StarwoodGuy: 2016

Friday, September 9, 2016

SLS Las Vegas Labor Day Getaway

For Labor Day this year I headed to the SLS Las Vegas. A quick stop at the American Express Centurion Studio in Seattle and an easy flight on Alaska Airlines found us in Las Vegas by midday on Saturday. We took a quick Uber ride to the SLS Las Vegas at the north end of the strip. The hotel is a modern hotel, previously the Sahara, with three towers, a small lobby and lobby bar with large concierge area. It is slightly out of the way up at the North End of the Strip, but the Monorail goes right into the hotel making it easy to connect to the main areas on the Strip and other hotels. There are two pools, one that gets quite busy and which is open to the public, and one that is just for hotel guests. The service was quite good, but we had problems at check in when we were given a room instead of a suite even after having used Starwood Suite upgrades. Once we did get an upgrade it was to a great suite in the Lux tower with a large living area and a separate bedroom, along with a small guest bathroom at the entry, and spacious master bathroom. The mirror over the bed is a very Vegas touch. The views out are not as good as those farther into the main strip but it was still quite nice.

The food at Northside for breakfast and dinner at Cleo were both excellent, just two of the restaurants on offer at the hotel. We wanted to have spa treatments at Aria which were excellent, and dinner at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris to overlook the Bellagio Fountains, so we missed some of the other offerings at the SLS. Overall it was quite a good stay, the casino is on the quiet side and not too large which I preferred and the gym is a bit small for Vegas Hotels. Of the 3 towers, the Lux Tower we were in seemed the best, but this will soon become the W Hotel tower as Starwood was taking just this tower over directly on the day that we were leaving. As with most of Vegas, there is a lot of smoke around, and even in the non-smoking rooms some smoke manages to seep in through the bathroom vents but this was solved by keeping the bathroom doors closed.

A good property with helpful staff, especially the concierge team, great food, just a little out of the way but much more exciting then the Westin which is really just a business hotel and very quiet.

Amex Centurion Studio Seattle

Amex Centurion Studio Seattle Birthday Present

SLS Las Vegas Story Tower Room

First Vegas Drinks!

High Roller- Las Vegas Wheel

SLS Las Vegas Lux Tower Suite Living Room Area

SLS Las Vegas Lux Tower Suite Guest bathroom

SLS Las Vegas Lux Tower Suite Mini Bar

SLS Las Vegas Lux Tower Suite Master Bathroom

SLS Las Vegas Lux Tower Suite Bedroom

SLS Las Vegas Casino

SLS Las Vegas Lux Tower Suite View

Las Vegas Strip

Me at the Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas Strip

Breakfast at Northside

SLS Las Vegas Casino

SLS Las Vegas Northside

Mon Ami Gabi Restaurant

Bellagio Fountains

SLS Las Vegas Cleo Restaurant

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Sheraton Wall Centre Vancouver- Work and Canada Day!

I had another short stay at the Vancouver Wall Centre for work. The hotel renovations in the South Tower are almost complete, though the North Tower restaurant and the hotel’s gym could still do with some updates. The city was packed with several cruises and the Rocky Mountaineer train having come into town and many of these groups were staying at the hotel. As always, the staff were excellent and the location could not be beat. The Club Lounge is scheduled to be relocated around July 20th to the split level lounge on the 25th floor, but the offerings and space on the 3rd Floor were good and the staff worked tirelessly to accommodate the large number of guests. I was there over Canada Day and the hotel was a great spot to make the short trek down to the waterfront to see the fireworks. I also had a few walks along the seawall and over to the Aquarium, which I finally joined since I visit so often, in Stanley Park. I opted for the Amtrak train back with great views of the water, pay for Business Class for larger seats and priority boarding. Another great stay and still love the hotel.

Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Suite Living Room

Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Suite Bedroom

Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Suite Bathroom

Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Suite View

English Bay Vancouver

Vancouver Aquarium

View from Amtrak Train Home to Seattle

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Palm Springs and Disney Birthday Getaway - Day 4 Sheraton Park Anaheim

After leaving Palm Springs we made the drive to Anaheim, typically under a 2 hour trip but on the busy Memorial Day Monday, almost 4 hours. I have stayed at the Sheraton Park several times, a brief 10 minute walk to downtown Disney and the entrance to both Disneyland and California Adventure, it is a perfect choice for those not wanting to spend more on the expensive Disney properties. The only downside is that unlike the SPG Swan and Dolphin in Disney World, the Sheraton Park does not get the magic hour benefits as it is a ‘friend’ or ‘partner’ hotel, not an actual Disney branded hotel.

This hotel is also in the middle of a needed update, with the lobby being transformed from a 70’s and dated building to modern, clean, and functional. The large tower has great views over Disney for the fireworks at night, with a few floors having been renovated including the Club Lounge, but with a great number of rooms still to go throughout the hotel. The staff at the front desk was amazing as was the attendant in the Club Lounge. The only downside was the new coupon system for use in the Club Lounge which was a little confusing. The drinks in the lounge were previously free, which people loved, but sadly this benefit has gone. The Club Lounge has a basic continental breakfast but great and varied offerings at night time. The pool area and gym are also good at the property with ample seating by the pool area. It is not as flashy as the Disney properties but it is a great SPG choice and especially good for those on a budget. Try to get a room facing Disneyland for fireworks views and the number 11 rooms are the suites.

Our stay was pretty brief with a snack in the Club Lounge then drinks in downtown Disney at Uva, then early to bed so that we could be up early for a quick snack in the lounge, a to go coffee, and then a day at the park. We grabbed an Uber to LAX for $50.00, typically I would recommend flying out of Long Beach or SNA, but at night time we were going against the traffic. As always a great stay here, but I cannot say enough about the staff, they went above and beyond with the suite upgrade and drink coupons for my birthday. Much appreciated!