Prime Minister John Key officially opens Sofitel Wellington

Chris Sedgwick, Prakash Pandey, PM John Key, Simon McGrath, Charles Pandey, Stephen Gould

Media Release

22 August 2016

Bonjour Prime Minister!

Prime Minister John Key officially opens Sofitel Wellington

New Zealand Prime Minister, The Right Honourable John Key officially opened the new Sofitel Wellington hotel last night – the first luxury hotel to open in the capital in over 15 years.

Mr Key joined local owners and developers C.P. Group, Chief Operating Officer AccorHotels Pacific, Simon McGrath, AccorHotels Senior Vice President New Zealand, Fiji and French Polynesia, Chris Sedgwick and over 70 invited guests from the travel and tourism industry to mark the occasion.

In a toast to Sofitel’s French heritage, the hotel was officially opened by a ceremonial ‘Sabrage’ ritual whereby a bottle of Champagne was opened with a single, elegant swipe of a sabre – a tradition made famous by Napoleon in the French Revolution.

Chief Operating Officer AccorHotels Pacific, Simon McGrath, said: “Sofitel Wellington is a strategic addition to our New Zealand hotel network and will play a key role in further elevating Wellington’s international profile and attractiveness as a key leisure and business destination.

“We are confident that Sofitel’s strong branding in the luxury market will appeal and cater to a range of domestic and international travellers seeking personalised and high-end hospitality in the capital. It’s been over a decade since a hotel of this quality and status has opened in Wellington and we are delighted that the Prime Minister could lend his time to officially launch the hotel.”

The $51 million dollar luxury Sofitel Wellington hotel is set to become the capital’s must-stay destination for business and leisure nestled between Wellington’s iconic landmarks ‘The Beehive’ and the Botanical Gardens.

Sofitel Wellington boasts 129 beautifully appointed rooms and suites in botanical inspired décor featuring vintage gold and bronze tones with indulgent rain showers, complimentary wifi internet for multiple devices and Smart TVs with Bluetooth. The hotel also houses The Green Room lounge and bar, Jardin Grill restaurant, alfresco courtyard with fire pit, a So Fit gymnasium and state of the art technology across three meeting and event venues.

Sofitel Wellington is the third luxury Sofitel hotel in New Zealand, joining its award-winning sister hotels Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour and Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa.

Sofitel Wellington is bookable on accorhotels.com and sofitel.com. Room rates start from $NZD 225 per room per night.

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Sofitel, AccorHotels’ authentic luxury brand, blends local culture and French art de vivre to create magnificent moments for international travellers seeking a uniquely elegant experience.

Guests staying at one of Sofitel’s 121 addresses will enjoy design, culture, gastronomy and wellness. All over the world, Sofitel promises travelers looking for contemporary accommodation, a skillful blend of local culture and French art de vivre. Each address is distinctive, with its own “cousu-main” service, stylish interior, and inspired and creative gastronomy. The brand’s hotels are located in large cities like Paris, London, Berlin, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore and Shanghai, or set against wonderful landscapes in destinations like Morocco, Egypt, Thailand and even French Polynesia.

AccorHotels, the world’s leading hotel operator, is present in 92 countries with 3,900 hotels and 180,000 employees.

sofitel.com |accorhotels.com

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ENDS

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