MOST people drive out of town to get away from the hustle and bustle of commerce, but in Tianjin if you drive east toward the sea you will soon enter a new urban district that is throbbing with vitality.

Teda is short for Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, which is part of the Tianjin Binhai New Area. To its east lies China's second largest container port. It may be a clich to call it an economic engine, but a new kid on the block that gets most of the attention? Definitely.

Renaissance Tianjin Teda Hotel & Convention Center is located in the center of this new boomtown, accessible from downtown Tianjin via an expressway and a mass transit light rail. The bullet train also shuttles all the way to Beijing - albeit with lower frequency than the one from the downtown station.

In a word, people come here to do business. And it is not an exaggeration to say the Renaissance has the largest on-site convention facilities in Tianjin for any kind of business function. It has two grand ballrooms and 14 regular meeting rooms. The ballroom on Level 1 can be partitioned into three 12X22-m sizes and three more 7X12-m sizes, or when combined it can accommodate 1,500 people.

The meeting rooms vary greatly in size, and can seat from 33 to 102 people. But that's not including the four other Renaissance meeting rooms on Level 3. The star attraction on that floor is undoubtedly the Renaissance Garden and the neighboring Renaissance Ballroom, with its giant pineapple lighting fixture. You can let your imagination run free when designing any event for this classic yet innovative venue.

If that's not a standout, you must check out the Auditorium, which is actually an 800-seat theater. You cannot stage The Phantom of the Opera here, but an intimate concert or play? No problem.

Of course, you can make your product launch a performing arts project and be both entertaining and promotional.

The 543-room Renaissance opened in 2004 and is managed by Marriott International. It has all the facilities one can find in a modern hotel. Rooms on the south have a view of a golf course, and special rates are available for one 18-hole round plus one night or other combos.

The Renaissance has a lobby that teems with activities. The wall has a glazed glass mural with a giant sun on the right and many sails on the left, a leitmotif for Tianjin in general or Teda in particular. Brasserie & Lobby Lounge has started an Experience Australia promotion, where you can - until August 23 - enjoy kangaroo and emu meat, premium Australian Wagyu sirloin & rib eye, seafood and dairy products accompanied by 14 wines and 6 beers from all across the Australian continent.

On October 9-10, it'll be the 4th annual Renaissance Oktoberfest, with German food and authentic Bavarian beer tent music. In this age of globalization, you can travel around the world in 80 cuisines or less.

Editor: Guo Changdong