Sheraton Heathrow Starwood conversation completes

So, as you see from my last few posts, I had a less than satisfactory stay at the Sheraton Heathrow recently. In this day and age it is easy to make a complaint that is seen by many and I will always utilise any methods I can to talk to businesses who don’t meet expectations. How else are they to know if we don’t say anything?

I have now had a phone call from Stephen (Rooms Division Manager) at Sheraton Heathrow. This is good because it’s shown me that they have taken the time on board to recognise my issues and to look to address them. He took the time to go over my comments and talk about each one individually. It wasn’t a case of ‘lets call this guest, chuck a free lunch at him and hope he goes away’ type conversation, but more a very specific talk about they reasons and understanding behind each point I’d made.

I was happy that things had been addressed this way for the conversation, given that some issues were completely out of his hands and were a corporate decision (such as the wifi setup) and others we’re completely on his plate (the musty old room smell). He also took control of the missing barman issue although thinking about it now, it could be the person he will talk to about it, that caused the issue in the first place (food and beverage manager) Anyway, point is… things have been concluded professionally and over the phone, when businesses now a days can so easily have a less human touch.

Time will now tell if there is another visit, if anything actually changes. Let’s hope so. And time for me to get some positives on this blog 😛

quick Starwood Update

So after my small rant someone at @StarwoodBuzz picked up the previous blog post and we exchanged a few quick supportive DM’s:

Sorry to hear about your experience. We would like to follow up with management at the hotel. Can you DM us your stay information.

We are opening a file on this matter on your behalf. We will also follow up with the hotel to ensure your concerns are addressed.

(1/2) Hello, I’ve forwarded your comments to the hotel’s management to assist us in resolving this situation for you. Please allow

(2/2) us up to five days for a thorough internal investigation and for an appropriate response to be provided to you.

So, all positive stuff. The 5 days begins from around Sat 29th 1054hrs but clearly I hope they can action this simple problem a bit quickly, just so as I know its been picked up. Even though the twitter stream is following 27601 twitter users they have done far better in communicating that the facebook page which only has 30,979 likes, so well done Twitter team 😀

The facebook post went on before Twitter post and has had zero response 😦

Hey Starwood Hotels! WTF?

I’m in the Sheraton Heathrow. This is the first Sheraton hotel I’ve stayed in since Pine Cliffs Sheraton in Portugal when I took my wife out on a beautiful and perfect stay. I was so impressed with the service and the stay that I thought this is a hotel chain that I want to stay in. I signed up to SPG.com and thought I’ll earn some nice points to take me forwards to staying with this chain again. Who doesnt want rewarding for their time. I stay in a hotel almost every week with work.. It’s not a good life, in fact I’m starting to hate being away from home so much, so when I’m away I want to stay in a good place. I thought I was sorted with a Sheraton.

Wrong and wrong again.

The start was a slightly surly check in. This wasn’t from a bloke but from a fair haired probably Polish girl from her name and accent. After I’d been ID’d and signed my soul over in the only way someone from eastern europe can make it sound, I was given a key card. I checked into room 1229 and on opening of the door was blasted by a whiff of staleness. Not a totally, oppressive smell but as I write this I can smell the mix of chemical cleaning and what ever the hell was split in here harshly mixed with the age of the room.

I quickly left the room to go do some work in the bar. I’m staying in a Sheraton so I figure hey they can provide wireless cause … you know, wifi should be free and easy like in McDonalds or costa coffee etc, the places you walk into for nothing, spend a couple of quid but as a thank you for your loyalty you get some wifi access. No chance. My cost for what is a bed in a smelly room doesnt grant me access. A tenner might tho…. For an hour. I didn’t sign up but instead just tethered my android and used the Three UK stream down here at probably more than the hotel would have offered anyway. But I digress somewhat as I went to the bar for work and a drink. There were a few covers in the bar area sat on the seats that looked kind of comfortable but there wasn’t a barman to be seen. Was this a serve yourself bar? Sadly not..after about 4 or 5 mins of standing at the bar and walking in and out in front of reception someone suddenly appeared. As he apologised for keeping me waiting, I asked him why I had been left here waiting for someone to get me a drink. The answer was somewhat shocking in that he said he was ‘training’! Standard reply fell out my mouth and it’s what you are thinking.

I soon left the hotel to meet with colleagues and ‘enjoyed’ an average Indian in a local place that began with K. Yes, it as that memorable but either way it was walk able from the hotel. << update, it was The Karahi Express, Bath Road.

When I came back to the hotel, I went to the bar and sat down. This time the service was prompt and friendly as Thomaz and his trainee ( i think that’s the right way round) served and chatted to the punters. I met with a guy called Sham. Very friendly Indian bloke, made the night in to a way more interesting one than it would normally have been stuck in a hotel bar. If you’re out there mate, hope you and your family (inc. hamster son) are well 😉

He proceeded to tell me the crap service he’d had too. Not really what I wanted to hear but none the less, that’s the way it is.

I went back to my scented room to hit the sack, had a shower and then went to brush my teeth. Hot water. Weird, maybe the tap is on the wrong way round, but no… This isn’t two separate taps, this is a mixer and there is no way it’s going to give me any cold water tonight.

Hey, no worries, I’ll phone reception who at this time will be more than attentive. As the phone rings four, five, six times it’s finally answered. Not with a, ‘Hi How can I help?’ but with a ‘Hold the line please’

I’m now at breaking point. I just want to go to bed. I need to brush my teeth and have a glass of cold water, not be put on hold at 0100 hrs. Totally crap!

I now have to chuck some jeans on etc and go down to reception. Rant rant and I get two bottles of cold highland spring. Sorted…….. Until I need to brush my teeth in the morning.

This will be the last time that I stay here and I strongly advise you not to stay here either as the choice on Bath road and the Heathrow area in general are far better than this place.

I truely hope that Starwood pick this up and come back to me on it. The irony of it all is that I’ve stayed up till 0200hrs to type is up in the room with the default Starwood channel on. It’s telling me about how good ‘W, Starwood, St Petersburg, Claudia Shiffer’ is along with why it’s great to stay in a Starwood. I agree with everything that they are saying.

Sadly from where I’m sat, it’s nothing but bullshit.

From Drop Box