Sheraton Palo Alto Hotel

The poolside restaurant gets 5/5 for both food and service. The front desk crew were quick, kind, and helpful too. The pool is heated, with a deep end of at least 8 feet, though I can’t recall the exact depth. Nice that it wasn’t all 4 feet. Parking is shared with The Westin, but there was plenty of room. Call ahead about the Sheraton Lounge to see whether its renovation is finished.

The front desk staff were nice, but this hotel didn’t feel worth what it costs. The WiFi was unreliable, and nobody at the desk answered the phone. When I finally got someone on the line, they were rude. Smaller hotels like the Cardinal have much better service. I’m starting to notice the same price problem with Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

The room has a good set of amenities, and the hotel itself is competent, but for the price there are too many frustrating gaps. At breakfast, nothing seemed proactive. You have to ask for coffee and wait to be seated. Checkout and parking were a mess. They tell you to leave your room key at reception for speedy checkout, then you reach the parking barrier and need that key. I waited in the check-in line to get another one, and it didn’t work, so I had to repeat the process. Reception can only give you a folio for extras, not the main stay, which leaves me wondering how to claim the expense. The attitude felt a bit chippy, as we might say in the UK. Try a hotel in Asia and see the difference.

The rooms were spacious and immaculate, and the staff were friendly. Breakfast was a decent buffet. The location is really convenient, and I’d definitely stay again when I’m in Palo Alto.