An $18.5 million transformation of Sofitel Melbourne's guest rooms and suites will create a luxurious new ambience, with features such as mood lighting and 6-speaker digital surround-sound delivered through integrated in-room technology.
Sofitel Melbourne General Manager, Mr Erik Stuebe, said the hotel had spent a year developing and refining concepts that would give guests the feeling of being "cocooned" in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
"This involves all the senses – a décor based on soft greens and golds, mood lighting that will help conference delegates wind down quickly and digital surround-sound for music and movies," Mr Stuebe said.
"By integrating in-room technology, we have made it extremely simple to operate, often just by one touch on the bed-side screen that controls lighting, DVD and CD player, plasma screen and surround-sound."
Feedback from business and conference guests showed that while they wanted the latest in-room technology, they did not want to be confronted by complex equipment. Internet technology means laptops with wireless access will automatically connect to the internet as soon as they are turned on.
Sometimes, guests need do nothing to activate these features. If a movie is run, lights will automatically dim. No guest will ever stumble into the bathroom late at night fumbling for the light switch, as a low-level light turns on when the bathroom is entered.
The refurbishment project begins in October 2004, with rooms being progressively transformed over an 11 month period. The expenditure on Sofitel Melbourne, which is being funded by the building owner, AMP, comes at a time of major developments for Sofitel hotels in Australia.
Accor, operators of Sofitel, will open the Sofitel Wentworth Sydney in September 2004, with hotels to follow on the Gold Coast, Noosa, the Hunter Valley and Queenstown in New Zealand.