It has been nearly three years since French group Sofitel began its move upscale, which has already generated significant results.
Last year saw the arrival of major projects such as the first Sofitel Legend address at the Métropole in Hanoi, the launch of the So SPA concept at the Sofitel London Saint James and the Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port, plus several renovations.
And in 2010 the brand will launch the second Sofitel Legend address, open 10 hotels and plan vast renovation projects to ensure the new 130-hotel network is coherent.
Finally, several cultural and gastronomic events are planned to support and show off the brand throughout the year.
At the end of summer the Sofitel The Grand Amsterdam will become the second address in the Sofitel Legend collection. This former convent, dating from 1578, became a hotel in 1987 after having been the city’s town hall for nearly two centuries, this address is an integral part of the city, its history and its culture.
In the Middle East Sofitel will open its first UAE property this year with the 438-room Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach which offers French and Italian restaurants, an Irish bar and several meeting and events areas.
The 198-room Sofitel Al Khobar The Corniche in Saudi Arabia has also recently joined the brand’s regional family and the Sofitel Essaouira Mogador Golf & Spa in Morocco is due to be launched at the end of the year taking advantage of a beach location and Gary Player-designed golf courses.
The Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq by Thalassa Sea & Spa is due to open at the end of the year as the region’s first thalassa spa and in Morocco the Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses has recently opened as the brand’s new flagship in the country.
In Europe the 182-room Sofitel Vienna Praterstrasse, Austria, will open in November and December will see the launch of the Sofitel So Mauritius, an all-suite resort located on the wilder and less-known southern part of the island.
The brand is also expanding in Asia with the Sofitel Phnom Penh Royal, Cambodia, and the Sofitel Mumbai Bandra Kurla, India, both opening by the end of the year and the Sofitel Dongguan Humen Oriental and Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich, China, due to come online in October adding to the group’s existing network of 23 properties in the country.
Sofitel Munich Bayerpost, Germany, and Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg, France, are both due to reveal major renovations in the first half of the year.
Throughout the year the group will stage a series of cultural and leisure events such as participation in World Music Day, all aimed at bringing the properties and guests closer to their culture and surroundings.
The group will also be partnering various events such as the Marrakech Film Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival.
And the Sofitel Legend Amsterdam The Grand, in Holland and Lise Goeman Borgesius are organising the fourth Stars Food and Art festival in November this year.