A mid-life crisis in the best sense of the word, etymologically speaking, with the idea behind it of sorting things out before making a profound change. As Sofitel blows out its 60th birthday candle next June, celebrating the opening of its first hotel in Strasbourg in 1964, the Accor group's luxury brand is ushering in a new era by putting its offering in order to rediscover the coherence of a brand that is right with the times, right with luxury. " We had to get away from this perception of a dusty brand, outdated by lifestyle.explains Maud Bailly, Managing Director of the Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems brands. There's room for everything. Sofitels will never be kings of the night, with DJs spinning until the wee hours, but they are the embodiment of a refined, French-style hotel." .
The new brand identity carries the "French zest around common elements: a design that blends French elegance with local culture, quality catering that combines gastronomy, bistronomy and haute croissanterie, and a service culture based on emotional intelligence. This French touch is also reflected in partnerships with houses such as Bernardaud and Courbet. To celebrate Sofitel's diamond jubilee, this jeweller has created a line of jewellery featuring the brand's logo - the link, its "cultural link" - while reaffirming, through synthetic diamonds, the responsible commitment of a brand that should see 100% of its network eco-certified by the end of 2025.
A facelift for Sofitel's 60th anniversary
Alongside these strong brand names, the first and most important way to kick-start this new dynamic is through a more consistent offering. This is not a first: ten years ago, Sofitel had already reorganised its network to position itself as Accor's asset in the luxury hotel sector. As a result, around fifty hotels that no longer met its standards were removed from its portfolio. Since then, at the cost of multiple takeovers, other prestigious brands have entered the fold of the French hotelier, with Sofitel positioning itself not as an ultra-luxury hotel for the happy few like Orient Express or Raffles or, on the contrary, as a false luxury called accessible, but as a luxury that is generous and open, warm without being stuffy.
" What was done in 2010, I'm doing again by cleaning up the brand so that it's clear and understood. This rebirth will undoubtedly take months, perhaps years, but it will usher in a new era for Sofitel." explains Maud Bailly. When she took up her post, the brand manager and her teams travelled the world to audit the 118 hotels, which revealed a two-speed network with twenty or so "detractor" establishments. Hence the need to upgrade. With the exception of three establishments, notably in China, which are due to leave the network, the others have all undertaken or agreed to renovations following discussions with their owners.
While the Sofitel Dubai The Palm and the Sofitel Legend Metropole in Hanoi have already been a new lookThe transformation of the Sofitel Rio Ipanema, Dubai Downtown, Sydney Wentworth and Montreal is scheduled for the coming months. In the meantime, the Sofitel New York is also likely to be transformed. As part of this clean-up of the hotel offer, the question has also arisen of maintainingairport hotels into the Sofitel fold. " Yes, luxury and service can go hand in hand, and the renovation of the Sofitel at Athens airport, with its designer rooftop, is proof of that." says Maud Bailly. After Athens, London Gatwick and London Heathrow will also be undergoing renovation, and there are also plans for a new Sofitel at Dublin airport.
" My role is to re-articulate the offering, elevate the brand promise and open up new jewels." says the brand's Managing Director. Visit new organisation set up by the Accor groupThe brand director and her teams have a guarantee of consistency, with luxury and lifestyle products distributed not geographically but brand by brand on a global scale. " All new projects have to pass through our safety net." she explains.
And there are plenty of plans, as Sofitel intends to open 30 hotels by 2027, with openings scheduled in Cotonou as well as X'Ian, Jaipur and Riyadh. " Strong brand momentum in China, India and the Middle Eastsays Maud Bailly. In Europe, too, we're starting to see some interesting projects again, including a handsome Sofitel in Portugal." . Recently, the brand also unveiled plans to open a luxury Sofitel Legend in Prague by 2027, the result of the transformation of the existing Mozart hotel.
It remains a more complicated market for Sofitel to conquer, not least because of strong competition from the major local groups, the United StatesThe brand has just 5 hotels - and 8 in total in North and Central America - compared with more than 20 in the other major regions. " I am convinced that there is a card to play in the United Statesemphasises Maud Bailly. Having hotels just a stone's throw from Central Park in New York or a stone's throw from the White House in Washington speaks volumes about the power of the brand." . Perhaps it's no coincidence that the brand's new promotional campaign features a film about a French actor, Dali Benssalah, and an American actress, Gilian Anderson.
