Old School Comfort
There's no getting around it - the Sheraton is an old hotel. This particular establishment was probably opened back in the good old days when Damascus was Soviet in its outlook and few hotels were available for non-Arab guests. That doesn't mean that the hotel is not comfortable, just that you shouldn't expect to find many luxuries or comforts that are ultra-modern. It still has flat-screen TVs and wireless internet, like most other Sheratons. The fixtures are a bit outdated, though, and the carpet and walls could do with a make-over. Still, the staff here is exceptionally friendly and service is quite good. The hotel forms part of a compound in which there are car rental agencies, a few restaurants and a disco. There's no difficulty in getting in and out of the compound, but you are likely to find, if you're taking taxis, that the cab drivers won't want to bother going through the security gate to bring you right up to the door. I didn't use the sports facilities at the hotel, but I was able to see that they are fairly modern, if small.
Unique Quality: Nothing about the hotel is outstanding, but at the same time it offers a level of comfort and convenience that is difficult to complain about. The hotel is a bit far from the old city, but you can still reach it walking in about 25 or 30 minutes, which isn't all that bad if you're in town when the weather is nice and you're looking to see more of the newer parts of the city.
