Recently voted Australian Luxury Hotel of the Year at the prestigious HM Awards, Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour vows to continue to delight leisure, corporate and business guests for the coming season and announces a wide range of initiatives, offers and French-inspired culinary experiences.

General Manager Greg Brady expresses his joy for the team’s accolade: “Winning the HM Award for Best Luxury Hotel of the Year in Australia, a mere two years after our opening, is superb recognition for our team’s talent, dedication and passion for guest service. It is also a credit to our hotel owners, the Schwartz Family Company, for their vision and investment in such a flagship hotel for the region.”

“When we opened our doors two years ago, our ambition was to become one of the best luxury hotels in Australia. Our eyes are now firmly set on becoming one of the best hotels in the world,” he adds.

 

– Meetings & Events –

• The hotel is now offering private evening functions in its top-floor executive lounge, Club Millésime, on Level 35. Usually reserved for Club guests and Le Club AccorHotels Platinum members, Club Millésime is sure to wow event delegates with its floor-to-ceiling windows and stunning panoramic views of the city skyline at night.
• Major event clients have the unique opportunity to light up the hotel’s imposing façade in their corporate colours and welcome delegates in grand style – owning the Darling Harbour skyline.
• And to celebrate the Australian Luxury Hotel of the Year award, the hotel will give new events the VIP treatment if booked by the end of the year, with an upgrade of the Daily Delegate Package lunch to Atelier restaurant, 20% of the room block upgraded to VIP status (with stunning Darling Harbour views, early check-in, late check-out 3pm and VIP amenities) and a complimentary Prestige Suite upgrade for the Event Organiser.

 

– Christmas and New Year’s Eve – 

In line with Sofitel’s acclaimed Art de Noël, the hotel’s Executive Chef Eric Costille and Chef de Cuisine Jordan Hajek have created an exciting culinary program for the festive season, available for individual dining as well as Christmas parties.

One of their sources of inspiration was the old Provence tradition of the 13 Desserts of Christmas, reimagined with a creative twist. In Provence, 13 desserts were traditionally placed on the table on Christmas Eve for all guests to share, as a way to bring good luck and good health for the year to come. Ingredients typically included fresh oranges and mandarins, dried fruits and nuts, chocolate mendiants, white and black nougats, honey, marzipan and candied fruits.

• Executive Pastry Chef Puti Firmansyah has joined forces with Australian master chocolatier Kirsten Tibballs, of MasterChef fame, to create signature desserts such as the Sofitel “Bûche de Noël”, with salted burnt honey parfait, pain d’épices, macadamia and citrus.
• Champagne Bar will offer signature Christmas cocktails inspired by the 13 desserts of Provence, such as the ‘Black & White Old-Fashioned’, with Disaronno Amaretto, Lagavulin 16 Year Old Scotch Whisky, crème de cacao, orange zests and a nougat cube.
• On Christmas Day Lunch, restaurant Atelier will offer a lavish buffet with the freshest Australian seafood, including Sydney Rock Oysters, King Crab Leg, Blue Swimmer Crab, scallops and Moreton Bay Bugs ($199 per person). Special degustation menus will be available for Christmas Day Dinner ($119 for 4 courses) and New Year’s Eve dinner ($169 for 4-course menu early seating, or $229 for 5-course menu).
• The Holiday Saver package is available from November 8 to December 26 and includes daily breakfast in restaurant Atelier, a Christmas cocktail in Champagne Bar inspired by the tradition of the 13 Desserts of Provence, and a chocolate Christmas amenity on arrival.
• For New Year’s Eve, because there is no finer vantage point to view Sydney’s spectacular fireworks than from one of the city’s tallest buildings, Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is offering a VIP package exclusive to Club rooms and suites, with a private party in top-floor Club Millésime, on Level 35, with sweeping views of the 9pm and midnight fireworks. The party includes a luxurious buffet, glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne on arrival, free-flow house sparkling, wines and beers, and live entertainment with Sydney-based Kahuna Duo.
• On New Year’s Day, what better way to celebrate the new year than with our epic ‘Boost’ brunch, with Mimosa & Bloody Mary stations, a carvery & butcher selection, boulangerie, classic French dishes, salads and live cooking stations ($120 per person including 1 glass of Sparkling or Mimosa, $40 supplement for free-flow Mimosa & Bloody Mary station).

 

– Infinity Pool and Le Rivage Pool Bar –

With warmer weather, Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour’s outdoor infinity pool and Pool Bar remain a major attraction for guests, with a new menu that celebrates the hotel’s French heritage and waterfront location:

• New Spritz cocktails with SOFI Spritz, a Bondi-born, all-Australian and all-natural take on the classic Italian Spritz. Crafted with natural ingredients including premium Australian wine, locally sourced juices and herbal extracts and no added sugar, SOFI Spritz is Australia’s answer to the Mediterranean aperitivo.
• A stylish bar takeover for the launch of the new Chandon x Seafolly limited edition, with two special designs for Chandon Brut and Rosé by rising Australian artist Gemma O’Brien. The project marks the third collaboration between two iconic Australian brands: Australia’s #1 sparkling wine, born in France but grown and crafted in the Yarra Valley; and one of Australia’s most beloved swimwear labels, gracing our beaches and swimming pools for over 40 years.
• New cocktails inspired by the hotel’s harbour location, such as ‘Marée Haute – High Tide’ (Brix Distillers White Rum, Lime, Mint, Rosemary), and ‘À la Dérive – Adrift’ (Cargo Cult Banana Spiced Rum, Coconut, Pineapple, Orgeat).
• Focus on local Sydney drinks and spirits, with brands such as Manly Spirits, Brix Distillers (Surry Hills), Archie Rose Distillery (Rosebery), Sydney Brewery and Sydney Cider joining Bondi-born SOFI Spritz, and Four Pillars Gin from the Yarra Valley in Victoria.
• New menu celebrating the hotel’s South of France inspiration, with Provence staples such as Aix Rosé, Niçoise salad, Onion Pissaladière (a Niçoise pizza), and Pampelle Ruby l’Apéro, an artisanal aperitif liqueur from the South of France featuring read grapefruit from Corsica.

 

– Food & Beverage –

Under the creative leadership of Executive Chef Eric Costille and Chef de Cuisine Jordan Hajek – both trained at highly renowned Michelin-starred restaurants such as Paul Bocuse, Georges Blanc and noma in Copenhagen – Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour offers authentic French-inspired culinary experiences:

• Award-winning Champagne Bar will launch a new ‘Apéro Time’ Happy Hour from November 1 (Monday-Thursday 5-7pm). The bar will also launch Thank God It’s Krug with the iconic Champagne brand every Friday evening from November 22, with a DJ from 5pm.
• Restaurant Atelier is introducing a new seasonal menu, with a new $25 business lunch (main + glass of wine) and new signature dishes such as Niçoise salad with sardine espinaler, olive tapenade and heirloom tomatoes; and Mushroom flatbread with Stracciatella, sherry butter, Comté and herbs. The restaurant’s meat station also features a Mibrasa grill, delivering authentic charcoal flavours to the high-quality cuts of meats sourced from Victor Churchill, Australia’s oldest continually-run butcher shop in Sydney, Woollahra.
• Restaurant Atelier will host a series of special culinary events, including on Melbourne Cup on November 5 with Champagne Pommery, and a “One Night in Nice” degustation dinner on 26 November with guest chef Virginie Basselot, the acclaimed two-Michelin star Chef from legendary Le Negresco Hotel in Nice, which has been welcoming artists and celebrities for over a century – from Salvador Dali and Princess Grace of Monaco, to the Beatles and Elton John.
• Wines of Provence – the global leader for premium rosé wine – will run a Summer in Provence takeover throughout the hotel. This special summer partnership includes an extended list of 12 Provence rosé wines & related events available all summer throughout the hotel outlets.

 

For information and bookings, please visit the website or call (+61) 2 8388 8

888

 

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Media: images are accessible on dropbox

For further media information, please contact:

 

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour                                                                        

Myriam Conrie / Inna Ilieva

myriam.conrie@sofitel.com / inna.ilieva@sofitel.com

+61 (0)423 333 336 / (0)419 994 044

 

About Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour

As Sydney’s newest 5-star hotel, Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour blends all the comfort of a newly built property with Sofitel’s unique interpretation of modern luxury and French art de vivre. Spread across 35 floors, it offers 590 exquisite rooms and suites flooded with natural light, and facilities unmatched in Sydney including an outdoor infinity pool heated year round, a French-inspired restaurant, Atelier, which celebrates the bold flavours of Provence, an award-winning Champagne Bar, a state-of-the-art gym open 24/7, 8 elegant boardrooms, a Magnifique Ballroom and an exclusive executive lounge located on the top floor, Club Millesime, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the harbour as well as a range of bespoke butler services. The hotel is centrally located in the heart of Darling Harbour, on the water’s edge, next door to the International Convention Centre and within walking distance of the CBD and theatres. Darling Harbour, a history-rich area, has been enjoying a true renaissance in recent years, thanks to the burgeoning districts of Pyrmont and Barangaroo – Sydney’s own response to Silicon Valley – and their acclaimed waterside dining options.

 

About Sofitel

Sofitel Hotels & Resorts is an ambassador of modern French style, culture and art-de-vivre around the world. Established in 1964, Sofitel is the first international luxury hotel brand to originate from France with over 120 chic and remarkable hotels in the world’s most sought after destinations. Sofitel exudes a refined and understated sense of modern luxury, always blending a touch of French decadence with the very best of the locale. The Sofitel collection includes such notable hotels as Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg, Sofitel London St James, Sofitel Munich Bayerpost, Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Ipanema, Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square, Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour and Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort. Sofitel is part of Accor, a world-leading travel and lifestyle group which invites travelers to feel welcome in 4,800 hotels, resorts and residences, along with some 10,000 of the finest private homes around the globe. 

 

About Accor

Accor is a world-leading augmented hospitality group offering unique and meaningful experiences in 4,800 hotels, resorts, and residences across 100 countries. With an unrivalled portfolio of brands from luxury to economy, Accor has been providing hospitality savoir-faire for more than 50 years. Beyond accommodations, Accor enables new ways to live, work, and play with food & beverage, nightlife, wellbeing, and coworking brands. To drive business performance, Accor’s portfolio of business accelerators amplify hospitality distribution, operations, and experience. Guests have access to one of the world’s most attractive hotel loyalty programs—Le Club AccorHotels. Accor is deeply committed to sustainable value creation, and plays an active role in giving back to planet and community. Planet 21 – Acting Here endeavours to act for positive hospitality, while Accor Solidarity, the endowment fund, empowers disadvantaged groups through professional training and access to employment.

Accor SA is publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACRFY) in the United States. For more information visit accor.com. Or become a fan and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.