The Westin Dhaka is a centrally located near shopping malls, foreign missions, restaurants, and private clubs in the Bangladeshi capital, with classic amenities and thoughtful staff.
The travelers found themselves looking for another relaxing staycation weekend and decided to try out the city’s most well-known luxury hotel. Dhaka currently has three Marriott Bonvoy properties: a Renaissance (previously reviewed here), the Westin, and a Le Meridien. After reviewing photos of the property, the Westin was the next choice.
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Location, Arrival & Check-In
Located in the city’s growing commerical center, Gulshan, this city-center staple boasts an impressive 234 guests rooms and suites, in addition to six dining options and a luxurious spa. Like its sister property, the nearby Renaissance Gulshan Dhaka, this property offers business traveler and leisure seekers alike a reprieve from the honking of cars, rickshaws, and CNGs below.
The property is older to its companion properties but like other hotels in the region, upon entering, all cars are screened by security before pulling into the drive way. Guests are greeted by bellmen that move the bags and guests through one more layer of screening and up a large set of escalators to the lobby for check-in.
The staff inside offered a welcome drink while they collected passports and completed check-in at a dedicated Marriott Bonvoy Elite line. A mint tropical drink was offered during the quick process.
With their Titanium Elite Status, the travelers were provided a room upgrade to a larger king bed guest room on the Executive Club Room Floor and were offered a 5pm late check out. Located on the 21st floor, to travelers were escorted to their room and then the lounge to enjoy evening cocktails and canapés.
Hotel Room
As Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite members, the travelers were upgraded to a spacious non-traditional room on the Executive Club Room Floor. A small assortment of local desserts and a letter to outline elite benefits welcomed the travelers.
The spacious-for-Dhaka-standards room included a king-sized bed nestled between two side tables with universal outlets and adjacent to the desk area with a small side chair. Nearby, a table in front of the large window faced one of Gulshan 2’s large circles which was a good way to soak up the limited sunlight. The slightly older decorations and warm colors made the room itself feel darker, but it could also have been due to the polluted sky outside, too.
The room also featured a large modern television that had a selection of local and regional news plus the Marriott Bonvoy advertising synonymous with the brand.
However, the star of the guest room is the large bathroom which features a large soaking tub, a separate toilet and bidet room, and a spacious rain shower. The single vanity housed a good selection of beauty and hygiene products. The shower pressure was excellent and included an impressive selection of amenities. The closet, which included a set of doors allowing access from the entrance hallway too, hid a safe and some of the most comfortable hotel robes that the travelers have ever used.
Club Lounge
The Club Lounge at the Westin Dhaka was popular spot for business travelers during the traveler’s visit. Still, the staff was extremely welcoming and attentive to keeping the area clean.
The food selection in the lounge, while limited compared to other properties in the the region, was still delicious. A good selection of seasonal fruit and local desserts were accompanied by two meat selections, rice and noodle options, and vegetables.
There lounge itself only offers evening drinks and food presentations in the evening from 5-7:30pm but during the rest of the day, Club Lounge guests are able to stop by the lounge for soft drinks and/or coffee and cookies.
Amenities
The hotel’s main amenities includes a hidden pool on the 5th floor, a full-service spa, and 24/7 gym with separate male and female steam room, sauna, and whirlpool. All of these are included at the hotel’s wellness center on the 5th and 6th floors, along with Splash, the hotel’s late-night pool bar which offers a festive location to celebrate events or just grab a drink.
The hotel also features a buffet option, Taste, which includes a delicious selection of local, Asian, and Western cuisine for breakfast and extended options for weekend brunch, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast was included in the traveler’s rate and was filling. There is also a cafe in the lobby offering a tasty sandwich selection.
The food highlight of the property is the Italian restaurant, Prego. While the traevelers did not have the opportunity to sample the food during this visit, they have heard praise from other guests staying at the property.
Conclusion
The Westin Dhaka is a well-located high-end hotel for those looking for leisure and comfort in Dhaka. The staff are accommodating and the accommodations are comfortable, and spacious.
If you are looking for kind, caring staff and comfort in Dhaka, you cannot go wrong with this hotel. The location is central to several shops and other restaurants for those looking to explore outside of the property, while the amenities are enough to keep others entertained if they don’t wish to leave.
Rating:
A Room with a (re)view 