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Washington, D.C.- What is making the biggest splash in the nation's
capital in June 2002 may well be Washington's newest superstar hotel, the
world-class Sofitel Lafayette Square. Located in the city's 15th
Street Historic District, bordering the
Besides, this is a hotel with a proud history, unique to two of the world's greatest capital cities: Washington and Paris. Converted from the former 180,000-square-foot Shoreham office building, the hotel in one of its earliest incarnations in the 1800s was the property of Congressman Levi P. Morton of New York. Morton not only served his country in congress, he also was appointed America's minister to France, where he helped cement American-French ties by accepting the Statue of Liberty as a gift from the French government on July 4, 1884. To help commemorate the gift, Morton became the first American to climb to the top of the statue. In making this enterprise into one of the city's foremost hotels, Sofitel
has spared no expense and overlooked not even the smallest detail. For
example, because of its wonderful location, the architects Brennan Beer
Gorman have preserved much of
To retain its elegant Art Deco look within, Sofitel brought in one of France's foremost interior designers, Pierre-Yves Rochon. Noted for his international hotel and spa/resort clients, Rochon works closely with architects throughout all projects to create a specific look. For the Sofitel at Lafayette Square, his sophisticated touch is found in the use of warm jewel-like colors and sumptuous fabrics that harmonize with and accent the pale beige marble walls, gold-leaf decorations, mahogany furniture, and bronze sculptures in the main areas. As for other luxury details, guests can expect the finest in haute cuisine
in the hotel's Café 15, where consulting Michelin three-star chef
Antoine Westermann will assist and supervise the staff and oversee the
hotel's banquet operations. He will
Guests will also find original artwork in each room, 24-hour room service, a Fitness Center on the lower level with fourteen cardiovascular machines, meeting and conference rooms, and for the inveterate Washington host, a splendid 2,200 square-foot above ground ballroom with a 15-foot ceiling. Even the new Sofitel's staff are arrayed in designer uniforms, created
especially for the hotel by renowned fashion designer Jean Charles de Castelbajac,
a Moroccan who is noted for his use of color and fabric and so-called "painting
dresses." The
Overseeing all this opulence is general manager Francis Cossutta, who has worked abroad for the hotel's French-owned Accor group for the past fourteen years. No stranger to the inner workings of a hotel, Cossutta has performed ably in catering as well as management positions in Accor hotels in Paris. Built in an historic landmark building erected in 1880, the hotel is
located at the corner of Lafayette Square, which borders the White House.
An exclusive location, close to the famous museums of the Smithsonian Institute,
national monuments,
Further information on Sofitel Accor Hotels & Resorts is available on the websites www.sofitel.com and www.accor.com. Over the past two years, Sofitel has become a benchmark for brand expansion
with prestigious openings in key international cities such as New York,
Philadelphia and Tokyo. The brand's strategic development this year
includes the opening of over
Sofitel is the prestige brand of Accor hotels, with over 150 properties
that bring a unique " art de vivre à la française " to prime
locations around the world.
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Francis Cossutta � General Manager Sofitel Lafayette Square Washington D.C. T: 202-737-8800 [email protected] |
Also See | Accor and Jin Jiang Establish a Hotel Sales Network in China; The Jin Jiang Oriental Tower Hotel in Shanghai to be Reflagged Sofitel Jin Jiang Tower, Pudong / Jan 2002 |