Accor, always known to stage events with a touch of class, excelled itself again on Wednesday night with a celebration of luxury at Sydney’s iconic 5-star Sofitel Wentworth. It marked the establishment of a fresh organisational structure that brings the three luxury brands, Sofitel, MGallery and the newcomer, Emblems, under one team.
The company wanted to thank its special clients and travel partners for their continued loyalty and support over the past year, and they did it in true luxury style, taking over the Garden Court Restaurant & Terrace and decking it out in a colourful French theme.
Guests were met with a woman wearing a Champagne skirt filled with glasses of Pommery and an Eiffel Tower ice sculpture, then feasted on exceptional cuisine created by a team of chefs who served up mouth-watering Portobello steak, Wild venison loin, Char-grilled octopus, Pork cutlet, not to mention a huge Seafood Buffet that included Australian rock lobster, Chilled tiger prawns, Premium sushi and freshly sliced sashimi, while waiters poured endless glasses of French champagne.
There were interactive food stations, an igloo bar on the terrace and roving entertainment, topped off by a spectacular dessert buffet. The event was sponsored by the Pommery, Aix en Provence rose and Tanqueray Gin, with an array of signature MGallery cocktails alongside the renowned Sofitel French joi de vivre.
Marcus Hanna, VP Operations – Pacific for Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems told LATTE that Accor has evolved in the past ten years to become a big player in the luxury and lifestyle space.“In fact, we’re now one of the largest luxury/lifestyle operators in the world, with more than 4,500 hotels, globally,” he said.
“We’ve been through a lot of reorganisation lately, we are still one company but we have two different divisions, Sofitel & MGallery,” he added.
Hanna explained that MGallery is a Sofitel collection, it has its own identity, while Sofitel is what’s called a “hard brand”, where there are certain high standards, while MGallery has more flexibility and stories to tell.
“You will see that in the new Porter House MGallery located in a beautiful heritage building in Castlereagh Street, Sydney, it has its own character, as does the MGallery by the beach in Manly,” Hanna explained.
Accor will continue to grow in the luxury/lifestyle area, he says.
“Luxury is what travellers are looking for. People want experiences and they’re willing to pay for it, so if you can continue to create something that they can enjoy, to go away happy, surprised and delighted, then 100%, you’ll have a successful business.”
He also outlined some of the numerous awards recently won by Sofitel and MGallery in the region.
The Porter House Hotel Sydney MGallery was named Best Fine Dining Restaurant for Oceania in the World Culinary Awards
Luma at the Playford MGallery won Best Bar & Restaurant in the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards while also scoring a coveted Chef’s Hat.
Atelier at Sofitel Darling Harbour was recognised with two Chefs Hats.
Launched in 2021, Emblems will be a luxury brand that sits above MGallery, with a plan to open 60 of these flagship hotels globally by 2030.
Hanna says Accor still has many mid-range hotels, such as Mercure, Novotel and Ibis.
“We’ve got something for everyone.”
