Sheraton Dhaka

Rooms and decor

Picture a brand-new 5-star tower that first opened its doors in 2021, standing on Kemal Ataturk Avenue at the heart of Dhaka's Banani district — that's Sheraton Dhaka, the brand's return to Bangladesh after a long absence. Step into the lobby and you meet a high, airy hall in warm tones that blends local craft with the modern, global-chain look Marriott does well. The hotel holds 248 rooms and suites; standard rooms start around 36–42 sq m, which counts as roomy for this city. Inside, the palette is soft and warm — pale wood paired with a touch of Bangladeshi woven fabric, so you still feel like you're in the country even in a standard chain room. Large windows open the full Dhaka skyline, and at night the city lights flicker out in a view you don't often get from a hotel room here. Beds are soft, the linens follow the Sheraton Sleep Experience standard, and from the higher categories up you get a granite-tile bathroom with a rain shower set apart from the tub. Plenty of reviews note that the rooms are quiet and noticeably better at blocking sound than the older hotels in the same district. Walk in and you'll know you're sleeping well tonight.

Food and amenities

The heart of a stay here is the Signature buffet at the main restaurant, which has become one of the buffets Dhaka talks about most. Reviewers agree on the range, from classic Bangladeshi dishes like biryani, dal and kebab to North Indian plates, Middle Eastern (with hummus and fresh kebab), and a full sweep of Asian and Western options, plus live-cooking stations where you watch the chef work in front of you. Desserts go all out — cakes, local sweets and fresh fruit. Many rate it the best buffet in Banani, especially at dinner and on weekend brunch when the room buzzes. Head up a floor and you reach the highlight that's hard to find in this city — a rooftop pool with a pool bar looking out across the Banani skyline. In the soft evening light the poolside tables fill with guests sipping a drink after meetings, an easy mood you wouldn't expect in a city as snarled with traffic as Dhaka. Below the pool sits a 24-hour fitness center that's well-equipped and clean, a business center for printing and meetings, and a large ballroom that companies use for seminars. In a city where chain-standard venues aren't easy to find, that full set of infrastructure is a big reason multinationals keep choosing it to stay and host events.

Location and getting there

Location is genuinely Sheraton Dhaka's trump card — the hotel sits on Kemal Ataturk Avenue, the main road through Banani, in the core of Dhaka's business area. Banani 11 mall, the district's shopping and dining hub, is just a few minutes' walk away. Within walking range you'll also find the area's popular Bangladeshi, Indian and international restaurants, the multinational offices, several embassies, and the kind of good cafes where businesspeople meet over work. Getting to Gulshan, the financial district just across the way, takes only a few minutes by car when traffic is light. Hazrat Shahjalal airport (DAC) is about a 25–35-minute drive in normal traffic, which makes it very convenient if you fly in and out often, and the hotel runs an airport pickup you can book ahead. It's about as well-placed as it gets for anyone coming to Dhaka for business, meetings or a short city stay — everything you need is within a few kilometers.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The first thing you can't dodge is Dhaka traffic, which is notoriously heavy, especially at rush hour from 8:00–10:00 and 17:00–20:00. Even though the hotel sits in central Banani, if you need to get to Old Dhaka, the airport or across town, budget 1.5–2 times what Google Maps predicts. That's not the hotel's fault — it's the reality of this city. The second is price: as a Marriott-level chain in a city with only a handful of 5-star hotels, room rates and in-hotel dining run noticeably higher than the local hotels in the same district. Some reviews feel certain charges — drinks, room service — add up. On a tight budget, eating out around Banani 11 is far better value. The third is noise and service consistency: lower-floor rooms facing Kemal Ataturk Avenue can pick up clear traffic noise, so ask for a high floor, and a few reviews mention uneven service at busy times, such as slow responses to requests or a check-in that takes longer than expected. None of it is bad enough to sour a stay, but it isn't the seamless service you'd get from the same chain in a bigger city. Set your expectations for the traffic and don't expect flawless polish, and this place delivers very well.

Our take

After reading real guest reviews and weighing input from a lot of guests, Sheraton Dhaka is the hotel that best fits business and working travelers in Dhaka right now. A brand-new tower from 2021, the familiar Marriott brand standard, a central Banani location within walking distance of the city's malls and well-known restaurants, the tasty and varied Signature buffet, a rooftop pool with city views you rarely find here, and full meeting facilities — it's all set up for people working in this city. If you're flying into Dhaka for meetings around Banani and Gulshan, want a familiar chain where you sleep well and eat well, and like earning Bonvoy points, this is close to a perfect fit. But if you're a backpacker or someone who wants to soak up Bangladesh's character on a deeper level, the price and global-chain feel here may not be your answer. Overall we give it 8.5/10 — best for anyone in town for meetings around Banani and Gulshan, and for travelers who want the reassurance of a global-chain 5-star in a city where that's still hard to come by.