Sofitel Adelaide welcomed its first guests today [4 November 2021], becoming the first new-build, international five-star hotel to open in Adelaide’s CBD in 30 years.
A ceremony was held to mark the $150 million hotel’s official opening by The Hon. Steven Marshall MP, Premier of South Australia and Minister for Tourism, and Daniel Palumbo, Managing Director of Palumbo, the hotel’s owner and developer.
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Part of a 32-storey tower developed by the family-owned Palumbo Group, the flagship hotel features a spectacular glass exterior and houses one of the tallest residential projects to ever be unveiled in South Australia, securing its status as ‘best in class’ for a new generation of modern, mixed-use luxury towers.
The first 24 levels are dedicated to the hotel and its facilities including a selection of 251 luxurious guest rooms and suites (Superior, Deluxe, Luxury, Luxury Club, Prestige and Opera Suites), with a choice of city and Adelaide Hills views. Stunning fully open concept bathrooms with luxurious vanities and freestanding bathtubs maximise a sense of space, with Balmain Paris room amenities provide an additional indulgent touch.
The pièce de resistance is Sofitel’s palatial Presidential Suite. The embodiment of luxury living, Sofitel Adelaide’s Presidential Suite includes an extensive dining room and open living room concept, walk-in wardrobe, private study and a grand bedroom with an additional ensuite bathroom.
All Luxury Club rooms and suites at Sofitel Adelaide provide guests with access to additional complimentary facilities and services as part of Club Millésime. Situated on level 10, Club Millésime features a private lounge serving complimentary à la carte breakfast, afternoon tea and evening drinks and canapés, as well as offering personalised check in and check out.
“We are extremely proud and excited to introduce Sofitel Adelaide to our local community as South Australia’s reputation for world-class experiences continues to flourish and grow,” said Palumbo.
“As a local Adelaide business this has been a true passion project for us, and we’re confident that this hotel heralds the renaissance of a new era of tourism and travel for South Australia. Our ambition is that Sofitel Adelaide will play an important role in supporting the state’s tourism recovery efforts in the months and years ahead, underpinned by exceptional culture, cuisine and outstanding design,” Palumbo remarked.
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said, “As the first internationally recognised five-star hotel to be opened in Adelaide for 30 years, the Sofitel Adelaide is an asset to the State. I congratulate the Palumbo and Accor Pacific teams on this huge achievement – a hotel development of this calibre will play a critical role in the post-COVID recovery of our tourism sector, as we reopen South Australia’s borders from November 23.”
Accor Pacific CEO, Simon McGrath, said, “Accor is honoured to work with Palumbo who have created an exquisite world-class hotel in Sofitel Adelaide. The hotel and restaurant are a true reflection of all that is great in South Australia and promises to deliver an exceptional experience for guests.”
Also in attendance was Rodney Harrex, Chief Executive of the South Australian Tourism Commission, who said, “Prior to the pandemic, South Australian tourism was booming – hotel bookings in Adelaide hit their highest in the past decade and our visitor economy hit a record-high $8.1 billion. It is with this solid foundation that we welcome Adelaide’s new internationally recognised five-star hotel, the Sofitel Adelaide, which will be a major drawcard for interstate and international visitors in the months and years ahead.”
With Sofitel Adelaide located in the heart of Adelaide’s most vibrant city quadrant on Currie Street, guests can couple a decadent hotel experience with the very best Adelaide has to offer at their doorstep, including the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Convention Centre, Riverbank precinct and Rundle Mall. The incredible Adelaide Hills region is also a short 30-minute drive away, and the internationally-renown Barossa Valley wine region less than an hour from the hotel.
Every Sofitel around the world is culturally linked with a city or region in France that shares similar attributes in terms of culture, landscape and design and Sofitel Adelaide is culturally linked with Bordeaux – a city that epitomes viniculture and gastronomic refinement, as well as history and fine art.
Today also marks the soft opening of Garçon Bleu – a French re-imagined restaurant set to become Adelaide’s newest gourmet destination. With elevated city views from its location on level nine of the new Sofitel Adelaide, Garçon Bleu’s 90-seat dining room boasts an open kitchen, an extensive wine wall, and an up-lit oyster and raw seafood bar. In addition, Sofitel Adelaide has opened a luxurious street-level Champagne bar, Déjà Vu, inspired by the romantic sidewalk cafes of Paris to offer a selection of elegant beverages, lighter meals and casual eats seven days a week.
The Sofitel brand, renowned for luxury French-style hospitality and a passion for art de vivre (the art of living), continues to expand its network across Australia and New Zealand. Sofitel Adelaide’s opening marks Accor’s tenth Sofitel hotel for the region and the luxury brand’s debut in South Australia.
Rates to stay at the new Sofitel Adelaide start from AU$320 per room per night (for a Superior Room).