Hotel Sheraton Cali
Calle 18N 4A-18
685-9999
www.sheraton.com

Excellent... Cali gets a Starwood property.

This is a great location in Versailles, walking distance to Av. Sexta. There is a market three and one-half blocks away (olympica, near the Plaza las Americas).

They have a good breakfast buffet, larger than the typical buffet - included in the room rate, 6a-10a.

High speed internet connection in the room is provided at no cost! Here's an excerpt of my report on using Vonage posted in the internet Topic section:

Sheraton Four Points
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Worked good enough at night, but during the day there were drop outs and/or digi-static/noise of greater than 5-second instances. Not sufficient quality for business use. You use the same type of converter box as at the Radisson, but your settings are automatically obtain an IP/DNS.


I reserved my room as a walk up on a Saturday, for a Sunday check-in. I told them that I had a 130.000,00 corporate rate at the Radisson Pacifico Royale... and that I pay 107.000,00 at the Plaza (although no internet available)... and they offered to match my 130.000,00 rate.

Free local calls. Free shuttle to the airport!

I think this is my new favorite hotel, as long as the Plaza has construction noise.

FLhobbyer, thanks for sharing the hotel information with the board. I am seriously considering staying there for my next trip to Cali and have a few question and thought to ask you and if you know the answer.

1. Do you know if they charge any guest fee and if they have any problem having more than 1 guest in the room.
2. Their website says check out time is 6:00 AM. That can't be right, I have never checked out that early in ages.
3. Is the internet speed pretty good? Is it DSL or dial up?
4. Do they check ID for a corporate rate? I do work for a F500 company but just curious.

Hopefully you can answer these questions.

Thanks,
JKarp

By number:

1. Hmmmm... you're right, I never even questioned them on this as I my GF signed the registration papwerwork (or I put her name on it when I filled it out - don't remember) and I reserved as a double. Thus, it's possible that with a different girl each night they may not view it as such - can't help you on this question but I am very interested to learn the answer.

2. Sheraton standard checkout for Starwood Preferred Guest members (Sheraton's parent company's 'frequent stayer' program) is 4p. Don't know what it is for non-members, but clearly it's NOT 6a. I remember the check out time was generous enough - noon or 1p.

3. Same as the Radisson, and I suspect same as the IC, it is highspeed over twisted-pair. Thus, it's as good as a poor DSL... I'd guess about 350k. Thus use a TUT Systems box that converts the line, input being an RJ-11 modern phone plug with output being a RJ-45 ethernet plug.

4. No check was made of any ID for my 'corporate' rate. But show them a business card and say you work for XXXXX-latin-america. I'd add "My company colleague just stayed here for 130,000 corporate rate... he's from Florida, remember him?"... or say what I said "I always stay at the Plaza las Americas three blocks away and I didn't know you were here but saw your new signs... my rate there is 107,000 can you come close to matching that, say 120,000 or 130,000?" and settle for 130,000.

Hope it helps, let me know if you have any other questions.

My last stay here they wouldn't give me a discounted rate and the best rate they would offer was actually only a few USD below the internet rate of about $62.

The time before they tried charging me something like $70/night and I had to argue (for a while) with the manager. I actually forced the issue by having her pull up my next month's reservation, noting the low similar rate to what I was due, and when she wouldn't honor it for my current stay I asked her to cancel that future reservation.

I called Plaza de las Americas for a future visit but they're closed for remodeling.

I guess with Sheraton the rate is good enough, and when you factor in free airport transportation it's really a good deal. Add in free internet, and it's still my choice.