Exceptional hospitality
The Sheraton Dallas provides service with a smile from check-in to check-out. The front desk manager on duty at the time of my arrival, Cindy Bass, provided a seamless check-in and was outstanding in accommodating splitting the room costs. She welcomed us with a smile in spite of other guests being rude to her without so much as a comment, glance or attitude : a true professional. I would be quite remiss if I were not to mention another Sheraton Dallas staff member - KIM - who went above and beyond in providing telephone service and a kind, warm welcome when we met in person! She deserves an award for her exemplary attitude in providing customer service.
The "Kitchen Table Lounge" restaurant area was comfortable, and the service was exceptional. Most notably, Abel J. and Lucia Hernandez made the consumption of a mere cup of coffee a true delight. Courteous, polite, and engaging: these servers made me want to return to enjoy the atmosphere. Do not pass up the tasty pumpkin cobbler!
The "Draft Media Sports Lounge" had a nice menu to accompany drinks and my experience with the "German" waitress was extremely pleasant. The large screen TVs were numerous and well-placed within the facility.
The coffee house associated with the hotel (Peet's Coffee) may as well not even be on the premise as it closes at 4:00 P.M. It was extremely disappointing to discover that coffee could only be purchased at the restaurant after four in the afternoon. Why even have a coffee establishment on site if it doesn't serve the clientele?
Overwhelmingly friendly service was provided by the concierge staff, most significantly from Rita and Tami. These two ladies were phenomenal in providing accurate and detailed directions and advice, and were exceptional at securing dinner reservations and making suggestions for meals (Butcher Shop Steakhouse and Sol Irlandes)
I was extremely unhappy with not having access to the side doors of the hotel property (on either side of the hotel); entrance was only gained through the front of the facility.
Use of mobile telephones within the hotel is extremely sporadic. Often a signal was unavailable, and Wi-Fi connectivity was poor. I had several "dropped calls", and had to sit in the lobby to access many of the apps on my iPhone. This is the reason I provided the property with only an "average" rating.
The gym on the 4th floor of the Central Core was very well appointed with a large number of elliptical trainers, treadmills, and weight machines.
The location of the property is not in the proximity of the Convention Center, and there are absolutely no "convenience stores" located close by from which to purchase larger volumes of bottled water, sodas, etc. Be prepared to do a great deal of walking. On the plus side, the DART is just out the side entrance with a brief walk to the station.
I think that the Sheraton Dallas fulfills the obligation as a Starwood Preferred Guest property most adequately. My final comment is that the staff provides exceptional hospitality.