EXTENSIVE renovations, estimated at about US$7 million, are under way at the 10-year-old Great Wall Sheraton in Beijing.
The hotel is upgrading its facilities and service standards to cater to the increasing number of business travellers to the capital.
Drawing on its experience in hosting guests such as China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, Premier Li Peng, vice-premier Qian Qichen, former United States presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan and many other state leaders visiting China, the five-star property in east Beijing is preparing to provide red carpet treatment for business executives.
General manager Leon Larkin said the business travel market was the growth sector of the future.
Among the renovations, executive floors on the 17th and 18th floors have been completely refurbished; two more meeting rooms have been added to the business centre and three function rooms are being added to the existing six in the grand ballroom, which has a seating capacity for more than 900 people.
The hotel's seven restaurants and lounges, which serve Southeast Asian, Chinese, European and American cuisine, were also refurbished.
Mr Larkin said corporate business made up the bulk of the hotel's business traveller market and that the sector was gradually improving.