The doorman greets us with a friendly ‘bonjour’ on our arrival at Sofitel Brisbane Central, where the ambience is a blend of French elegance and relaxed Aussie chic. One of Brisbane’s original 5-star hotels, Sofitel Brisbane Central wears its age well, the spacious size and classic décor of its rooms lending the hotel a timeless appeal that still sees it rankamongst the city’s finest hotel offerings.
We’re checking in for the 7 Paintings – The Art of Dining experience, a combination of art, digital technology and gastronomy which we’re very excited about after experiencing similarly inspired dining experiences in various locations around the world. It’s the first time Sofitel Brisbane Central has hosted a dining experience of this kind and it’s surely a drawcard given the novelty of the experience here.
Whereas the décor of the Sofitel’s guest rooms is classic and restful, the Lobby welcomes with splashes of bright colours, from striking floral arrangements, to swirly patterns of navy blue and gold in the carpets, to vibrant paintings for sale in a gallery section of the Lobby.
Bird’s eye view of Anzac Square
The Lobby paintings are supplied by Mitchell Fine Art Gallery in Fortitude Valley, the same gallery that supplied the Aboriginal paintings on display in our Signature Suite. One of those paintings, Marlgarunyi, by Barney Ellaga, tells the Alawah Dreaming story of Central Arnhem Land, although to my untrained eye it could just as easily be a painting of the Brisbane River such is the way it snakes its way up the canvas.
As we ride the glass elevator up to our suite on the 28th floor, the sun casts a glow as it sets over the Brisbane skyline. There’s another visual treat when we discover that our suite has a bird’s eye view of Anzac Square and Brisbane’s General Post Office. Rooms on the opposite side have views of the leafy western suburbs towards Mount Coo-tha.
One of 416 Luxury Rooms & Suites, our Signature Suite is a whopping 64 square metres in size, with a lounge room and bar area, separate king-sized bedroom, and hugebathroom with double basins, bathtub and separate shower and toilet. With the location of our suite on the corner of the building, the bathroom gets so much natural light it’s a make-up artist’s dream, as it is for visually challenged folk like me.
The suite is decorated in neutral tones of charcoal and soft grey, with shimmery curtains and pops of colour in the paintings and cushions. Everything speaks luxury, from the slippers and velour bathrobes to the crisp white linen, Bose speaker, and 62″ LED televisions in the bedroom and lounge. Other features include a gorgeous chaise lounge in the bedroom, a work desk in the lounge, and a Nespresso coffee machine.
We’re feeling very spoilt as the Signature Suite comes with VIP treatment, which includes a personalised concierge service (which we didn’t use) and complimentary access to Club Millésime (which we did). Club Millésime is the hotel’s executive lounge, previously located on an upper level but now at Lobby level where its floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the Central Station Clock Tower and Anzac Square.
It’s a lovely light-filled space that easily transforms from Le Goûter (Afternoon Tea) to Apéro Chic (Evening Drinks & Canapés) for Club guests and then to an overflow breakfast space the next morning for all hotel guests.
Le Goûter, held daily between 3pm and 5pm, is described in the hotel literature as a “chic French alternative to high tea” and a “classic afternoon snack traditionally enjoyed by French school children”. That translates into little squares of carrot cake, dainty scones with jam and cream, and Dilmah Exceptional Teas (the Peppermint and Toffee blend is superb). Touches of France are everywhere, from the cushions which shout Pommery to the Eiffel Tower ornaments which remind us of where we aspire to be.
No sooner have we enjoyed our afternoon snack than we are back in Club Millésime kicking back with a cocktail. Held every night from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, Apéro Chic offers canapés, cold cuts, and cheeses to go with its cocktails, wine, beer and other refreshments. We save our appetite for dinner but love the St Germain Spritz (elderflower liqueur, Prosecco, soda water).
Bistro Suzette offers French-inspired and all-day international dining, and the hotel also offers 24-hour in-room dining, but it’s a 6pm start for 7 Paintings and we’re expected to be there 10 minutes early. So off we go to the special-occasion dining room where we enjoy the experience we’ve written about in this other post.
On a high after 7 Paintings, we settle into a banquette seat at Cuvée, the Lobby bar where mixologist Jessie van Dort whips up a Rosé Reverie cocktail of Grey Goose Vodka, Rose Liqueur and various fruit juices with a berry-flavoured bubble on top that leaves us lost for words. He demonstrates his magic with an impressive bubble-blower that looks like anadult version of a kids’ birthday party toy.
As well as cocktails, Cuvée has an extensive list of French and Australia wines, from Champagne and Bordeaux to Barossa and Margaret River.
We return from dinner to find that the fairies have slipped into our suite and done a turn-down service, leaving little bottles of Appelles lavender spray on our pillows, and cups with sachets of chamomile tea on our bedside tables.
We set the wake-up feature on the TV and before long, we’re down in Bistro Suzette enjoying a lavish buffet breakfast with everything you can think of, from hot dishes and eggs Benedict to pork dumplings and smoked trout, to chia pudding and Bircher muesli. There’s even a juice station where you can make your own juice. Every little detail is taken care of, it seems.
Hotel facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, Stephanies Spa, valet and self-parking in the onsite carpark, and Tesla charging station.
The one thing that detracts from the hotel’s appearance – a rather plain building sitting on top of Brisbane’s Central railway station – is also the thing that makes Sofitel Brisbane Central one of the city’s best-positioned hotels. With direct access to Central Station, getting anywhere in the city, to the airport, the Brisbane Entertainment Centre and even the Gold Coast, is a breeze.
Sofitel Brisbane Central
249 Turbot Street,
Brisbane City Qld 4000
Australia
+61 (0)7 3835 3535
sofitelbrisbane.com.au
With thanks to Sofitel Brisbane Central for hosting us for this special night at the 7 Paintings dining experience and in its Signature Suite. We stayed in Suite 2801.
