Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Good location, pleasant service, some great people |
| Disadvantages: |
Limited dining options, bland pool |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
Bahrain is a small group of islands just off the coast of Saudi Arabia. Because of its relatively liberal attitudes, it has always been a haven to where people escape from the rest of the Middle East, for R&R and sanity. For this reason it has acquired the nick name "Fantasy Island", particularly among those from Saudi ("the Magic Kingdom") who flock to Bahrain in the thousands every weekend, to partake of that which is not available back home - alcohol, night clubs, cinemas etc.
I stayed in Bahrain several times during spring 2004. I made a point of trying a few different hotels, but ended up staying most at the Sheraton, partly because I liked the rooms the best and partly because I usually got given a nicer room!
It certainly wasn't for the looks. It is not the most attractive Sheraton from the outside (even with fluttering eyelashes). But then, not many of the hotels in Bahrain do look very inviting from the outside. Anyway, beauty is only skin deep, isn't it; it's what's inside that matters!
As your friendly Bahraini highwayman...er...rip off merchant.... er... taxi-driver turns his battered, dented, orange-and-black Caprice or Cressida into the entrance, you breath a sigh of relief that you made it from the airport. There then follows another gasp as you realise you have been fleeced.... and in such a friendly, charming way that you don't mind.
The entrance is a concrete ramp leading up to the second floor. Cars are parked along the sides, except during times of high security. At the top, there are inevitably cars parked waiting for the valet parking, waiting to drop off or pick up, or just waiting for the owner to finish his meal, wake up and come back and drive away.
LOBBY
The lobby is tall, dark and handsome. Actually not so dark; despite the black marble tiled columns stretching from floor to ceiling, the lobby area manages to remain bright and breezy due to the high ceilings, windows front and back and being open and spacious.
To the left is a Chinese restaurant, then the Reception, three low desks with armchairs in front of each where you are invited to sit while the quick registration process takes place. Beyond them is a bank of lifts.
To the right is a short corridor leading past a beauty salon and carpet shop, to the main restaurant.
At the back of the lobby is a small area used for exhibiting carpets and gifts for sale; across from there is a lounge where light snacks are served, a TV area and behind that some meeting
rooms.
Check in has always been quite quick and pleasant, the people are cheerful and friendly and helpful. A small, elderly gentleman wanders the lobby with traditional Arabic coffee on offer, complimentary, a nice refreshment while checking in, checking out or just loitering.
THE ROOM
The rooms are basically square but the far end is set at an angle, sticking out in a point, with one side being window, so it looks like a triangle on top of a square. Sounds odd, but it does manage to make the room feel slightly different from the standard
hotel room shape.
I've stayed a few times in the standard rooms and several times in the "deluxe" rooms.
The standard rooms are regular Sheraton. The floor is carpeted in the trusty Sheraton carpet. At the far end of the room, next to the window, is a small unit holding telephone directories, magazines and a kettle with tea/coffee, milk, sugar etc.
The bed is a standard double; the bed clothes were a bit odd - a sheet, then an eiderdown, then topped with another sheet. So you can turn the clothes upside down?
The work desk is a reasonable size and sits next to a convenient power supply and a spare telephone point. There is a two-seater sofa behind a coffee table laden with more magazines.
The bathroom has pretty much what you would expect, including a bath, with a powerful shower positioned at a good height - so those of a normal height don't have to bend over. There is also a second shower head on a hose by the taps, for washing your hair in the bath - or of course whatever else you care to use it for!
The complimentary bathroom condiments are by "Green Line". Thankfully they don't smell like a bus extract, but they look about as appealing - a bright yellow shampoo, green shower gel, and blue bath foam.
The Deluxe rooms, which I was lucky to get on a number of stays, have a few extras. They are the same size, but are more nicely furnished and have a few extras.
The first thing you notice is that, instead of the usual Sheraton green carpet, the floor is parquet - a nice, warm, soft wood. Wood is very much the theme - next to the cupboard is a wooden shelf for bags, the bed is larger than in a regular room and has a wide wooden headboard. At the far end of the room there is a glass-topped, dark wooden desk with hairdryer in the drawer and a multi-plug on the wall (no need for an adapter). Across from there is a blue-and-beige striped sofa, a glass table and a wooden sideboard containing the minibar, with the TV on top. Against the cupboard is a drop-down ironing board and iron.
The parquet floor is very nice, and surprisingly doesn't feel cold, but it is a bit slippery, Whenever I push the chair back from the desk I roll across the room and out the door!
The room is a “smart” room. The TV comes with a cordless keyboard for internet connection; next to the bed is a control panel with lots of buttons controlling everything from air conditioner, temperature, do not disturb sign, every light in the room (except the one on the desk) and even a night light. It was a bit disorientating at first – I tried to turn the AC down at 4am and ended up with a “Please make up my room” sign illuminated. Thankfully none of the cleaners were patrolling.
Next to the minibar is a cupboard with glasses, snacks and some of the merchandise that you can spend your starwood points on – baseball cap, T shirt etc. There is a kettle and tea/coffee next to the telly as well as a CD player below the TV. There are two paintings on the wall, one above the other, both identical. I spent ages looking at them, thought maybe it was a kids’ “Spot the difference” but I failed.
In the bathroom and the bedroom are pedal flip-top bins – where you press a pedal with your foot and the bin falls over.
In the bathroom there is no bath, but a large walk-in shower stall with two showers. There is a toilet, a bidet and a marble topped washbasin. There are lots of condiments: shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, shoe shine pad – all made by James Gent of London. Thankfully, off the buses at last!
RESTAURANTS
This is probably the only area in which The Sheraton lets itself down compared to some of the other hotels in Bahrain.There are only three restauratns to choose from, one of which closes for the summer!
Al Safir – this is the main restaurant, where they serve buffet meals. Breakfast is reasonable, there is a selection of salads, cold meats or fish and cheeses, yoghurt, muesli or cereal. There are several hot choices, but no pork. Finally there is a wide selection of pastries. Other meals are similar, a selection of salads and cold starters and numerous hot main dishes. All quite good but not exceptional. After two or three main meals, it all starts to get a bit boring.
Soie - the Chinese in the lobby. I ate here three times after which it closed for the summer. The food is quick and tasty, the service is pleasant and efficient. Inside it is very dark, which could be romantic, or just a nuisance if you are alone and want to read!
Golestan Iranian Restaurant. This is down on the ground floor. As you come in there is an oven where a chap is baking fresh bread. I only ate here once, it was dark, the food was very nice indeed but a bit expensive.
Snacks are also available in Les Palmes, the lobby café which offers a very limited selection of snacks, next to a large TV.
BAR AND NIGHT CLUB
The An Nada bar is on the mezzanine floor, below the lobby. Around the bar are the usual bar stools on all four sides, plus some tables and comfy chairs behind, As well as all the drinks, limited snacks are available namely burgers, sate, hot dogs etc. To one side of the bar there is a stage, where the band plays. This is an unavoidable fixture of every single bar in every single hotel in Bahrain - the dodgy band. They are always from the Phillipines and always have minimal male musicians and maximum female singers who wear as little as possible. It appeals, I am told, to the weekend Saudi visitors and the American military boys from the navy base. The bamd at the Sheraton has three male musicians, more than average, and only thee girls in shorts who prance about and preen themselves as if they are the next Spice Girls. Musically, they do play a few good songs and manage to play them not too badly.
The Al Layali Night Club is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights only, from 10pm. Ladies get free entry and free drinks every night, men are charged BD3 (approx £4.50).There is a dance floor in the
middle, seats around the sides in booths, the bar at the end with a special counter on one side for ladies’ free drinks. The admission policy apparently favours mixed groups and couples, though several nights I did see hoards of Phillipino girls hanging around outside. The music is mostly western, with some Arab favourites - and Phillipino, presumably.
FACILITIES
Down on the ground floor there is a fitness centre which is large, split level and well stocked with various weight machines, rowing machines, treadmills and other torture devices (thumb screws and iron maidens on request), plus several people to show you how to use them. Massage and other remedial therapy is also available. Behind the gym there is also an outdoor pool of a decent size and plenty of sunloungers.
There are large and extensive conference and meeting facilities - several small meeting rooms off the lobby and some large rooms downstairs including a ball room than can accommodate up to 800 people. There is also a convenient business centre.
There are various shops within the hotel including a hair dresser and beauty salon on the ground floor, a book and souvenir shop and two carpet shops (one upstairs and one down).
LOCATION AND SURROUNDING
The Sheraton is roughly half way along The Corniche, which makes it fairly convenient for the financial or Diplomatic districts as well as quite close (though a little walk) from the Souk. The museum is also reasonably near, though you would not want to walk in the geight of summer.
The large, air conditioned shopping centres are a taxi ride away - BD3 (£4.50) by taxi though they will try to charge double.
There is a small shopping centre adjacent to the hotel, across the car park; there are only a few shops but there is a handy ATM and various shops including a limited bookshop, clothes and jewellery.
SUMMARY
Priced at typically around BD50 (£65) for a single room, the deluxe rooms are up to BD70 (£95) but there are special rates available much of the time - deluxe rooms can be booked over the internet for just BD48 (£66) offpeak.
At these rates, the hotel really does offer excellent value. The rooms are well equipped and comfortable, very few hotels in Bahrain offer tea/coffee making in the rooms whch was one of the reasons I kept coming back. The people are pleasant and helpful, security is good and although the dining options are a bit limited, the restaurants are not bad, and there are places nearby.
Well recommended.
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