Sheraton Melbourne Hotel

The Sheraton Melbourne attracts a lot of business travelers due to its meeting spaces and convenient location in the Central Business District, but there are also plenty of leisure travelers who are attracted to the hotel’s features (spa, pool, restaurants), the location (walking distance to all the sights), and -- perhaps most of all -- the familiar Starwood brand. (As of early 2017, there is only one other Starwood property in Melbourne -- the Westin -- and this is the less expensive of the two). The hotel opened in March 2014, and the newness shows -- everything feels clean and shiny, and the design is handsome compared to many chain hotels. But even though this is a hotel where you _could _never leave and have everything you need, most facilities were empty midweek during the day (pool, gym, terrace, restaurant), even in summer -- not surprising for a city hotel where people are here to explore. That said, the business floor (ballroom, boardrooms) was buzzing with action, particularly staff zipping every which way to ensure events ran smoothly, and it was clear that during the week the hotel is focused on its business crowd, with families and couples more likely to show up in time for the weekend. A heads up for first-time travelers -- reception is not on the ground floor, but the first floor (or what U.S. travelers would call the second floor). One advantage of the Sheraton is that it is not as large and impersonal as many of the luxury business hotels in the area -- the Rydges Melbourne, Westin Melbourne, Langham, Sofitel, and Grand Hyatt all have at least twice as many rooms. For those who don't mind a larger hotel, it is worth noting that the Sofitel, Grand Hyatt, and Westin are a cut above the Sheraton -- though they are also usually more expensive. 

The Sheraton is on the edge of the CBD, and in a way that’s a perfect location: close enough that it’s only a 10- to 15-minute walk to the heart of the action (Federation Square; Flinders Street Station), but removed enough that you don’t have the chaos and noise that you would in the center. The hotel is on a narrow lane -- among the quaint laneways that the CBD is known for -- just one block from the tony Collins Street. Both the Sofitel and the Park Hyatt are each just a couple of blocks away (in different directions). Trams, the most common way to get around Melbourne, run all around the hotel, and just a block away is the train at Parliament Station. - 10-minute walk to Chinatown and Her Majesty’s Theatre

• 15-minute walk to Federation Square and Flinders Street Station 
• 15-minute walk to the State Library of Victoria 
• 12 minutes by train to Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) 
• 15 minutes by train or tram to the Arts District (theaters, museums)
• 20 minutes by tram to Melbourne University 
• 25 minutes by train or tram to the Royal Botanic Gardens
• 35-minute drive to the airport

Rooms here are large for a hotel in the center of the city -- the standard rooms are 35 square meters (377 square feet) on average -- and the decor is a step up from the bland decor of many chain hotels. The gray, taupe, and dark purple color scheme shows up in the patterned headboards, the solid-colored drapes, and the fleur-de-lis carpets (the latter are a nod to the hotel’s location in the “Paris end” of Melbourne). All rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, a desk, and nice tech touches like lots of outlets and large flat-screen smart TVs. There are also robes, safes, iron and ironing boards, minibars, and electric tea kettles and plunger coffeemakers. One free bottle of water is provided.  Unfortunately, none of the regular (i.e. non-suite) rooms have balconies or outdoor spaces; some suites have Juliet balconies, and those that do have incredible, expansive city views. (There are 14 floors to the hotel.) Bathrooms here are worth calling out -- they all have separate showers and large tubs (the former have rain showerheads), white marble floors and walls, and a floor-to-ceiling glass wall that lets sunlight in from the room (guests who want privacy can lower a screen by hitting a button). Less exciting are the hotel’s generic toiletries.Many rooms have city views (of CBD and Little Collins Street), and some are quite impressive. However, Traditional Rooms -- the hotel’s lowest category -- look straight out at another building. For a better view, travelers need to book at least one category up, which is the Superior Room (same room layout as Traditional, but a better view). But take note -- even Superior rooms have an odd obstruction in the form of a chest-height frosted glass wall, a concession to the exclusive Melbourne Club below that doesn’t want hotel guests looking onto their property; shorter guests in particular may be dismayed by the interference. All rooms (excluding suites) can come with either a king-size bed or two double beds (these are called twin rooms). 

Most hotels in the area have a few standout features but are conspicuously missing others. The Sheraton stands out for having just about everything a leisure or business traveler would want, plus multiple restaurant options that are quite good, even by Melbourne’s high standards. In terms of wellness facilities, there’s a 24-hour gym with free apples and headphones (to borrow) and lots of natural light. It isn’t huge, with around eight cardio machines, but will be adequate for most travelers. Across the hall is an indoor heated lap pool (it's quite narrow), accompanied by a whirlpool, a steam room, and again, actual sunlight (unlike at the Westin, where the pool and gym are both in the basement). A few doors down is the hotel’s spa, which has five treatment rooms (including one couples room) and offers massages, facials, and body wraps. The Sheraton is popular for meetings and corporate events. The ballroom has floor-to-ceiling windows and can fit about 260 seated, or can be split in half. The open space outside the ballroom works well for a small cocktail hour or for setting up coffee and tea facilities. There are also three large boardrooms (four if you consider that one can be split). Two computers in the lobby can be used for internet and printing for free. For other services, guest services is happy to help, though for a hotel that welcomes business travelers, a full business center is a surprising feature to be missing. The hotel offers valet parking for a pricey fee (though it's even pricier at the Westin), but luckily there's more affordable self-parking at a covered car park across the street. (Some luxury hotels in the area only offer valet, so this is especially appreciated.) 

Food at the Sheraton impresses. Little Collins St Kitchen is open for breakfast (both buffet and a la carte) and a la carte lunch and dinner, and has cuisine (which focuses on seafood) to rival the restaurants around the CBD. It also offers afternoon tea and, a few times a week, a seafood buffet. The breakfast buffet is popular, and the excellent barista coffee served to the table and made-to-order eggs are both nice touches. Some packages include breakfast, but it's a bit pricey if not included (though SPG members get a significant discount). Terrace Bar, outside on the third floor, is open year round (though on weekends only in the winter) and is popular with locals. Tapas plates are available along with a full drink menu. The ground floor of the hotel is adjacent to two restaurants: East Restaurant, serving modern Cantonese (operated by the popular Hutong Group), and a patisserie called The Crux & Co, which has a door directly into the hotel.