Usually, when somebody says France, the word snobby blowhard immediately comes to mind. In the case of the Sofitel Hotel, this is literally true as all the Sofitels in North America are now wind powered. The Sofitel Hotels chain recently tied up with Community Energy, Inc., a supplier of renewable wind energy, who will supply a total of 1,527,000 kilowatt hours (kWhs) of renewable energy to all 9 Sofitel Hotels in North America, including the one in New York. This offsets approximately two million pounds of carbon dioxide per year, the impact of which is equivalent to planting more than 800 acres of trees each year or not driving 2.36 million miles. Or all the French tourists in NYC not farting for a couple of days after eating lamb chops with artichokes and garlic sauce. What? The dollar is down and there’s a lot of European tourists wandering about NYC. That’s all I’m saying.

The Hotel Sofitel New York is a classic in every sense of the word - Elegant ambience, stylish and chic, fabulous dining, chok-a-bloc with amenities, spacious rooms and sexy bathrooms which make you want to take a bath, a central location on 44th between Fifth & Sixth Ave - You name it, the Sofitel’s got it. For a hotel which just came into existence last year, the Sofitel oozes old-world European charm and a sense of decorum, not to mention decor, while catering to the modernistic, technological and designer crazy hangups of the Big Apple. Photo Credit - Wired New York

But in spite of fitting right into the New York landscape, the hotel still has a deep Gallic streak running right through it, from the Bon jour you get at the reception to the Gaby restaurant’s French fares and the gift shop packed to the rafters with French products and cosmetics - Kinda like the duty free shops at the Charles de Gaulle airport. It’s almost like the hotel is making a statement - ‘Yes, we love New York. But France - C’est Magnifique. And here at the Sofitel, we give you a taste of how to eat and live like the French.’  Or maybe the designer was someone with an identity crisis, stuck between Paris and New York…

The 398 Art Deco rooms at the Sofitel spread over 30 floors are stuffed with European style furnishings like the heavy red velvet chairs and the dinky table, pictures of old Paris, and large drapes covering the floor-to-ceiling windows, along with the latest in gizmos and gadgets and amenities, including high speed internet, a stocked minibar, pay-per-view movies, cable, iron, and hairdryers inside the marble baths with seperate showers. Rooms are built to accomodate upto three people and rates start at about $455, which includes taxes. For families and couples, the Sofitel offers rooms with connecting doors and special packages like the honeymooon romance package which offers complete privacy with in-room breakfast along with a glass of champagne.

If you want to dine at the hotel, the Art Deco inspired Gaby restaurant, with ceiling mural and artworks covering the walls, serves up original French cuisine along with fusion dishes from around the world, with over twenty entrees that you could lift straight out of an upscale Paris brassierie. The Gaby bar offers a New York experience with snacks and drinks and a relaxed atmosphere for after dinner drinks. For such a highly priced and upscale hotel, the food at the Gaby is remarkably reasonable and filling, unlike the diners at other star luxury hotels. Worth trying at least once, if you’re staying at the Sofitel. 

If you’re torn between the merits of New York and Paris, then you need to take a look at the Sofitel New York. I assure you, the hotel and its staff will do their best to add fuel to your confusion. Simply put, not unlike the Statue of Liberty, the Sofitel offers the best of both worlds - New York and France.

Info: 45 West 44th St, between 5th & 6th Ave, New york NY 10036; (212) 354-8844; (212) 354-2480