The Four Points by Sheraton chain has been in our good books ever since they appointed a Chief Beer Officer, but they're teetering on heading over to the dark side after we discovered some of the odd (and probably useless) stuff they're trying to sell at their online store.
We get it about the sheets and towels and stuff, and even the fact that they sell a bunch of different pies (we'll take Mississippi Mud, thanks) is something we can live with.
But in a very limited section of their shop called "Uncomplicated" they are selling a rather odd-looking apple peeler. For a start, we don't believe it's uncomplicated (is this thing slicing and peeling at the same time? What if we just want it peeled? How the heck do we attach the apple?), and second, we don't believe anybody really needs it. And definitely not from a hotel shop.
And we're closing our Friday with this strange news report: Condoleeza Rice hooked up with rock band KISS at a Sheraton in Stockholm:
"I was thrilled," a beaming US secretary of state told reporters Friday after meeting lead singer Gene Simmons and his three band members at the waterfront Sheraton Hotel in the Swedish capital on Thursday night.
The Sheraton in question we're guessing is the main Sheraton Stockholm in the city's central business district. While the hotel's rooms look comfy, Stockholm rock city, it is not.
Some might say that if you want to visit paradise, Tahiti isn't the absolute epitomy of paradise any more: but we're romantics, we like Gaugin paintings and we still have a real craving to try out Tahiti for ourselves.
So when we found that the Sheraton Hotel Tahiti ranks up as #2 of all Tahiti hotels on TripAdviser, we thought this might not be a bad spot to stay. However, whether that's true or not depends very much on who you listen to.
We are fortunate enough not to have to travel with kids (not yet anyways) so normally, we're not concerned about which hotels are family-friendly and which aren't when we book our hotels for personal stays. However, we do keep track of that here.
Yet when we saw this we got confused. The "kids stay free" part we get. The other part not so much. Straight from the Sheraton website:
Your kids are Sheraton's kids. Kids stay free at Sheraton Hotels & Resorts around the world as long as they are staying with an adult and using existing bedding.
So...kids bring their own bedding? Or kids stay for free only if they use the bedding in the room? Thus once you call for extra blankets and pillows, you get charged? Either way, confusing. Thank god we're kid-free!
In the continuing saga of who-would-ever-buy-this hotel branded products, we were a little surprised when we checked the online store of the Sheraton Hotels chain and discovered that they're catering for more than people. They actually have a Pets department for us to go shopping in.
The bad (?) news is that at the moment, there's just one product in the range. Got a dog? Does your dog love Sheraton Hotels? Are you willing to pay $225 for a dog bed embroidered with the Sheraton logo?
We love our dogs and we've stayed the odd night at a Sheraton, but we don't really see how the two pastimes can combine. This dog bed also makes the Marriott $96 bear seem like a bargain.
Is this a desperate attempt by Sheraton Hotels to target a younger generation? Possibly. But starting soon, you should notice Sheraton infiltrating your favorite college basketball team's televised games.
Sheraton hotels have unveiled a new :30 TV spot, "Belong," that airs during CBS Sports' regular-season coverage of NCAA basketball, the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship -- including the Men's Final Four® semifinal games -- and the National Championship game, through April 8.
That's not all. Sheraton is hoping to start the world's largest online wave at www.Sheraton.com/NCAA, "a site that features video clips of individuals who have filmed and uploaded their own creative version of the wave."
The description "airport hotel" doesn't exactly have us running to the computer to make a reservation, but the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles--which has no problem labeling itself as such--has piqued our interest.
Not only is the hotel stylish, but it also has a fitness center, heated outdoor pool and whirlpool replete with cabanas, and offers a full-service Starbucks, as well as fine-dining options through The Brasserie and Shula's 347 steakhouse. Just a short distance from LAX terminals 1 and 7, the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles also provides free shuttle service to the airport.
A perfect opportunity to check out the hotel lies with its "Fly Well Package," because who doesn't have a lay over when flying to LAX? For a starting price of $199, allows one to use a guest room from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.--overnight accommodation can be arranged for an additional fee--as well as use of the heated pool and fitness and business centers. Other perks include an organic spa meal, a wellness amenity package that includes a neck and eye pillow and energy bar and complimentary shuttle service.
The 802 rooms have Sheraton's signature Sweet Sleeper Beds, bath amenities from Bliss and proclaim to offer "stunning views of the runway," if there is such a thing. We're thinking this might be the first hotel to boast an anti-view with every room, but then again, the airplane geeks will love this place.
For the second year in a row, The Sheraton Grand Bahama Island is saying no to spring breakers and making it easy for families to enjoy a seasonal getaway. The resort is not accepting reservations from individuals or groups under the age of 21 for travel between February 25th and March 31st, 2008.
Not quite sure how the hotel is going to enforce this rule but we bet they will be IDing heavily at this property.
Meanwhile, families are welcome to stay here. The hotel was voted the #3 Kid-Friendly resort in the Caribbean by Child mag back in 2005 and is offering two family-friendly options.
The Sunny Savings package offers rooms for $220 a night and includes daily breakfast and complimentary access to Camp Lucaya kids club. (Use Code: SUNNY.)
The all-inclusive Reef Package is $295 a couple and includes all taxes, service charges, resort fees,"non-motorized" watersports (snorkeling, etc.) and food and drink choice at one of three on-property restaurants (Use Code: AIPKG08.)
Also this resort is connected to the Westin and there are some exchange privileges between the resorts but we don't know if that "No Spring Breakers" applies to the Westin as well.
We are fortunate enough not to have to travel with kids (not yet anyways) so normally, we're not concerned about which hotels are family-friendly and which aren't when we book our hotels for personal stays. However, we do keep track of that 
In the continuing saga of who-would-ever-buy-this hotel branded products, we were a little surprised when we checked the 
