Paris, France, December, 2010 – This week, three
new Sofitel locations will be opening their
doors in succession around the world, wrapping up 2010 in spectacular
style.
The year has been a decidedly busy one for the brand, which is
passionately and
tirelessly pursuing its new position in the world of luxury.
In cooperation with the biggest names in design and
architecture, Sofitel is committed to offering resolutely different
hotels to
continually meet the challenge of bringing French elegance to the
world.
Three days, three new locations:
Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom
(Austria), Sofitel So Mauritius (Mauritius)
and Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra
(Cambodia). And what locations they are…
Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom:
sleep in a work of art…Opening on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 
Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom is a
unique piece that is destined to become the brand's flagship in Europe.
For the first Sofitel location in Austria, Jean Nouvel has designed an
incredible edifice that stretches along the Danube
canal. This sleek, 18-story building is the very essence of pure 21st
century style. It is a sculptural work made of glass and steel, a
fountain of
light, air and greenery.
The elegant façades, each
featuring a different monochrome palette, hint at the décor in
the rooms. Grey
for the south façade, black for the west and white for the north
bring a
life-size piece of abstract art to the daily lives of both the Viennese
and the
hotel's guests, who will discover a multitude of constantly shifting
facets
under a stormy July sky, a pale winter morning or a flamboyant sunset.
At the top, the partition walls
give way to walls of glass before reaching the slanted floating roof,
home to
the hotel restaurant under three-Michelin-starred French chef Antoine
Westermann.
Nouvel called on contemporary
Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist to bring color into the hotel. She rose to
the occasion with five extraordinary, moving and colorful ceilings
using an
innovative technique, along with an incredible kaleidoscope of mirrors.
After light and color, it was
time for nature… Landscape architect Patrick Blanc put the perfect
finishing touch
on the overall look with his stunning plant garden, a living wall
covered with
20,000 species.
Like an echo of the exterior,
each of the hotel's 182 monochromatic rooms, including 26 suites, is
dressed
entirely in immaculate white, light grey or velvety black from floor to
ceiling, including the walls and even the furniture. This novel,
spectacular
décor creates a hotel experience exclusive to the Sofitel Vienna
Stephansdom.
From the rooms that overhang the historic old town district, guests can
admire
the spires of St. Stephen's Cathedral, which gave the hotel its name,
the giant
Prater Ferris wheel and the shady Vienna Woods.
In a city marked by history,
the Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom represents the future encountering the
past.
Jean Nouvel has designed more than just a hotel; it is a work of pure
architectural beauty that changes the face of the city and promises to
watch
over it at night.
Sofitel So Mauritius:
2 talents combine for one different resort
…Opening on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 
Come see the results of an exceptional encounter between two
artists: Thai architect Lek Bunnag and fashion designer Kenzo Takada.
These two talented minds combined their creativity to make this hotel
into a
fundamentally different place where purity, nature and simplicity come
first.
This new Sofitel location is a response to the demands of an exacting
clientele
that prizes authenticity and refinement.
Building a decidedly contemporary complex surrounded by nature
is also a major first in Mauritius;
the hotel is in close communion with a harmoniously mixed environment
and
culture that blends Indian and Creole influences into a colorful,
authentic
whole.
In the best-preserved region of Mauritius, on 35 acres of land
with 1706 feet of beach, the resort offers eighty-four 645-square-foot
suites,
six 1076-square-foot Beach Villas and two 2153-square-foot
"Beaulieu Villas" nestled in luxuriant tropical vegetation. The
suites and villas are all free-standing and at ground level for
complete
privacy, featuring private gardens and outdoor ponds or pools (for the
villas),
patios with outdoor showers, refined amenities and every possible
comfort.
The So SPA, devoted to wellness in body and mind, enjoys an
ideal setting nestled between the sparkling lagoon and the hibiscus and
bougainvillea flowers, where nature and architecture join forces to
create an
instant feeling of relaxation and serenity.
This human-scale hotel with its totally unique style is more
than just a new concept; it offers a novel sensory experience and
complete
immersion in nature.
Sofitel So is the designer, boutique hotel vision of Sofitel Luxury
Hotels,
featuring trendy, resolutely contemporary locations. Each Sofitel So
blends
design with pleasure and style with personality to express the very
essence of
the destination. This concept combines the Sofitel art de vivre and a
style
that contributes to an international signature derived from fashion,
art or
design.
The concept is designed as a story in which each new location is
a chapter. The first Sofitel So in Mauritius will soon be followed by
the Sofitel So Bangkok, the Sofitel So Mumbai, and so forth.
Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra:
a new property in Cambodia for
business stays - Opening on Saturday, December 18, 2010 (Soft Opening) 
Surrounded by gardens and set
on the banks of the Bassac River, near the business
and embassy district, the Sofitel Phnom Penh Royal has the air of a
Khmer
palace. It offers exceptional services not available elsewhere in
Cambodia, with
the ambition of becoming the country's magnet for business meetings and
retreats. Indeed, its international-class conference center is a first
for the
country, offering 19,375 square feet of meeting space, and its ballroom
is the
largest and most modern ever built in the country's capital.
The hotel, which features 201 rooms (including 35 suites), is
also a luxury destination in its own right, with four restaurants, a
sports
complex and clubhouse, tennis and squash, two pools and extensive lawns
and
gardens. In wellness amenities, the hotel will open the first So SPA in
Cambodia,
offering options that blend traditional Khmer treatments with
innovative
French-style spa care.
Having already established its presence in Cambodia with
the spectacular Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Gold and Spa Resort, Sofitel
has now
rounded out its offering in a rapidly blossoming country.
Sofitel, World Class Hotels
& French
Elegance
Sofitel is the only
french luxury hotel brand with a presence on five continents with 130
addresses, in almost 40 countries (more than 30 000 rooms).
Sofitel offers
contemporary hotels and resorts adapted to today’s more demanding and
more
versatile consumers who expect and appreciate beauty, quality and
excellence.
Whether situated in the heart of a major city like Paris, London, New
York or
Beijing, or nestled away in a country landscape in Morocco, Egypt, Fiji
Islands
or Thailand, each Sofitel property offers a genuine experience of the
French “
art de vivre”.
|
