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| - I'm sure that most people have noticed already, but several of the reviews that have been posted here (including some high ratings) are actually for the casino that is about a mile away. This review is for the Sheraton resort and spa.
I will say up front that my review is from the perspective of a business traveler. I stay in hotels about 90 nights a year, and have seen just about everything from high end luxury to downright scary. This review should be seen that way. If you are on vacation with your family, or only travel occasionally and see this as your annual boondoggle then your perspective may be different. If you're in my situation, you're better off staying at a traditional hotel.
I was here for only one night to speak at a conference. Business travelers in that situation (especially those of us who are traveling alone) would actually rather be at home and want this to be as painless as possible. We value convenience, service, ease of use, the ability to simply relax without a big production, and knowledgeable staff more than spas and golf courses. This hotel falls short on those criteria.
Actually I do golf quite a bit, but I didn't bring my clubs because they don't take tee times for singles. I was told I could try to walk on but the odds weren't great. Thpt.
Overall - nice looking place. But the service just does not lend itself to business travel. A few examples are below. I'm leaving out several annoyances that were equally odd. No one thing is life threatening but after a while they add up to a lousy experience.
First thing was minor but indicative of a clueless staff. I came straight from the airport on a Saturday, and arrived a little early in the day (around 1:00 pm). The room was ready which was a pleasant surprise. About ten minutes after I got to my room I made a phone call. While I was talking there was a knock on the door. I was on the phone, not exactly expecting anyone, and there was no identification (like "housekeeping") so I ignored it. Another knock followed quickly by the door opening. Note to hotel staff - if you are going to do that it's a good idea to identify yourself so you don't freak out the guest. It was just a guy who was there to stock the mini-bar (shouldn't that be done before one checks in) but enough to surprise me.
Time for dinner. I'm on the road, a little tired, in the wrong timezone and would like a nice hot meal in the easiest way possible. I'm thinking find a seat at the restaurant bar, order a steak and read on the ipad. Simple enough? No.
They have a restaurant called Kai. It's high end, has a dress code, and actually bans electronic devices (which is fine but kills reading on the ipad at the bar). Ok - how about the other one (out of five) restaurant that is open. No bar, you need to reserve a table, and I could tell by the sneer from the hostess that a single at a table (which I hate doing anyway) was not what she wanted to see on Saturday night. Fine - there is a bar fifteen feet from the entrance of the restaurant. I sit down and order a beer. There is a guy next to me reading the menu of the restaurant. When he's done, I grab it and try to order something. "Sorry - we just have that here so people can look at it - you can't order their food at the bar you can only order the apps on the bar menu". Anyone who travels for business as much as I do knows that is BS. A waiter can't carry the plate twenty feet out the door? Really? Does this little six seat cubbyhole bar have it's own kitchen that only makes the appetizers on the bar list?
Fine, I'll go order a pizza. I could do room service but have no confidence in this place now. Walking past the concierge stand I think "maybe I'll get a recommendation". No one is there, so as I am looking through the stuff, the concierge walks up and ignores me completely. Another lady walks up and looks through the same stuff and gets a sweet "what can I help you find". Now I'm getting po'ed.
So after an hour of wandering around and getting shut out at this "wonderful full service resort" I finally order a pizza. When it arrives, they call my room and tell me I have to come to the front desk to get it. What? There is no security or anything like that. Anyone who doesn't look like a vagrant (and some who do) can walk past the front desk and down the halls. But put a pizza in his hand and it's a problem? Luckily I still had pants on, so off I went to finally get something to eat.
Finally off to dreamland. But the walls are pretty thin. So when the family in the room next to me start running around and playing the tv at 5:30 am, it's all I can hear.
The place is meant as a resort for vacationers I guess. But should that mean that single business travelers should be shit on? To me it comes off as a carnival cruise ship on land. It's smarmy and the staff doesn't care much because most people won't be back any time soon anyway.
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