While I’m writing reviews, I should review some of the other hotels I’ve stayed in recently too…
The Sheraton Towers in Melbourne would still have to be one of my favourites, despite some serious failures such as lack of good connectivity.
Starting with the entrance with the lovely ornate stairs and water feature flowing down from the lobby level – followed by the friendly sit down at the desk with your personal reception manager to complete check in – all sets the scene for an enjoyable stay.
They furnish the hotel and the rooms with classic old style furniture that look great and gives the hotel a very classy feel.
Can’t beat the location – close to IBM (very very close), good restaurants in the area, easy walk to the casino complex or into the city.
If they would just do something about the connectivity – like the Sheraton on the Park in Sydney with wireless broadband – that would be fantastic – then I would be more than happy to stay there all the time. As it is now, I think I’ll be staying at the Grand Hyatt more often, or if I need to be closer to IBM, at the Quay West apartments, which I believe also have Intertouch broadband.
I’ll get straight to the ratings.
Room: 8/10 – functional, clean, classy, although can feel a little cluttered, generally very nice and comfortable. Room a reasonable size with a desk and lounge chair with ottoman (quite comfortable). Bathroom a decent size. Great view of the city over the Yarra and Flinders St station – unless you get the cheap room with a view of the IBM building at close range.
Bed: 8/10 – I generally sleep pretty well at the Sheraton, the beds are comfortable, but I sometimes have trouble with the pillows. At least they give you a good selection.
TV: 8/10 – decent TV, not easily viewed from the desk, but usually okay from the lounge or the bed. Good cable selection, including Discovery Channel (*yay*)
Connectivity: 4/10 – two phones, one on desk and one by bed, the desk phone has a data port. Dialup speed limited to around 28.8kbps. No broadband.
Breakfast: 8/10 – Used to be a great breakfast, but it’s lost some of it’s appeal of late. Still very nice, but just not that special compared to some I’ve had.
Room Service: 7/10 – reasonable selection, service usually okay, preparation good. Not terribly special, but good enough. Fortunately there is a good food court and loads of restaurants near by.
Location: 8/10 – plenty of restaurants around – not a lot of shopping immediately close by, but it’s really not that far to walk across the river to the city or down to the casino. Lovely area to be at night in the spring and summer when river walk comes alive. No 711s close by which is a bit of a pain.
Total: 51/70 = 73%
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