Pictured: Maud Bailly, CEO of Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems brands, with Qantas staff in crew outfits from the 1970s. Picture courtesy NEDYO_SOFITEL
A host of Aussie celebrities added a certain je ne sais quoi to the reopening of the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth last night.
The global French luxury brand pulled out all the stops – and several champagne corks – to host a VIP event to celebrate the $70m makeover of the famous heritage-listed hotel.
Sonia Kruger, Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Mel Doyle mingled with guests at the black tie event to mark the grand reopening, which has seen all 391 rooms and 45 suites redesigned, along with four new restaurants and bars, and event spaces.
The hotel showcased its culinary prowess with caviar bumps, elaborate seafood stations and intricate ice sculptures that celebrated Sofitel’s 60th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary.
The evening also featured a glamorous Pommery Champagne Velvet Lounge and a taste of dishes from the hotel’s four new dining venues created in partnership with House Made Hospitality. There was also a performance by soprano Amy Manford of Hymne à l’amour, the song Celine Dion performed at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“The Sofitel promise is about bridging cultures between French zest and local heritage and culture,” said Maud Bailly, CEO of Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems brands, who had flown in especially for the occasion.
“Tonight is not just a reopening party. It is something which is much bigger and that is a milestone in the reignition of the Sofitel brand.”
Ms Bailly revealed that Australia was one of Sofitel’s key feeder markets, generating the same amount of room revenue as the United States and more than France, the UK and Germany.
“We are the first French luxury global hospitality brand in the world, with 120 hotels and more than 30,000 rooms. In Australia, we’re number one in our segment with seven hotels and 2,500 rooms.
“We’re here to celebrate the full renovation of the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth and that’s why I flew here tonight because I didn’t want to miss this milestone. Australia loves Sofitel and Sofitel loves Australia.”
Ms Bailly added that Sofitel Melbourne on Collins was the most popular of the brand’s properties in Australia, followed by Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour.
“We launched a very strong, high visibility media campaign in Australia in September and October because we believe that Australia is a very important market for us.”
To this end, Ms Bailly announced that the Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort would also be undergoing a full refurbishment as part of the brand’s commitment to elevating their network.
“This is a great announcement and again, it is contributing to the elevation, not only of our brand positioning, but also the network and the culture of the brand.”
Some 26 per cent of the Sofitel inventory is going to be renovated in coming months, including the flagship property in New York. They also plan to open 30 new hotels by 2028.
https://www.sofitelsydney.com.au/
