Originally opened in 2002, the Sheraton Overland Park has undergone some renovation and expansion to become the family-friendly hotel it is today. Located next door to the Overland Park Convention Center, the Sheraton Overland Park provides a unique blend of thriving meeting space with more intimate, family-friendly spaces like the outdoor patio. This could be why many business travelers bring their families along on business trips.

But, more than that, these business travelers and families are staying throughout the weekend, when the hotel transforms into a leisure destination for families. Families flock to the indoor swimming pool and outdoor terrace, where they enjoy hours of relaxation. Throw in onsite dining and spacious accommodations, and you’ll start to understand why the Sheraton Overland Park is such a great lodging choice for families.

The Sheraton Overland Park maintains 412 guestrooms and suites, and connecting rooms are available. Guestrooms include a bathtub/shower combo (except accessible rooms), a refrigerator, coffeemaker, a complimentary in-room safe, and flat-screen TV. Cribs are free upon request; be sure to ask for one when booking your reservation so the staff can set it up and have it ready upon your arrival. Also, rollaway beds are available for a fee of $25 per day, and should be requested at booking.

Standard guestrooms come with one bottle of complimentary Dasani bottled water per day for duration of stay. Suites and club-level guestrooms receive two bottles of complimentary Dasani bottled water per day for duration of stay. Additional bottled water (Fiji) is available in the room for a fee of $2 per bottle. (SPG rewards members will receive additional complimentary bottled water during their stay.) To stay plugged in, guestrooms have a small power strip on the nightstand, and the lamp desk has two outlets. Additional outlets are found throughout the room.

Standard Guest Room
Measuring approximately 334 square feet, this standard guestroom contains either one king bed or two queen beds, nightstand, chair, small chest, work desk and chair. It typically sleeps four guests.

Deluxe King Room
With a little more room thanks to its corner location, this guestroom measures approximately 400 square feet. It contains a king bed, nighstands, chairs, small table, small chest, and work desk and chair. This room is best for families of three, with the addition of a rollaway bed or crib.

Sheraton Club Level Room
These guestrooms are essentially the same as the standard guestroom, but with extra amenities. These include upgraded bath amenities, bathrobe, free Wi-Fi, and access to the Club Lounge -- including daily continental breakfast, all-day snacks and beverages, and evening hors d'oeuvres.

Junior Suite
With 676 square feet, this two-room suite features a bedroom with either a king bed or two queen beds, a chair, a chest with flat-screen TV, and nightstand. In the separate living area, there is a double-size sleeper sofa, two chairs, an ottoman, a desk and chair, and a small chest with flat-screen TV. This room also includes upgraded bath amenities and a bathrobe.

Presidential Suite
Coming in at 1,040 square feet, this two-room suite features a separate bedroom with king bed, nightstand, chairs, small table, and chest with flat-screen TV. In the separate living room, you'll find a board room table with seating for eight, a sitting area with sofa, chair, side tables and coffee table, and a chest with flat-screen TV. In addition, there are two and a half baths, along with upgraded bath amenities and a bathrobe.

Pool
The indoor heated saltwater swimming pool is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. The pool has a maximum depth of 5 feet, and a minimum depth of 3 feet. There are lounge chairs, tables and chairs spread around the pool. If needed, the hotel has additional chairs it can bring out for guests.

Towel service is provided. No lifeguard is on duty. Guests 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Guest room key is required to access the pool area. Bathrooms are located just outside the entry door to the pool area.

Note: No outside food or glassware is permitted in the pool area. In addition, guests are not permitted to go in and out between the pool area and the outdoor patio. Once you exit the pool area onto the patio, you must circle back around through the hotel and re-enter the pool area using your room key.

Whirlpool
Also located in the pool area, the indoor whirlpool is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., and has a maximum depth of 3 feet. No lifeguard is on duty. Guests 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Outdoor Activities
On weekends, the hotel usually sets up games on the outdoor patio behind the pool. These games include giant Jenga, corn hole, Connect 4, and others. Also, in the green space between the hotel and the convention center (access is downstairs by the meeting spaces), guests are welcome to bring their own games to play on the grass. For example, Frisbee, hula hoops and Nerf football are welcome. Baseballs, bats and other sporting equipment is not permitted due to the small size of the green space.

Op1906 Bar & Grille
Located in the hotel lobby, the Op1906 Bar & Grille serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Breakfast is served from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m on Saturday and Sunday. Lunch is offered daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and dinner is served nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Bar and lounge hours are from 11 a.m. to midnight on Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Food is served nightly until 11 p.m.

For breakfast, guests may choose between a breakfast buffet or order from an a la carte breakfast menu. The breakfast buffet includes a variety of items, such as oatmeal and cereal, scrambled eggs, breakfast meats, breakfast breads and pastries, fresh fruit, yogurt, juices, and smoothie shots. Adults price is $15. Kids ages 4 to 12 will receive one half-price buffet with purchase of one adult buffet. Kids 3 and younger will receive one free buffet with the purchase of one adult buffet.

Breakfast a la carte items range from fresh fruit and berries, yogurt, smoothies, oatmeal, and continental breakfast to egg dishes, pancakes, waffles, side dishes like fruit, hash browns, and breakfast meats, and beverages. In addition, there is a kids' breakfast menu that features cereal, pancakes, scrambled eggs, and fruit. All kids' menu items are $4.

Guests having lunch or dinner at the restaurant can choose from the all-day menu, which features appetizers, entree salads, sandwiches, burgers, and entrees such as steak and fries, pan-roasted salmon, blackened shrimp, homestyle meatloaf, and smoked chicken. The kids' all-day menu (which doubles as a color sheet) offers soup, pasta, chicken tenders, mini burger, cheese quesadilla, and chicken breast salad. Prices range from $4 to $7. The kids' menu also has ice cream, chocolate chip cookies with milk, and seasonal berries for dessert. All are $4 each.

Op1906 Patio
Open Wednesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight (weather permitting), hotel guests can enjoy an adult beverage or light meal on the patio behind the pool. In addition to a selection of adult beverages, the menu offers a selection of small plates -- think buffalo wings, quesadillas, hummus platter or cheese fries -- as well as large plates like a burger, sandwiches and a cheese platter.

Room Service
A room service menu is included in the informational packet placed in every guestroom. Guests actually can place their breakfast order by completing and placing the order menu on their room door prior to 2 a.m. each night. Menu items are similar to those listed above for the restaurant.

Breakfast room service is available from 6 to 11 a.m. An all-day room service menu is available from 11 a.m. to midnight, and, again, features similar items to those listed for the restaurant above. A similar kids' menu also is available for room service, both for breakfast and all-day.

All About the Extras

Check-In/Check-Out
Check-in time is 3 p.m., with check-out by noon.

Wi-Fi
The Sheraton Overland Park does charge guests for wireless internet access, and, in addition, guests are limited to a specific number of devices depending on the internet plan they purchase. However, members of the hotel's SPG rewards program will receive free Internet access. It is free to join the SPG rewards program.

Welcome Amenities
When families check in, all children are allowed to choose a free gift from a goody basket. This basket contains such treats as small beach balls, water squirters and other kid-friendly treats. The hotel also sells welcome amenities that can be prepared in your room for arrival. These include snacks, beverages and special occasion treats. Talk with the hotel for specific packages and pricing.

Fitness Center
The hotel maintains a 24-hour fitness center for guests. The facility contains free weights, a weight machine, a weight bench, exercise mats and balls, hand weights and cords, and cardio machines (five treadmills, three elliptical machines, three bikes). Water, regular towels and cooling towels (kept in mini-refrigerator) are provided. Guestroom key is required for entry.

Parking
For guests traveling with a car, the hotel does provide valet service for $18 per night, with in/out privileges. Or, guests may opt for the complimentary self-parking.

SPG Rewards
Guests with a SPG rewards membership will receive free Wi-Fi and free bottled water during their stay. They also will earn points for future rewards, as well as receive member rates and discounts on their room rates. However, to qualify, they must book their room through the Starwood website; bookings through third-party sites may void any SPG rewards members' benefits.

Pets
The hotel does allow dogs weighing less than 40 pounds to stay with their families for free.

The Art of Smart Timing
The Sheraton Overland Park stays busy year-round thanks to its close proximity to the Overland Park Convention Center. That being said, the hotel does see lower occupancy during the last two weeks of August, around spring break in March, and from Christmas through the first week of January.

Getting There
The closest airport to the Sheraton Overland Park is the Kansas City International Airport, which is approximately 30 minutes away. The hotel does not provide shuttle service, so it will be necessary to arrange for a taxi, Uber or rental car. A one-way taxi ride from the airport to the hotel is approximately $60.

Getting Around
Because there is no local shuttle service provided by the Sheraton Overland Park, it will be necessary to have a rental car or arrange for taxi or Uber service. The hotel is conveniently located to Overland Park's many attractions as well as its dining and shopping destinations, so travel time does not take long.

For Mom and Dad
Parents able to slip away for some alone time won't have to go far for an intimate night out. If the patio is open during your stay, definitely head outside, where you can enjoy a cocktail from the Op1906 Patio bar. Relax by one of the fire pits, or take in the view from this elevated terrace. If you like, you can enjoy a small plate al fresco, or head back inside for dinner for two at Op1906 Bar and Grille. Afterward, head back to the patio to enjoy a night under the stars and one more cocktail before calling it a night.