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I had to be in Framingham, MA for some meetings and spent the night at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center. The hotel is being renovated and those improvements can’t come soon enough as it is clearly showing its age and the wear is evident throughout the property.
Anthony’s Take: The Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center will provide you with a place to sleep, eat, and workout, but don’t expect much from this tired hotel. Its castle design is shared by several older Sheratons and while nostalgic, makes it look dated. There are signs throughout the property saying that it’s being renovated and both the rooms and common areas need some love. Service was efficient and friendly for the short time I visited. Elite status is recognized and I was provided with an upgrade, a breakfast voucher, and lounge access.
Booking
The room was booked on a Member Rate Flexible for $185 through my company’s Concur (the same rates were offered on Marriott.com). If you’re looking to redeem Marriott Bonvoy® points here, redemptions cost between 15,500 and 22,000 points per night.
Transportation to/from the Hotel
I took an Uber Comfort from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). It cost $97 and took one hour and 23 minutes to drive the 28 miles due to traffic and an absurd amount of road/tunnel construction in Boston.
Location
The hotel is located in Framingham. There are lots of strip malls and chain restaurants nearby. It’s not convenient if you’re planning to stay in Boston, but worked for my meetings here.
Check-in
I arrived around 9:30 PM and my room was ready. I had already noticed an upgrade to a Junior Suite in the app, but the agent checking me in informed me that I had been upgraded. He also told me the Club Lounge was on the sixth floor and that it provided light snacks in the evening. I asked about breakfast and was given a voucher for a continental breakfast in the restaurant. I also received 1,000 points as a welcome amenity. He asked if I needed late checkout (I did not), printed two keys for me, and I was in my suite a few minutes later.
Signs throughout the building apologized for the remodel that the hotel is undergoing. The hallways around the guest rooms on my floor seem like they were recently refreshed.
Junior Suite, 1 King, Sofa Bed (541)
There are 375 rooms (including 21 suites) at the hotel.
The Junior Suite is one huge room filled with an odd assortment of furniture. The suite smelled pretty bad, like a mix of mold and urine. I was only going to sleep, so I didn’t try to get a new room and made do with the smell. There is a king-sized bed, nightstands, couch (that pulls out to a bed), chair, desk, and assorted other tables around the space.
The bed was closest to the door upon entering. It was comfortable and there were plenty of outlets around it.
A closet is across from the bed (near the bathroom) with an ironing board, iron, and safe in it.
A desk and chair were in the corner of the room.
A random refrigerator and table with lamp were on the opposite wall.
A chair was next to the bathroom door.
Another small table near the bathroom held a coffeemaker, coffee, bottled water, and condiments.
The Junior Suite was oversized, but the bathroom was tiny. The wallpaper and lights were tired.
Pharmacopia brand toiletries were found on the vanity.
An additional soap bar was on the edge of the tub.
I’m not a fan of bath tub/shower combos, but the water pressure and temperature were both fine.
The toilet was tightly tucked between the tub and vanity.
Breakfast
Breakfast was included for Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elites. I did not have the opportunity to try breakfast, but I did see the restaurant fairly full.
I’m still not sure if the lounge serves breakfast as the agent that checked me in told me it did not.
The hotel has a small cafe next to the restaurant. I got my morning coffee here.
Club Lounge
The Club Lounge is located on the sixth floor. It’s open 24/7 for water and coffee.
The lounge has tons of seating and tables.
There is a computer for guest use.
Refrigerators are stocked with bottled water.
A Keurig and coffee pods were on the counter.
The buffet area was empty in the evening when I arrived.
Public Areas & Amenities
The lobby houses a bar, restaurant, a computer and printer, ATM, and a cafe. The hotel also has an indoor pool and fitness center as well as conference rooms on its lowest floor.
There are several fireplaces in the lobby. This one was near the elevators.
There was lots of seating scattered throughout. Apples and water were provided near the check-in desk.
The hallway has the feel of a castle and it leads to the cafe. There are plenty of tables along the wall.
An ATM, computer, and printer are located near the entrance.
The fitness center is open 24 hours a day. The pool is open in the morning and evening each day except Saturday where it’s open 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
The fitness center provided bottled water and towels.
There are treadmills in one room.
Another room had cardio equipment.
Free weights were in another room.
There are mats, exercise balls, and more equipment near the free weights.
More exercise equipment.
The pool was closed when I went, but is full sized.
Overall Impression: The Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center is in need of the renovations it’s undergoing. Hopefully, they will refresh the guest rooms and suites as mine had a bad odor and the furniture was worn and random. The hotel has lots of amenities and the service was good. If they can get the rooms and common areas upgraded, it won’t be a bad choice if you need to be in Framingham.
Anthony’s Credit Card Pick: When I’m staying at a Marriott hotel, I want to maximize my points earned. My card of choice is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. With it, I earn six Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program. It also includes up to $300 statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month ) for dining in restaurants worldwide. Plus, a free night award that I can redeem at any Marriott hotel with a redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points. Rates & fees. Terms apply.
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
1 comment
A legacy Tara Sheraton property, I think. I believe I stayed there 40 years ago when it was all castle like. Its hard to imagine it today.