Sheraton Bahrain Hotel will be showcasing its newly renovated "Smart Rooms" and its new Image Spa and Leisure Club at this month's ATM.

The facilities are part of the ongoing renovation programme at the hotel, said public relations manager Alison Jones.

The Smart Rooms are spread over the first three floors of the hotel located in the heart of Manama's business district and a short ride from the international airport.

"The Smart Rooms, with state of the art facilities, have been designed specifically for the new millennium business traveller," says the hotel.

The rooms offer guests the comfort of Sheraton's unique Divine beds with a multi-media console to control lighting, temperature and an alarm clock.

Besides facilities like tea and coffee making, iron and ironing board, minibar and complimentary fruit basket, the rooms feature a fully-equipped office desk area with DVD player, laptop connections, 24-hour Internet connection and infra-red keyboard.

The Image Spa and Leisure Club is a complete well-being centre offering complete health and fitness services.

It features a separate gym for men and women with advanced cardio and resistance machines and a cardio-theatre system.

The spa provides wide selection of holistic therapies from qualified and experienced therapists.

Jones said the new facilities would further improve the hotel's appeal to the corporate business traveller, a key target market for Sheraton Bahrain.

She said the hotel's business had recovered from the setbacks of September 11, with the recovery coming mainly from the GCC countries.

Commenting on the ATM, Jones suggested organisers should increase the event's focus on the meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions (MICE) sector.

"The ATM organisers should even consider having a MICE day at the next travel market," said Jones.

She said the growing GCC market held the key to tourism in Bahrain.

Referring to a demand by Bahrain's hotels for a public beach, she said the beach would be a great asset to the hotel while creating a stronger and further attraction for the European and GCC leisure market.

Jones said the hotel will be offering special summer rates between July 1 and August 31 with rooms available from BD32 ($85) per night plus tax.