I have been spending a lot of time at the Sheraton Futian lately. Overall I would call it a very good hotel. The building is quite nice as well as the decor, as usual. The service has always been friendly, quick, and inviting. The hotel offers smoking and non-smoking rooms, as well as a fantastic gym, and an Italian and Chinese restaurant.

The standard room is fine, accompanied by a large bathroom including a bathtub and standing shower separately. There's a large glass window between the bathroom and the bedroom, with a pull down shade. There's plenty of TV channels, I'm so happy to be able to see CNN and BBC news on TV.

The surrounding area is only OK, that's why I titled it "Location To Be Desired", as the hotel is actually build on an unifinished mall-complex, located next to Central Park Mall which was recently finished a few years ago and not too far down the street from CocoPark. At Central Park Mall you will find a Carrefour, McDonald's, Starbucks, and more or less local "poser" brands. At Cocopark there are more internally recognized brands like Sketchers, Burger King, Levi, Lee, Starbucks, etc etc. Central Park Mall is kind of a drag but it's right next store, the walk to Coco Park is about 10 minutes, walk west three blocks and cross the street and you're at Coco Park which also has a nice outside bar area. The general area is a new CBD area put up in the last 5 years or so, focused around a huge exhibition hall and commercial buildings. It's not really a happening place to be, but if you're in town for business this is a good choice. Otherwise you might want to think about the Crowne Plaza or Westin for a better location with a more awesome mall next to it if shopping is on your agenda.

I have eaten at the Chinese restaurant, but the Italian restaurant gets a 6 out of 10 as it doesn't present anything special on the menu and I make better Italian at my home in Guangzhou. Avoid ordering anything Mexican or Tex-Mex off the room service menu, the Soft Tacos Filled With Chicken turned out to actually be hard tacos, and for 92 RMB (about $15 or so), wasn't really that great. Today I called for in-room dining and apparently the Greek Salad was sold out. Uh...sold out of lobster OK I can understand, but Greek salad? So instead I got a Reuben sandwich, which was served with a side salad and fries for 98 RMB (about $20 or so), and I thought back to the awesome Reuben sandwich at Atlantis Casino Resort & Spa in Reno and the gigantic one that is served at the Manhattan Deli for less than $15 bucks and well another disappointment. But hey, three thin slides of Reuben I guess in the end is less calories.

If the Sheraton Futian wants to compete in China, they are doing OK. They have some things other hotels don't, but if the Sheraton Futian wants to be a true 5-star international hotel experience they are missing the mark. Anyway I will still come back here anyway for work just wish the food offerings were as luxurious as the building itself.

Overall I like it but been to better Sheratons. Hopefully it will get better over time.