Sheraton Raleigh Hotel

I spent my birthday weekend here, but for a Sheraton this hotel needs to do better. The mattress had a hole in it, and the elevator was so loud we could hear it from the room. The rooms are due for an update.

The hotel has a great lobby and location, with plenty of restaurants nearby. There’s also a good hall and market within walking distance. The restaurant downstairs, Jimmy V, is nice, but I waited 30 minutes for spaghetti when it wasn’t busy. The current night staff are much nicer than the women who worked nights when I stayed here a couple of times two months ago. Those staff members were snobby and rude when I came in, as if doing their jobs was a huge burden. David and the other Caucasian gentleman, whose name I don’t know, are both very sweet. There’s also a wonderful Asian woman at the front desk during the day. I don’t understand why the phones are in the rooms when none of the ones in my rooms worked. And why does Marriott remove the microwaves? Please don’t tell me it’s a fire hazard. I’ve traveled for 40 years, and I think it’s about profit. Guests shouldn’t have to go all the way to the lobby. I wish we could go back to the Starwood days.

The front desk staff were excellent, friendly, and professional. The hotel is clean where it counts, but it has signs of wear and maintenance problems, like drywall tape seams, water stains on the ceiling, and rickety elevators. A little investment could fix these issues if anyone cared to. The biggest problem is parking. They send you to an unaffiliated garage across the street, which is expensive, has no discount, and doesn’t let you re-enter. It’s absurd for a flagshipish brand to have no parking arrangement or partner. This is unacceptable. Seriously, don’t stay here if you have a car.

On one stay, the room stayed at 62° all day and night. The hotel was oversold during a city event, so they couldn’t move me. I had to sleep in my winter coat. The bathroom faucet drips nonstop, the headboard stain is visible from a distance, and a couple of bulbs were out. This time I was on the ninth floor, and when I visited colleagues on the sixth and fifth, I saw debris all over the place. The corridors on every floor I walked through needed vacuuming. I’ve stayed at this hotel several times for work and normally like Sheraton, but this one doesn’t meet the standard I’m used to. Unfortunately, my company has to put me here when I’m in Raleigh. And there is no pool here, despite the indoor pool photos some booking sites have posted. That’s definitely a mistake. I hope they improve for future guests. After all, it’s a Sheraton.