Sheraton On The Park,Sydney.

[drron]

Well after my great run as an SPG plat something had to happen.Just completing a 3 day stay here and it marks the first time I have been downgraded as a Plat.I booked a city view room but was given one of the smaller rooms with a view of the building next door-5 feet away.
On top of that-no morning delivery of paper,in room coffee and milk not replenished.Service in the lounge definitely worse than last visit in May-ignored a couple of times.
The new VIP coughtail lounge that is advertised after 7.30pm is a joke.We were late back last night as it advertises a full bar and snack menu.Only Sheraton Club guests can enter.You ask for the menu and are handed the inroom dining for eats and drinks-and yes it appears the $8 delivery charge for in room dining applies.
Pity as we intend to spend 12-30 nights in Sydney each year in the next 5 or so years.SOTP is off the list.

 

[superchris]

Well after my great run as an SPG plat something had to happen.Just completing a 3 day stay here and it marks the first time I have been downgraded as a Plat.I booked a city view room but was given one of the smaller rooms with a view of the building next door-5 feet away.
On top of that-no morning delivery of paper,in room coffee and milk not replenished.Service in the lounge definitely worse than last visit in May-ignored a couple of times.
The new VIP coughtail lounge that is advertised after 7.30pm is a joke.We were late back last night as it advertises a full bar and snack menu.Only Sheraton Club guests can enter.You ask for the menu and are handed the inroom dining for eats and drinks-and yes it appears the $8 delivery charge for in room dining applies.
Pity as we intend to spend 12-30 nights in Sydney each year in the next 5 or so years.SOTP is off the list.

drron,

You had the same whinge on Flyertalk.
If you have an issue take it up with Sean.
Guests who whinge because they did not get a suite upgrade and then write a lousy review in retaliation have little credibility IMHO.

 

[opusman]

Newspaper - you forgot to hang the doodad on your door handle :mrgreen:

 

[drron]

drron,

You had the same whinge on Flyertalk.
If you have an issue take it up with Sean.
Guests who whinge because they did not get a suite upgrade and then write a lousy review in retaliation have little credibility IMHO.

Chris you may have noted also here and FT that i have been effusive in praise of other hotels even if not upgraded to a suite.In fact here I would have been quite happy with getting the room I had booked and nowhere in either review do I complain of not getting a suite.
I am not a fellow who does mouth of.I actually abhor the practice.I certainly will be letting the hotel know and starwood as I do when I have a good experience.

 

[markis10]

drron,

You had the same whinge on Flyertalk.
If you have an issue take it up with Sean.
Guests who whinge because they did not get a suite upgrade and then write a lousy review in retaliation have little credibility IMHO.

Guests who complain because they are not getting what they paid for are entitled to complain, are you also blaming drron for the poor expereinces reported recently on tripadvisor for the same thing, or for the guest being told not to treat room service staff like slaves for asking for something not on the menu - a glass of juice?

The poor expereinces I had at the Sheraton on the Park along with the loss of the Sheraton Brisbane that treated guests so well were the two reasons why I chose not to continue being a SPG Plat a few years ago, its sad to see nothing has changed based on reports by various people on various boards, and a lack of a response to reports on Tripadvisor by the hotel would seem to indicate the hotel just does not care.

 

[Alanslegal]

Drron, its a pity that you didn't share the same positive experience at the SOTP that I usually receive there.

Having stayed at the SOTP various times all I can say is that the SOTP is the first choice out of all the Starwood properties. I can't recall the number of stays over the last few years but I'd say 9 out of 10 upgrade to suites, and the other was upgraded to a high floor with Hyde Park view.

In terms of service, I find SOTP staff much much more friendlier than say those at the Westin. The SOTP actually feel much more welcoming to me, and the Exec Lounge staff always try to work efficiently and professionally though it can get very busy there during peak times causing the service to feel slow.

However in terms of upgrades at the Westin, I am scoring 1 out of 10 upgrades to a suite .... and that upgrade happened ONLY when I advised them (in a complaint re: that I never get upgraded) that I had prepaid 5 rooms on a certain night and that if they failed on a suite upgrade, I would no longer send any of my nights there. Surprise surprise! Guess they tried to please me somehow but ..... it still felt that I had to jump hoops to try and get a published benefit. For me, never back to the Westin Sydney.

Anyway I still think you should give the SOTP another go, they really will IMO and IME do what they can to ensure guests have a great stay.

For what its worth, in the past week the SOTP, Westin and 4P were extremely busy? and even on some days there were sold out. When they weren't though the best rates have been extremely high >$400. Even last night, the best avail rates at the SOTP were asking $795 (for a suite - no std rooms availabile)! So maybe it's awful to be downgraded, but in terms of an upgrade, I would deduce the hotel was close to full during the last week in Sydney.

 

[Alanslegal]

The poor expereinces I had at the Sheraton on the Park along with the loss of the Sheraton Brisbane that treated guests so well were the two reasons why I chose not to continue being a SPG Plat a few years ago, its sad to see nothing has changed based on reports by various people on various boards, and a lack of a response to reports on Tripadvisor by the hotel would seem to indicate the hotel just does not care.

As at 0848AEST 21/11/2009 TripAdvisor ranks Sheraton On The Park as #10 out of 247 hotels (with 241 reviews) so it would appear there are substantially more favourable reviews than those negative ones.

Any hotel for that fact isn't obliged to respond back to non-official forums/boards/sites such as TripAdvisor. If they choose to, then that's beneficial but you cannnot criticise a lack of care by a hotel just because they choose (for whatever reasons) not to respond or give feedback via a 3rd party.

 

[markis10]

As at 0848AEST 21/11/2009 TripAdvisor ranks Sheraton On The Park as #10 out of 247 hotels (with 241 reviews) so it would appear there are substantially more favourable reviews than those negative ones.

Any hotel for that fact isn't obliged to respond back to non-official forums/boards/sites such as TripAdvisor. If they choose to, then that's beneficial but you cannnot criticise a lack of care by a hotel just because they choose (for whatever reasons) not to respond or give feedback via a 3rd party.

Hotels are not obiged to say anything, no one is saying they are, however from a customer service perspective a response shows that the hotel is hearing what their customers are saying. As for the ranking, its based on all feedback received over 5 years, so recent changes are going to take a while to feed through to the ranking, however two bad service reports similar to Drron's in the last 14 days would seem to indicate a current issue with the hotel.

By comparison, the IC Syd are trying hard to improve their level of service with participation by staff on FT and also tripadvisor, it will be interesting to see in a years time where the two hotels stand in the rankings, in the meantime I know where I am spending my money and will continue to watch the forums for reports of better value than what I am getting!

 

[netaddict]

Looking at staying here for the first time in December 2009 as a SPG Gold level. Will stay at the executive club level, city view room.

What can I expect benefit wise?

What's the executive lounge like?

 

[drron]

Looking at staying here for the first time in December 2009 as a SPG Gold level. Will stay at the executive club level, city view room.

What can I expect benefit wise?

What's the executive lounge like?

Getting an Executive room gives you all the benefits.That was my Platinum benefit.Late checkout would be another if you need it.
I do like the lounge-the view is fantastic.Service this time was not as good as our first time in May.This though could just be a one off.I think you should enjoy it.
I have since learned a little more in regards to my stay.A former colleague with only an inactive SPG membership checked in 3 hours after me ,had booked the identical rate and got a genuine city view room on the 20th floor.Needless to say I was even less impressed.

 

[mattm199]

Ron, I think the thing at SOTP is that rooms are "Park View", or "City View" which means "not a Park View room", rather that having a particularly exciting view of the city.
I usually found that I got the room type booked, but as a Gold in the last 6 months or so have been getting the larger corner rooms, and on one occasion a Club room (but checking in early and think they gave me the room exceptionally).

 

[superchris]

Getting an Executive room gives you all the benefits.That was my Platinum benefit.Late checkout would be another if you need it.
I do like the lounge-the view is fantastic.Service this time was not as good as our first time in May.This though could just be a one off.I think you should enjoy it.
I have since learned a little more in regards to my stay.A former colleague with only an inactive SPG membership checked in 3 hours after me ,had booked the identical rate and got a genuine city view room on the 20th floor.Needless to say I was even less impressed.

I have managed an Exec suite upgrade 8 out of the last 9 stays.
You certainly get a better chance of a suite upgrade as a Plat if you check in not at reception but directly in the lounge on the 21st floor.Just ask a staff member for a key to get up the lifts.

 

[Keith009]

I've also had the same 'downgrade' experience at various hotels including this one. In this instance I'd booked a Park View but got a similar room as drron. Asked to see Front Desk Manager but he refused to budge, citing that the hotel was full. I don't mind not getting a suite (unless it can actually be proven that they do have Select Standard Suites available but hadn't upgraded anyway - the good ole screenshot of the spg.com booking page taken straight after check in usually fixes this real fast) but this was an actual downgrade in room type. I think I sent Sean my FT rant when I got home and he was v generous in service recovery - I booked my next stay directly through him, got an exec suite blocked off and champers, and of course Starpoints. Which was the only time I ever got a suite here come to think of it, but at least I get nice corner rooms the rest of the times.

I have managed an Exec suite upgrade 8 out of the last 9 stays.
You certainly get a better chance of a suite upgrade as a Plat if you check in not at reception but directly in the lounge on the 21st floor.Just ask a staff member for a key to get up the lifts.

Thanks for the tip - will certainly remember that for future stays. I'd never exercised the entitlement to check in at the Exec lounge as it's a bit of a hassle going all the way up there but in the less 'upgrade-friendly' hotels it seems worth it!

I actually prefer the hard product of the Westin which feels more contemporary, but would echo above comments RE service there.

 

[netaddict]

I do like the lounge-the view is fantastic.Service this time was not as good as our first time in May.This though could just be a one off.I think you should enjoy it.

What's the evening drinks and food selection like?

Last few times I've travelled I've stayed at the Swissotel and noticed its gone downhill. Also Swissotel is more expensive this time around.

 

[drron]

What's the evening drinks and food selection like?

Last few times I've travelled I've stayed at the Swissotel and noticed its gone downhill. Also Swissotel is more expensive this time around.

We drink white wine-the choice was a chardy or a semillion/sav blanc from a lable I had not heard of before.
Snacks-every night 3 hot snacks-party pies,spring rolls,fried rice,ravioli,curry puffs on our 2 nights(spring rolls were repeated).Cheese,smoked salmon,ham,antipasti,dips.certainly adequate but no Wow factor.
By the way I have heard from the hotel manager who had been referred to my FT post.As with QF009 was offered a quaranteed suite upgrade next booking but i have turned it down.