WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., May 12 / Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, the first international hotel company to enter the Chinese market with a property in Beijing, opens its eighth hotel in China today: the Sheraton Chengdu Lido Hotel in the southwestern province of Sichuan. The 402-room hotel, managed by Sheraton, is expected to attract both business and leisure travelers, thanks to its prime location in the heart of the Chengdu's commercial and entertainment district.

"Fifteen years ago, we signed our first management contract for The Great Wall Sheraton Hotel in Beijing, which we still manage today," says John Greenleaf, vice president of Sheraton brand management for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. "Since then, we've seen the market take off. In the past year, we've opened properties in Suzhou and Nanjing, and we'll add a hotel in Shenyang later this year."

The Sheraton Chengdu Lido guestrooms offer luxurious rooms with individually controlled air conditioning, separate showers and bathtubs, in-room safes and mini-bars, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryers and international direct dial phones with voice mail and data ports. The hotel opened with 200 guestrooms, banqueting facilities and restaurants in operation. The remainder of the rooms and facilities will open in August. To celebrate this "soft" opening, Sheraton is offering an introductory rate of $88. The price includes daily breakfast for one person and is valid through August 31.

With its convenient location near commercial and multi-national companies, Sheraton expects to attract a high percentage of business travelers. To cater to their needs, the hotel will offer a 24-hour business center with secretarial service, an in-house Internet facility, meeting rooms and a large ballroom.

The grand ballroom, which is divisible into two separate rooms, can accommodate up to 500 people. Three additional banquet rooms can accommodate from 20 to 95 people, depending upon the room and meeting or banquet set-up chosen. Other services will include a concierge, valet service, room service, medical clinic, car park and airport limousine.

To stay fit, guests will be able to take advantage of the city's most complete health club. Facilities and services will include sauna, steam bath, jacuzzi, gymnasium, outdoor swimming pool and massage. An indoor golf driving range is available at the adjacent Sichuan Stadium. Nearby attractions include the Temple of Marquis Wu, Dufu's Thatched Cottage, Zing Yang Palace and the Leshan Giant Buddha.

Dining options include the Nova Cafe and Grill for Asian and Western specialties and the Fontana Bar and Sidewalk Lounge for international coffees and beverages, as well as homemade cakes and pastries. The Celestial Court, which offers eight private dining rooms as well as its main restaurant, is the choice for Cantonese and local Sichuan cuisine.

Sheraton's other hotels in China include the Sheraton Suzhou Hotel & Towers, The Great Wall Sheraton Hotel, Sheraton Tianjin Hotel, Sheraton Nanjing Kingsley Hotel & Towers, Sheraton Xian Hotel, Sheraton Wuxi Hotel & Towers and Sheraton Guilin Hotel. Reservations or additional information may be obtained from Sheraton's toll-free number (800-325-3535) or web site: www.sheraton.com.

Sheraton is the largest brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. HOT and has more than 375 hotels in 67 countries. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., through its St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Westin, Sheraton, Four Points and W brands, is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 700 hotels in 80 countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.