my laptop to see if it was affecting the access point or the hotel in general. I tried the lobby and the 4th floor but it was still acting up. So the helpdesk asked the front desk to manually reboot the system but the lady on duty said she was "scared of computers" and there was no one from engineering around to help with this, or the AC problem. She offered to move me into a different room but said that she thought the AC was loud in all the rooms, apparently a common complaint?! As I'd already found that the Internet was broken across the hotel I figured a room swap would be pointless.

Then I went outside for a cigarette with my room key, tried to get back in but the key card lock on the front door didn't work. The problem was compounded by the fact that the front desk lady and the security chap had both disappeared and no matter how hard I banged on the door, no one came to let me in. Foolishly I'd left my telephone in the room so couldn't even call and after waiting for 30 minutes she finally reappeared and let me in.

Oh and my wake up call didn't happen (but fortunately due to the sub-zero temperature in the room I was already wide awake) and then to add insult to injury the "complimentary breakfast coupon" they gave me was only valued at $13. There was nothing written to say that on the voucher, nor was I told this at check-in so I was surprised when the bill arrived. The front desk person in the morning wasn't interested in my problem when I checked out and as I had an engagement that day that I couldn't wait to speak to a manager (whose whereabouts according to the front desk was unknown).

It was a points stay so I'm intending to ask SPG for those points back. This place made the 4 Points Miami Beach look like a palace and I was shocked to see it only opened in 2007!!!

Ok, rant over. Beware this hotel!

While I was waiting for my shuttle bus there were two flight crews in the lobby, one from VX and the other from AA. It was funny listening to them both talking about each other in a quite disparaging way. They all congregated as far away from each other as they possibly could but where I was sitting you could hear them both laying into each other. Not so friendly rivalry I guess.
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Old Jun 14, 2009, 12:02 pm
  #21  
 
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I am so glad I found this thread and clicked the CANCEL for my upcoming reservation at this hopeless property!

I checked the google map, the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel looks like only 11 miles, 30 mins away from the JFK airport, that would be a good choice to instead of JFK Sheraton? I needs to catch the early flight in JFK depart @ 7am to SFO but would like to stay in Starwood properties. Thanks for advice!
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Old Jun 14, 2009, 12:14 pm
  #22  
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I will be the first to ask, have you ever actually driven the stretch between LGA and JFK before? With a 7AM flight out of JFK you're going to be driving during rush hour, which while it may only be 11 miles away, could easily take you an hour with traffic and that's assuming there are no wrecks or unforeseen backups. On a very conservative timeframe, you're looking at having to leave the Sheraton LGA at 4:30AM. I personally would just suck it up for the night and stay at the JFK property.
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Old Jun 14, 2009, 12:51 pm
  #23  
 
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I on the other hand would do exactly as you propose and stay at the LGA Sheraton. I do it a lot even with early morning flights. At the time you would likely want to arrive at the airport, most or all of your drive is before 6AM.
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Old Jun 14, 2009, 8:08 pm
  #24  
 
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No one's ever beaten the Van Wyck

Originally Posted by bulldoggolfer05
I will be the first to ask, have you ever actually driven the stretch between LGA and JFK before? With a 7AM flight out of JFK you're going to be driving during rush hour, which while it may only be 11 miles away, could easily take you an hour with traffic and that's assuming there are no wrecks or unforeseen backups. On a very conservative timeframe, you're looking at having to leave the Sheraton LGA at 4:30AM. I personally would just suck it up for the night and stay at the JFK property.
From The Busboy episode of Seinfeld:

ELAINE: I never new I could drive like that. I was going faster than I've ever gone before, and yet, it all seemed to be happening in slow motion. I was seeing three and four moves ahead, weaving in and out of lanes like an Olympic skier on a gold metal run. I knew I was challenging the very laws of physics. At Queens Boulevard, I took the shoulder. At Jewel Avenue, I used the median. I had it. I was there.. and then.. I hit the Van Wyck. They say no one's ever beaten the Van Wyck, but gentlemen, I tell you this - I came as close as anyone ever has. And if it hadn't been for that five-car-pile-up on Rockaway Boulevard, that numbskull would be on a plane for Seattle right now instead of looking for a parking space downstairs.
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Old Jun 14, 2009, 9:57 pm
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by bulldoggolfer05
I will be the first to ask, have you ever actually driven the stretch between LGA and JFK before? With a 7AM flight out of JFK you're going to be driving during rush hour, which while it may only be 11 miles away, could easily take you an hour with traffic and that's assuming there are no wrecks or unforeseen backups. On a very conservative timeframe, you're looking at having to leave the Sheraton LGA at 4:30AM. I personally would just suck it up for the night and stay at the JFK property.
Originally Posted by eightmillionmiler
I on the other hand would do exactly as you propose and stay at the LGA Sheraton. I do it a lot even with early morning flights. At the time you would likely want to arrive at the airport, most or all of your drive is before 6AM.
Thanks for all advices. It's my first trip to United States so I never transfer between LGA and JFK before. The United Lounge will open at 5.00am so it's okay to depart from Sheraton LGA at 4.30~5.00am, I can still take a rest in the lounge area. I rather to stay in better hotel and wake-up early. In addition, the room rate in Sheraton LGA is more friendly than Sheraton JFK, the difference can be settle the taxi fare
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Old Jun 15, 2009, 1:05 pm
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by tony2x
I just stayed here on Friday night and it was without question the worst SPG stay I've had in the eight years staying here....It was a points stay so I'm intending to ask SPG for those points back. This place made the 4 Points Miami Beach look like a palace and I was shocked to see it only opened in 2007!!!
A big ^^^^ to SPG Customer Services today. I explained the situation to them and they credited me the 7000 points I spent on this craphole and have promised to address the service issues.

This is one of the reasons why I give my business to Starwood.
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Old Jun 18, 2009, 12:12 am
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by tony2x
A big ^^^^ to SPG Customer Services today. I explained the situation to them and they credited me the 7000 points I spent on this craphole and have promised to address the service issues.

This is one of the reasons why I give my business to Starwood.
Great news ^

Is that means I can give a try in this property and have a chance to get full refund with my points, some kind of real "Free Night Awards"
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Old Jun 20, 2009, 4:44 pm
  #28  
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Greetings All
Thought I would chime in with my own experiences staying at Sheraton JFK property
I have never had a satisfactory stay at this property yet out of three stays and the third stay never happened at all as I was walked to another hotel upon check in.(see thread)
Both elevators have never worked at the same time on either stay
That is compounded by housekeepprs and their carts all trying to use the guest elevators as apparently there are no alternatives for team members to utilize
Then add to that those guests who are late for their flights or appointments at the same time as housekeepers are trying to move with carts between floors and one can be waiting for up to 15 or 20 minutes for an elevator.

My impression of this property is that it is a typical 4 Points Hotel with cheap poorly insulated walls to save money while in construction.
The only way to make it through the night if one is a light sleeper is to run a/c or heat and or other white noise to block out some of the exterior outside sounds.
The owners were able to upgrade the dcor and add sweet sleeper beds to get the Sheraton brand over the 4 points brand which is all the property branding really deserves at best

Starwood was probably pretty desperate to get some presence at JFK and the owners happy to get the Sheraton brand so they can ask for 330 plus tax a night and hope some fool will pay it. Now if that sounds a little harsh lets look at the somewhat upside
The hotel is new though very small rooms and public area. It is great to have any Starwood presence at JFK after losing the last Sheraton at JFK (a former nursing home)
The help seems lost and not empowered to take care of guests.
There are a few exceptions however and to be fair I have met a few very nice team members who privately do show heartfelt concern for the problems that guests have been experiencing at the property.

I too was charged for the complimentary cont Plat breakfast and got the hotel to credit back the charge
So I suppose they charge the room and hope the guest will forget especially on the weekends when the club lounge is closed and there is more reason to normally charge for breakfast
All that said I like the property somewhat if they could keep it operating properly and take care of business.

Put this hotel at any major airport besides JFK and it would be hard pressed to get over 150 a night
Because of the overpricing I sometimes take a cab into New York and stay at a solid 3 to 5 star property for less then a night at the Sheraton JFK
Cash and Points remains the only value here because of the absurd pricing structure

I will continue to use the property and gamble on some stays where I just want to get to the nearest clean property and on that note it gets at least a reasonably satisfactory rating there
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 9:17 pm
  #29  
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Wasted a "Free weekend night" on this hotel, without competition the worst Sheraton I've seen. Reading this thread, I was surprised to see it's only 2 years old-

With a 11.30 pm arrival with courtesy shuttle, I had to wait 14 min for check-in, as the only person at the desk was busy taking reservations by phone.

There's a lot of truck traffic around, even noicier than all the planes you hear, loud and clear.

Only one of two elevators were operating, but in a randomly mysterious way

The "complimentary breakfast" as a Platinum amenity was a joke, at the practically non-existent "lounge" consisting of some furniture at the elevator entrance on top floor. Arriving at 8.40, with 20 min of service left, I found 1 piece of butter (but no bread), 1 sad single chunk of pineapple (but no spoon to fish it up with), empty bowls with traces of having marmalade packages inside in a former life, no cutlery, two styrofoam cups only to fill one third of one with the remains of the very sad, and lukewarm "coffee" Waiting for 5 min, the serviceperson arriving excused the non-existing BF by "we're closing at 9!"

BF at the restaurant behind the check-in was very slow. During my visit, never more than eight guests. Despite 3 waiters, 8 min to order, and 24 more to deliver standard hot item of toast/scrabled eggs/bacon.

Avoid!
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Old Sep 8, 2009, 9:51 pm
  #30  
 
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Therefore...what's the best hotel at JFK? Looks like Marriot Courtyard runs around $50-75 for Priceline bids. Which hotel has the best/most fun bar to watch MNF?

Last edited by nologic; Sep 8, 2009 at 10:02 pm
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