"Bonjour mademoiselle," says the attractive young man behind the counter, "are you staying with us tonight?"
I could be in Paris but instead I'm checking into the sleekly fabulous Sofitel Brisbane to view their multi-million dollar room refurbishment and test drive the new Club rooms.
The Sofitel, which spans Turbot and Ann Streets topping Central Station and overlooking Anzac Square, is Brisbane's largest hotel with 433 rooms. You might remember it as the Sheraton way back.
They tell me that staying here is like checking into your own French apartment and as I haven't done that yet (bucket list note) I'm happy to believe.
I particularly like the photographic parallels they have created between Paris and Brisbane. Who wudda thunk that Brisbane's iconic landscapes could match the splendour of a Parisian theme? But it works, and well.
"Our design concept focused on infusing French elegance with elements of our local heritage, and has resulted in a fresh and sophisticated décor, whilst still reflecting traditional French design influences throughout all room types”, says Marcus Hanna General Manager for Sofitel Brisbane Central.
Local design group DBI Design worked closely with Sofitel to create the collection of room types using a variety of tones and décor. Superior rooms have peacock inspired highlights whilst Luxury, and Luxury Club rooms boast a richer regal feel with velvet and plum accents. Junior Suites shimmer in luxury with silver and warm grey colour palettes layered with textured fabrics in duck egg blue.
The Prestige and Opera Suites exude a warm palette of mulberry accents, deep garnet and champagne with furnishings from B+B Italia, Max Aalto and Mooi. The Suites boast a homely feel reminiscent of a chic European apartment. The tasteful colour palette has been incorporated into the floor coverings, upholstery and soft furnishings with even the smallest of touches such as the internal desk draws reflecting the colour theme of the room.
We toured the hotel working our way up through the floors as the furnishings became even more luxurious and the baths bigger and better. That's except for the hotel's grand dame, the Opera suite which is is located on floor 28.
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| Sofitel Brisbane Central General Manager Marcus Hanna |
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| Who was staying in the opera suite? |
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| The Opera suite bath is big enough for an orchestra |
Here there's a powder room and an en-suited bedroom unveiled behind large sliding panels. The grand ensuite incorporates stone bath and vanity basins, rain head showers and dressing area with imported European finishes by Arper and Fantini, and tapware created by famed Japanese designer Naoto Fukusawa. State-of-the-art surround sound, iPod and iPad connectivity and intelligent lighting, AV interface controls and electronic black out blinds ensure the tech savvy are simply a click away from their IT needs.
The hotel is celebrating the refurbishment of the property with Magnifique Romance package. Enjoy new luxury accommodation in Parisian inspired surrounds, a bottle of French champagne, a mouthwatering chocolate platter, and breakfast in bed from just $315 per night.
Sofitel Brisbane Central
Disclaimer: Ed+bK and partner enjoyed dinner and a night at the Sofitel Brisbane
Kerry Heaney