Sofitel plans major renovation to its New York City hotel amid 60th anniversary celebration

10.06.2024 - 20:59 / thepointsguy.com

It's more than just a diamond jubilee and legacy chatter these days for Accor's Sofitel. This 60-year-old brand is just getting started with a new era of growth and renovation.

One could argue that one of Sofitel's best assets, despite its small presence in the U.S., is its brand awareness. The everyday American traveler is likely more aware of the French-influenced luxury brand than the name of its parent company, Accor. Sofitel, at its best, is known for not creating cookie-cutter hotels: Properties reflect the surrounding community while still leaning into French hospitality, culture and food.

Even if its U.S. footprint is small, Sofitel hotels are in key cities here, like Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C. Further, while its presence in the U.S. might be small, Sofitel still counts on American travelers: The U.S., along with Australia, tops the list of key feeder markets for the brand, per a company presentation this month amid the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference.

But Sofitel also faces far more competition today than when it launched six decades ago.

Moving the brand forward can be a juggling act of keeping things fresh and consistent at more established hotels while keeping an eye on growth and expansion with new properties. Along with plans to open 30 new hotels in the next four years, the Sofitel team is hard at work refreshing some of its best-known properties, including Sofitel New York. Twenty-six percent of the roughly 120-hotel Sofitel network has either been recently renovated or is about to undergo renovation.

"I do believe that the power of the brand relies on its culture," said Maud Bailly, Accor's CEO of Sofitel, M Gallery and Emblems. "Our brand Sofitel is beautiful, and it's loved, but, obviously, it has a deep legacy."

One of the marquee changes underway at Sofitel during its 60th anniversary year is the newly announced refurbishment of Sofitel New York, which is slated to kick off later this year.

The renovation — no price tag was given beyond Bailly assuring reporters, "It's a lot, and it's worth it" — encompasses the entire hotel, including 398 guest rooms and suites. The hotel's lobby, meeting spaces, guest elevators and corridors will also get a refresh.

The development team is working with designers at HBA San Francisco on refreshing the hotel's current aesthetic of Parisian art deco and 1940s Manhattan glamour with a continuation — and modernization — of the art deco motif. Design elements like Sofitel New York's grand staircase in the lobby will remain, but expect refined furnishings and finishes in the overhauled space.

The entire renovation is expected to be completed by the fall of 2025 and will complement