Oooh a Sweet Sleeper Bed...I'm a Sucker for a Gimmick
Written: Jul 14 '04 (Updated May 01 '06)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Friendly Staff, Suite for Room Prices, Sweet Sleeper Bed
Cons: Long Corridors, Parking Lot View
The Bottom Line: The Sheraton Suites is my choice for lodging near Orlando International. Larger than rooms and a mighty fine bed. What else do you want?
|
|
|
| nvherron's Full Review: Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport |
The Hotel: Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport...
The Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport is located off Augusta National Drive in front of a small lake near the Main Entrance of Orlando International Airport at Semoran Blvd. The hotel is a low-rise building surrounding a central courtyard. The Sheraton Suites was formerly the Guest Quarters Suite Hotel. Then Doubletree purchased the Guest Quarters chain…and this one became the Doubletree Guest Suite Hotel. Parking is complimentary, as well as a 24-hour Airport Shuttle. The shuttle was convenient and we left the hotel promptly at 5AM, as I requested. Leah at the front desk suggested I turn in the rental car the night before, and that turned out to be a great idea.
The Welcome: Don’t smart off to the Front Desk Staff...
Welcome Ratings: Curb Appeal = 3 Stars; Interior Design = 3 Stars; Staff Quality = 4 Stars
The Main Entrance opens into a small atrium that goes way, way up to the top of the hotel. I know, I’m being dramatic, as the Sheraton Suites is only 3 stories tall. The lobby is comfortable with muted rose colored marble floors and traditional contemporary furnishings. Lighting is slightly dim. To the back of the lobby is a restaurant, lounge and gift shop. The front desk is to the right. I noticed a small podium with a sign reading ‘Concierge Services available here’, yet I never saw a person there during our stay.
Arriving at the front desk, I awaited my turn to check-in behind someone else. After a few seconds I realized the desk clerk and guest were arguing, and I started to get concerned. I was thinking...‘oh great, the staff in this hotel stinks’. But as I eavesdropped I realized the guest was just a jerk and the clerk was totally justified in all her comments. Once this dweeb vaporized, I found her to be very polite and helpful. Check-in was a breeze.
I elected to not use the bell staff, so I wielded our luggage down the long corridors to our room…umm, I mean suite. Excuse me. Our suite was on the first floor and faced out into the parking lot and an exit ramp off the Beeline Expressway. Not a fine view. I think in the future I will request a courtyard view suite.
The Suite: Very comfortable space, like a little bit of home...
Room Ratings: Bed = 4 Stars; Bedding = 4 Stars; Design = 3.5 Stars
The entry door opened up into a pleasant and clean little parlor. The suite parlor was nicely decorated in dark wood furnishings and attractive plaid and paisley fabrics in what I would call a Traditional Contemporary decor. Our suite looked recently renovated. There was a large work desk sporting a telephone with voicemail and broadband internet access for laptops (fee). Behind the desk was a nice little galley with a beautiful granite counter, coffeemaker, microwave and refrigerator with a wood panel insert to match the cabinets (nice touch). The sitting area was compact with a pull-out sofa, sitting chair and coffee table. There was an average size built-in TV with AV jacks to hook up video cameras, DVD players or a Play Station. That’s rare in a hotel!
Off the parlor was a pair of tall paneled doors that lead into the Bedroom. Our Suite’s Bedroom held a large King Size Bed with an attractive dark red duvet stuffed with down, contrasting gold bed skirt and piled high with fluffy white pillows. This is another fine example of Sheraton’s Sweet Sleeper Bed. They are extremely comfortable and another reason why I like to stay at Starwood brand properties. The linens were very clean and soft. The Bedroom had it’s own built-in TV without the AV hookups. On the night stand was an AM/FM alarm clock radio and the second of the suite’s telephones.
The bathroom was a two-part deal. A vanity area and a separate water closet. The vanity area was large and carpeted, immediately adjacent to the bedroom. It had a nice golden granite slab countertop, vanity chair, large mirror and a closet (housing a luggage stand, iron, board and real hairdryer). The water closet had a limestone style ceramic tile floor and the tub had a light marble tile surround with an accent ceramic tile in-lay (quite attractive). The shower head was a nice multi-setting type. Bath care products were incognito with Sheraton written on them. I have no idea who makes them, but they were very pleasant. All bath areas were well lit.
The air conditioning was controlled by a residential style thermostat on the wall in the parlor. It worked well, which is imperative in Florida during the summer months.
The Grub: Sorry, didn’t get a chance to eat here…
Food Ratings: Restaurant = ???; Lounge = ???; Room Service = ???
I did not eat in the hotel’s restaurants. We ended up eating in a Super Target for dinner because I needed to buy a second portable DVD player so my kids wouldn’t argue in the plane on the way back to Nevada. And we checked out too early to eat breakfast to catch our flight home. United Airlines is fortunate I’m not writing a review on their breakfast.
The Recreation: Well, if the pool isn’t heated it better be in Florida!!!
Recreation Ratings: Pool = 3 Stars; Fitness Center = 4 Stars
We swam in the Indoor/Outdoor Pool. That has always been an odd concept for me, but I guess it is the best of both worlds. It was refreshing, to say the least. That’s a nice way to say the heater was not operating. However, being Florida in summer, it wasn’t that big of a deal, we were able to handle it, even our young kids. However, this left the spa closed. There was a large table stacked full of clean towels. Additionally, there is a large fitness center off the first floor corridor, but it was quite busy when I went by it.
The Verdict: Now my favorite hotel off site from Orlando International Airport...
Grades: Market Percentile = 85%; Class Percentile (Upper Upscale) = 75%
In final summation, the Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport is a very good option when needing to stay near OIA. The rates are fairly good and equivalent to other hotels in the area. Given this hotel’s good staff and getting a suite over a room, this is our hotel of choice at Orlando International. Although the suites are a little smaller than the average suite, they are larger than hotel rooms and are nicely appointed, and the Sweet Sleeper Bed is mighty fine. And it would even do OK for visiting the Orlando/Disney Area at large...that is if you don’t mind the drive and the toll booths!
Robert Herron
Fernley, Nevada
e-mail: general@herronweb.com
Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport:
Address: 7550 Augusta National Dr., Orlando, FL 32822
Phone: (407) 240-5555 Fax: (407) 240-1300
Website: http://www.sheratonairport.com/
Suites: 150
Year Built: 1986 Last Renovated: 2004
Other Orlando Airport Hotel Reviews by nvherron:
Renaissance Orlando Hotel Airport - Wickered to Your Heart's Desire...
Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport - No, I'm not a Metrosexual! But I play one on TV...
Holiday Inn Select Orlando Airport - Call Security! There's a Loud Mutant Toddler trying to Break in our room!
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
nvherron
|
|
Member: Robert Herron
Location: Fernley, Nevada, USA
Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 40 members
About Me:
The Hotel Dork is back home for awhile. Tired of jet setting for the moment.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.