THOMAS MUELLER General Manager Sheraton Shanghai Hongqiao Hotel Shanghai China

Tell us about your hotel and its USPs.
The Sheraton Shanghai Honqiao has been one of the first International hotels in Shanghai and is renowned for its impeccable service delivery and warm interior for 23 years now. We are close to the Hongqiao Airport and about 45 minutes away from the Pudong Airport terminals.
Surrounded by numerous consulates and upmarket residential areas as well as excellent shopping and close to the subway line 2, we are ideally located next to the International Exhibition Centre and Shanghai Mart. Cantonese, Japanese and Italian Restaurants are complemented by a Bistro, Lounges and a Pub-style bar.
The Ballroom is one of the largest in Shanghai and numerous function rooms offer the best meeting facilities in this part of town. A state-of-the-art Gym and Spa is an additional feature.
How do you position the hotel in the market?
We are mainly a corporate hotel with a well-established repeat clientele. In addition, we cater for the MICE market and visitors and exhibitors to the next-door facilities.
Our 600 warm, home-style rooms and suites, public areas and restaurants are very different from the institutional "sameness" of most modern hotels.
Our Lobby Lounge overlooks an impeccably authentic Japanese Garden with a waterfall and a live stream running the length of it.
How important is a hotel in developing a destination?
When this hotel was built 23 years ago, it complemented the next-door exhibition- and meeting facilities, but by now Hongqiao is a destination on its own and our hotel is providing a "warm and welcoming home away from home" for all of our guests.
Could you tell us about your background and how did you come to the industry?
I was always interested in other countries - other than my native Germany and have been working in Switzerland, Belgium, USA, Malaysia, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and China.
I am a graduate of a well-known Hotel Management School in Germany and have also been a Principal of a Hotel Management School in Sydney, Australia myself. People ask me what I would choose as profession in my next life and I tell them I would go into Hospitality again without hesitation.
Tell us about your experience so far?
My career has had many exciting highlights and I have enjoyed never-ending experiences day-after-day, that's why this business is so challenging and enjoyable. No day is like the next or the last one - there are always new situations, new challenges, new people to meet, different nationalities to work with. We are in the "people-industry" and need to please everyone, from guests to owners to associates on all levels.
Some of my career-highlights were the smooth openings of five hotels I helped to develop and open as General Manager.
I enjoy sitting at my desk in the middle of our lobby every morning and seeing and greeting guests and at the same time observing how our associates interact with our customers.
What plans - immediate and long-term - do you have?
I am planning to lead this property well into the next decade with 2010 bringing the World EXPO to Shanghai  and then using the newly-built Shanghai Convention Centre with capacities for up to 6,000 delegates after that to see all the hotels in Shanghai catering to International MICE Events.
I hope to be able to see more young Mainland Chinese professionals becoming International Hoteliers and work all over the world as we have done.
Where do you see yourself, say 10 years from now?
I'll be living in Australia and sail around the world in my sail-boat when I feel like lifting anchor.
Tell us about your family?
I am married to a wonderful Hong Kong-Chinese wife, educated in Canada with Australian citizenship practicing Psychology. We have two grown-up daughters who live in Germany.
What are your hobbies and other interests?
I ride a 1937 BMW motorcycle with side-car in Shanghai, I wind-surf and scuba-dive together with my wife in Australia and during vacation, we love travelling and exploring parts of the world we have not visited.
What is your favorite destination?
We love Europe - Italy, Switzerland, the Greek Islands - the Caribbean, Canada and of course Australia, where we live when not working in other parts of this wonderful world.