Global Premium Wine Program, Sheraton Social Hour, Features Curated Wine Menus and Wine Tasting Events in More than 240 Hotels around the World

Sheraton on the Park Sydney spearheaded the Australia roll out of Sheraton Social Hour, a first-of-its-kind, brand-wide premium wine program. The new program, developed by today’s premier wine experts and the brand’s global food and beverage team, offers guests a specially curated menu of premium wines and weekly tasting events at more than 240 participating Sheraton hotels around the world.

In Australia, guests can take part in this curated premium wine program in 3 Sheraton hotels, including Sheraton on the Park Sydney, Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort and Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast Resort & Spa.

“We wanted to truly elevate the wine tasting experience for our guests and are proud to introduce Sheraton Social Hour across our global portfolio,” said Vincent Ong, Director, Brand Management, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and Westin Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific.  “Our goal is to become a destination for a great wine experience no matter where your travels take you.”

“Our three Sheraton hotels in the Pacific region are delighted to be a part of the Sheraton Social Hour. We hope that these tasting events in our hotel bars will offer our guests and residents of Sydney, Port Douglas and Gold Coast opportunities to get together for a world-class wine experience,” said Sean Hunt, Regional Vice President, Starwood Pacific Hotels & Resorts. 

The launch Party on 28 June at Sheraton on the Park has been a huge success, with 60 people attending the night and enjoying the Wines of the Sheraton “Wines of the World” selection, sponsored by Moet-Hennessy.

Raise a Glass – Sheraton Social Hour Tasting Events
All hotels participating in the brand’s signature global wine program will offer guests a specially curated menu of premium wines that will be available as a lobby bar offering. Designed to create and foster social interaction among guests, the three Australian properties will now host evening Social Hour tasting events at their hotel bars three times a week – Sheraton on the Park Sydney from Monday - Wednesday, Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast Resort & Spa on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Each Social Hour will be featuring three pours of 50ml of premium wines from the Wines of the World menu at AU$ 15, served in Stolzle stemware to ensure that each varietal is presented in the perfect stemware that artfully enhances the wine’s flavour and aroma.

Social Hour by the Numbers
Sheraton Hotels tested the Sheraton Social Hour program in 19 global properties to tremendous success. Internal research conducted by the brand found that 66% of guests would be more inclined to purchase wine while traveling if there was a premium wine program offered. After experiencing a Sheraton Social Hour pilot program, 95% of guests said they are “very likely” or “likely” to return to another Social hour and would recommend the program to others.

Starwood has spent the last few years enhancing one of the hotel industry’s most iconic brands and Sheraton now stands better than ever with the strongest portfolio in its history. The brand is gaining market share, RevPAR continues to rise, guest satisfaction scores are the highest in the brand’s history and likelihood to return, likelihood to recommend and meeting planner and associate engagement scores are also at all-time highs – signaling that guests are taking notice and rediscovering the new Sheraton, and increasing the brand’s appeal to owners and developers.

Sheraton Social Hour will be available at the three Sheraton properties from July 1st, 2012.