Travelbeat Editorial Review FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON GEELONG, VICTORIA Story and photos by Kerry Hennigan After two days on the road from Adelaide, we finally pulled into our Geelong hotel - Four Points by Sheraton, strategically located on Eastern Beach Road opposite waterfront restaurants and only metres from the main shopping strip. Inside at the reception counter I was welcomed as a new member of Starwood's Preferred Guest Program. My membership actually dates back several years but, like some similar programs, any points accumulated lapse after a prolonged period of inactivity. Mine were certainly long gone with the wind. Still, lost points or not, my re-activated membership provided access to the fourth floor of the hotel which is reserved for program members. It does make one feel 'exclusive'. We'd driven from South Australia for a week of exploring Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula. Having checked it out on a previous visit, we had selected the Four Points for its superior facilities, prime location on Corio Bay, and the fact that it was only marginally more expensive than a motel further down the road (which, as it turned out, was being refurbished at the time of our visit). What we hadn't counted on was the additional $19.00 a day fee to have our car valet parked. As pleasant as it is to have someone else worry about your vehicle for you, this little service, which is not optional (unless you want to park in the street), did add an unanticipated $100 to our week's accommodation bill. Next time we'll be sure to check the fine print on the hotel's website! Despite this unexpected hiccup, the Four Points was exactly as advertised - of superior quality across the board. Our twin room (pictured right) contained two double beds, a small balcony with a view towards Cunningham's Pier on the waterfront (top left) and the bay beyond, and a cozy nook with two lounge chairs and a small coffee table - in addition to the usual furniture and fixtures. The TV had a larger than average screen, and free Fox Footy as well as other sports cable channels. (Who needs to pay for movies on demand when you can watch AFL every night?) We could have plugged a laptop in for Broadband internet, or used the hotel's own service via the television set and wireless keyboard. Guests can also have a free newspaper delivered daily to their door. The bathroom boasted a bath as well as shower, a fact much appreciated by my travelling companion, who likes a long, reviving soak after a hard day of sightseeing. So, with all the comforts to be expected from the Sheraton brand, we settled in for a five-night stay. Rooms at the Four Points have independently controlled air-conditioners/heaters. We didn't need to use the heater at all, despite the bitterly cold mid-winter temperatures outside. The room remained comfortable throughout our stay without it. The heater, however, seemed to have a mind of its own, uttering a constant low hiss despite being switched off. It took a couple of days for us to figure out where the noise was coming from. A little juggling of the on/off switch seemed to fix the problem and convince the device that it should be absolutely silent while in 'off' mode. But despite these efforts, we would wake up most mornings to find the hiss had returned as a background presence in our hotel room. By the time we decided it was worth reporting to the hotel staff, our holiday was over. That's another lesson we learned for next time! If there's any problem, report it immediately. Fixing these kinds of little irritants is what good service is all about. Located on the Lobby Level, the Four Points' restaurant is a classy affair, and boasts a popular buffet dinner as well as al a carte dining. There's also an adjacent lounge and bar that always seemed to be popular in the evenings. We preferred to rug up in our coats and scarves and explore the neighbouring city streets and waterfront options for interesting places to eat. Indian, Greek, Italian, Thai and Chinese cuisines were all within an easy walk of the hotel, plus pubs, bistros and seafood restaurants. The Four Points' proximity to Geelong's downtown shopping precinct also enabled us to purchase our own in-room nibbles and soft drinks and avoid the expense of the hotel mini-bar. For those content to pay the prices, however, it must be said that the mini-bar was very well stocked with drinks and snacks. We did use the tea and coffee making facilities - an essential ingredient in any accommodation we choose for our travels. There's nothing more relaxing than a hot brew (we bring our own favourite flavours with us) in front of footy on the box at the end of a tough day of sightseeing! We ran short of milk on one occasion, but a call to reception downstairs brought an almost instant response - with a full jug being delivered to our room before the electric kettle had even boiled. Despite not feeling energetic enough to use the hotel gym, it was nice to know it was there if we were so inclined. The pool (at right) looked far more inviting, and we did squeeze in a visit before the end of our stay, albeit on our last night! When check-out time eventually rolled around, we called the front desk for assistance with our luggage. Half an hour later we were still waiting, despite being told to expect only a 15-20 minute delay. Unfortunately a large conference group was keeping the concierge occupied just then, so we ended up rolling and carrying our own gear down in the elevator to the car in two trips. In the end, we felt that we'd received our money's worth of service and comfort at the Four Points, and the staff was certainly welcoming and helpful. We'd be content to stay at the hotel again - this time factoring-in the cost of valet parking in our budget beforehand! Some facts about Four Points by Sheraton Geelong (a Starwood Hotel): · Guest Rooms: 109 non-smoking air conditioned rooms · Dedicated Conference Floor with five flexible Meeting Rooms and · Conference Services Manager · Waterfront Restaurant serving contemporary cuisine is open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner · With seafood buffet Friday and Saturday nights and Roast Carvery buffet luncheon on Sundays · Room Service · Indoor Heated Pool and complimentary Fitness Facility · Steam Bath/Room · Valet Service · Handicap Accessible Facilities · 24-hour Front Desk and Express Check In/Out Address: 10-14 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong, Victoria 3220 Australia Phone (61)(3) 5223 1377 Website: www.starwoodhotels.com Preferred Guest Program: www.spg.com Back to Front Page