Hotel Review: Grand Sheraton Seattle Downtown
Sheraton properties have been struggling as a new generation of hotel enthusiasts began looking for more personalized and local lodging experiences. Sheraton hotels exhibit precisely the opposite; Buildings and rooms are generally outdated and geared toward older crowds with traditional standards. Grand Sheraton Seattle Downtown underwent a significant internal renovation about seven years ago, and I chose the hotel for a night, hoping that the revamping rejuvenated the property with contemporary touches. Moreover, I had high expectations since the hotel is one of the seven Grand Sheratons in the world due to its level of service and size. While my stay at the Grand Sheraton Seattle Downtown was decent, a few disappointing incidents really let down the overall experience.
My first Grand Sheraton experience was in Seattle, Washington.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. It earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities.
The Bonvoy Brilliant comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee. Photo credit: www.americanexpress.com
The Bonvoy Brilliant Card does come with a hefty $450 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, the mid-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
$300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit that can be applied towards your room rate
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
Access to Priority Pass lounges
15 Elite Night Credits that can prove helpful for chasing Bonvoy status
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
I have another Marriott Bonvoy credit card: the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. In addition, new cardmembers can earn up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made on their new cards within the first 3 months of card membership. Considering that the annual membership costs $125, you are getting paid to have the card! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Card is the only Marriott business card on the market. Photo credit: www.americanexpress.com
The Bonvoy Business Card’s annual fee is $125 and offers decent benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
15 Elite Night Credits that will help you achieve a higher Bonvoy status
As you can see the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the Bonvoy Brilliant Card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual free night certificate perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 Elite Night Credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
Lobby & Check-In Review
The hotel lobby was grand with marble flooring. There were various seating options for hotel guests and even featured a wall full of glass art inspired by Chihuly.
Chihuly’s work never goes unnoticed in the greater Seattle region, and the hotel lobby was no exception.
I am a huge fan of his work, and though I am not entirely sure, one of the pieces seemed like a genuine work by Chihuly. I really appreciated that the hotel highlighted his work in the lobby so that it can influence future artists and be enjoyed by everyone.
If you want to experience more of Chihuly’s amazing work, head to Chihuly Garden and Glass, and you won’t regret it.
While I was appreciating some art, the lobby became very crowded with hotel guests. Even with many check-in representatives, the line didn’t dwindle easily.
Believe it or not, the lobby was full of guests trying to check in or out.
After waiting for about ten minutes, it was my turn to check in. I received a minor room upgrade thanks to my Titanium Elite status, and the check-in representative kindly offered a room choice between the two towers. With the lobby being in the middle the older tower on the left housed the gym, lounge, and restaurants, while the newer tower on the right featured newly renovated rooms. Since I wasn’t planning on spending too much time at the hotel, I chose the newer tower.
I received a hotel information sheet upon checking in, and I was sad to find out the Club Lounge was closed during my stay.
Then, I was offered a choice of 2,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night or a free breakfast buffet at the lounge, of which I chose the breakfast option. After a lengthy check-in experience, I grabbed a cup of latte from Starbucks in the lobby and headed up to my room on the 24th floor.
If you want to experience Starbucks on another level, check out their Reserve locations in the city.
Bedroom Review
When I entered my room, I was surprised by how ordinary the room looked and wondered how outdated the rooms could be in the other tower. As soon as walked in, I found a mini-fridge and a disappointing Mr.Coffee coffee machine.
No offense to Mr. Coffee machines, but this is Seattle, the coffee snob city!
I think mid to luxury hotels in the greater Seattle area should celebrate the coffee scene and equip rooms with a reasonable coffee machine. The bed was at the center of the room, and the headboard had a weirdly artificial appearance and felt very substandard.
The bed was agonizingly uncomfortable.
The headboard had a reading light at each end, and it automatically turned on when lifted. I usually do not complain much about hotel beds, but this bed was really firm and uncomfortable. It felt as if the mattress was a box spring. In addition, the pillows didn’t have much body and fell flat. There was a nightstand on each end of the bed, and on its side, there were USB ports and outlets for any charging needs.
There are two outlets and two USB ports on the side of each nightstand for charging needs.
Across from the bed, a non-smart TV was wall mounted. Adjacent to the TV, a decently sized round table and a mid-centric chair were available instead of a traditional work desk setup. As an alternative to a conventional desk lamp, there was a wall lamp with beautiful glass art – another accent celebrating Chihuly and his influence.
The decorative wood panel on the wall gave mature yet modern character to the room.
The rest of the room was occupied by accent furniture and a chaise lounge with a side table. I tried to rest on it, but it was firmer than the mattress and was intolerably uncomfortable.
It is hard to believe, but the chaise lounge was even more unbearable than the bed.
The room windows were on the narrow side, and the view wasn’t spectacular. If you are looking for a great view of downtown Seattle, I recommend staying at Hyatt Regency Downtown Seattle.
The view from my room was a typical downtown view.
The bedroom showed some potential for the transformed Sheraton brand. The mid-centric accents and celebration of Seattle’s artistic heritage were outstanding elements in approaching younger guests. Still, the level of comfort certainly fell short with the unbearably uncomfortable bed and lounge chaise. The room didn’t forget to include pieces of Chihuly’s art.
Any Chihuly touches in the room were appreciated.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom featured a single vanity and a backlit mirror with touch-sensitive brightness adjusters.
The bathroom was on the smaller side, but the back-lit lighting from the mirror was great to illuminate the entire room.
The shower featured a standard showerhead with mediocre water pressure.
The generic subway tiles didn’t fit the Grand Sheraton identity in my opinion.
The weirdest part of the bathroom was the toiletry. I literally had four different brands at once: Paul Mitchell, Ciron and Vetiver, Tarocco, and Paya. Hotels usually use only one brand for a property, so I thought it was odd that there was a melting pot of different brands.
There shouldn’t be four different toiletry brands in one room.
My assumption is that the hotel was transitioning from one brand to another and was trying to get rid of leftover items. While I didn’t mind it much, it’s always a good idea for hotels to have a singular line of toiletries to establish their brand identity. Hampton Inn uses a budget-friendly brand like Neutrogena, while upscale brands like the Ritz-Carlton or the Conrads use Asprey or Shanghai Tang, respectively. With no standardization, I was disappointed with the selection for being one of the Grand Sheraton hotels. What I did appreciate was another piece of framed art by Chihuly, and it was evident that the hotel continued to showcase his great glass artwork to hotel guests.
Another reminder that Dale Chihuly is from the state of Washington.
Gym & Pool Review
The gym was on the 35th floor of the older tower and had windows along the wall so that guests could enjoy views of downtown Seattle while working out.
For me, the view doesn’t really matter when working out.
However, the ceiling was lower than usual and I felt cramped during my workout session. The first floor housed cardio machines facing Downtown Seattle and standard sets of dumbbells and other equipment occupied the other half of the first floor.
The ceiling was so low and felt confined.
The second floor felt even more confined and featured additional treadmills and another set of standard dumbbells with two adjustable benches.
The “second” floor was roomier, but the gym desperately needs an uplift.
There was also a tiny area of gym balls and foam bars.
Unfortunately, the yoga mats reminded me of high school gym.
The swimming pool was even more disappointing. It was located on the same floor as the gym, and sadly, it was comparable to pools I’ve seen at Hampton Inns or at Fairfield Inns.
At least there were plenty of towels to dry you off if needed.
There were windows everywhere so you were getting natural light in, but unless you are standing right in front of the windows, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy the view of the downtown. The floor was slippery and the pool only had four sunbeds, which seemed pointless because you wouldn’t get enough sunlight to actually sunbathe.
This tiny pool shouldn’t represent the Grand Sheraton brand.
I appreciated that there were many benches and dumbbells for people who use free weights. However, some pieces of equipment were showing age and I felt crowded and cramped while I was working out due to low ceilings. The problem was that the gym wasn’t an actual two-story facility. If the hotel can expand the space to the pool and relocate the pool to another floor, I think it will create better environments for guests.
The gym desperately needs renovation to bring out the grandness of the brand.
Bar Review—Fountain Wine Bar & Lounge
After a long day, we went to the hotel’s in-house bar, Fountain, to grab drinks.
I’d recommend visiting Fountain only if you don’t want to step outside of the hotel.
It was open for drinks and dinner, and the restaurant was bustling with guests getting late-night bites and cocktails.
Walking up to the bartender immediately got my attention.
No one really greeted or sat us, so we awkwardly waited by the entrance and eventually decided to sit ourselves. After browsing the menu, I wanted to place an order, but a waitress didn’t even give me a glance until I raised my hand. Even then, she said I would have to wait for my turn, and took care of tables that came after me.
The atmosphere of the bar didn’t feel sophisticated, which seems to be misaligned with what the Sheraton Grand brand is proposing.
In the end, I walked up to the bar and placed an order, which came out fast and strong.
My Old Fashioned was strong and smooth, but with terrible service, I didn’t stay for another drink.
Grabbing a drink at a hotel bar can be an easy solution if you are new to the city or a bit tired towards the end of the day, but when the level of service is compromised, the experience is ruined. For that reason, I do not recommend Fountain if you are searching for a quality bar in downtown Seattle.
Breakfast Review
The breakfast buffet was served at the lounge on the 32nd floor of the older tower, and I used a breakfast voucher I received during check-in, thanks to my Titanium elite status.
Being a Titanium Elite member saved me almost $60!
Without a voucher, a regular visit would cost $29 per adult and $19 per child.
The extensive buffet menu will likely please any guests.
The lounge was booming with guests, and the food quality wasn’t bad.
Even with COVID-19 restrictions, there were plenty of seats to be socially distant.
My favorite part was an omelet station. After filling out a check box full of ingredient choices, a chef would make an omelet for you and the waitstaff would deliver it to your table.
If you have a status with Marriott, the breakfast buffet is worth it.
We sat next to the windows and enjoyed views of downtown Seattle. Some items like avocado bagel bites fell short, but fresh fruits, bacon, and omelet were outstanding.
The omelet was greaser than the one I had at Hilton Tokyo but still worth the wait.
I definitely recommend choosing breakfast over extra Bonvoy points, unless you have a small appetite in the morning.
Enjoy the view of downtown Seattle while having breakfast.
Summary
Grand Sheraton Seattle Downtown was my first Grand Sheraton experience. While the name suggested an unprecedented level of service and amenities, I was underwhelmed by the outdated and traditional atmosphere of the hotel. The bedroom and bathroom showed age and had substandard features and confusing messages. The gym felt cramped due to low ceilings, and the swimming pool was worse than the one at budget hotels. The dining experience at Fountain followed the same disappointing trend, but my breakfast was well worth it. Grand Sheraton Seattle Downtown may float your boat if you are a traditional traveler looking for a very ordinary lodging experience. However, if you are looking for an exciting property with unique features and characteristics, I suggest you steer away from it.
