Reinvention tailored for modern travelers

Sheraton Mianyang recently opened in Southwest China's Sichuan province, as the first Sheraton Hotels & Resorts property in the Asia-Pacific region designed in accordance with a major reinvention plan for Sheraton properties around the world that was announced in 2018.

"I like this space very much. It's chic but not overly chic," a guest at Sheraton Mianyang surnamed Wang told The Beijing News.

He particularly liked the "telephone booths" in the lobby. "One can hide in the booth to participate in a conference call, which is something business travelers may need to do at any moment nowadays," he said.

Another feature that caters to business travelers is the height-adjustable work tables in the rooms. "I asked the hotel staff to raise the height of the table yesterday evening so that I could use the computer standing up, which is a very nice thing for business travelers," a guest from the southwestern city of Chengdu told The Beijing News.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts expects the plan to bring its signature community experience up to date for the next generation of travelers, according to its management.

The reinvention aims to create an "intuitive and holistic experience" with places to connect and be productive, according to the hospitality group, an 84-year-old brand of United States-based Marriott International.

At the heart of the new design is the lobby, which has been re-imagined as the "public square" of the hotel－a "holistic, open space that invites people to join together or be alone among others", the company said.

Other signature elements of the new design include a community table, studios available to book and soundproof booths placed throughout the lobby.

"Opening Sheraton Mianyang is a decision that was made based on China's national economic strategies," said Lawrence Ng, vice-president of sales and marketing for Marriott International's operations across China.

"Mianyang is one of the most important areas in the Sichuan region in terms of development potential, second only to the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle," he said. "As the hometown of Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Li Bai, the city also boasts abundant tourist resources."

Another reason for the decision was the accessibility of the city. "It takes only about 45 minutes to travel from Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan, to Mianyang by high-speed train," Ng added.

In the next few years, Marriott International will continue to tailor its offerings to the needs of business travelers and further tap into destinations popular among social media users, such as Xi'an and Chengdu, Ng said, adding: "We will also try to get closer to millennials with new brands like Moxy, which features playfulness and energy."