Sofitel Melbourne On Collins

Had a two night weekend stay. Let the hotel know it was to celebrate a significant birthday. This hotel would presumably have many, many Accor guests with status, as a platinum I don’t expect a lot, but was really disappointed. Completely ignored by concierge when we arrived in the evening via car drop off, so missed signage and wasn’t sure where to find the lobby. No acknowledgment of being Accor member at check-in, no welcome gift, certainly no birthday wishes even verbally. This was a first in several years to not receive any acknowledgment whatsoever. On day two I mentioned at the Exec lounge that I was surprised there was no welcome gift, and was this usual? They didn’t really directly apologise but did say they would send a bottle to my room and asked would I like a red or white wine. I appreciated them asking and a bottle was delivered. Still no note or anything accompanying it. I imagine lots of people go to Sofitel for special occasions so gifting each time may be excessive. I didn’t really even want a gift, but I did want to feel special and hotel staff did not deliver. Alerting them in advance in effect was a waste of time at our end it felt like the hotel is disinterested in leisure travellers. For all the times we passed through the main lobby no one said hello nor look us in the eye once. Lounge afternoon tea and canapés were lovely when we had them. This was a redeeming feature of the hotel. Breakfast was delicious as expected. We ate at the lounge as the restaurant was quite busy so we skipped that. Room was beautifully clean and spacious but I thought needed a bit more lighting on a dark moody weather day or during an evening. Next time I visit Melbourne I’ll try a different hotel. Still enjoyed myself, fair pricing but underperforming on the hospitality.

After some deliberation between the Sofitel and the Pullman, I’m pleased I chose the Sofitel Melbourne. It has firmly set the benchmark among the Australian Sofitel properties I’ve visited. As a Accor Platinum member, we were upgraded to a Luxury King Corner room on the 37th floor, with beautiful views across the Treasury and Fitzroy Gardens. The room was spacious and well-appointed, the bed was excellent, and I particularly appreciated the bathroom being well separated from the sleeping area — a small detail that makes a real difference. Club Sofitel was the centrepiece of the stay. Afternoon tea featured a lovely selection of sweets that varied each day, breakfast was consistently strong with a solid à la carte menu, and the evening canapés were excellent — varied and interesting across both nights. The French sparkling from the Loire Valley was a fine choice and very easy to work through, and the Negronis were well made. The staff deserve particular recognition. Reuben and Sarah in the lounge were outstanding — warm, attentive, and exactly the kind of hosts that elevate a stay from good to memorable. On the second evening, with a couple of team members unwell, those remaining were clearly stretched but managed the situation with great professionalism. That said, there are a few areas that warrant attention. The lounge seating is genuinely uncomfortable (lacking any support and hard on your buttocks) and in need of replacement. For a space where guests are encouraged to linger over drinks and canapés for a couple of hours each evening, this is not a minor issue. The televisions propped around the lounge, cycling through fishing programs and cooking shows, add nothing to the experience and detract considerably from the atmosphere. The lounge simply doesn’t need them. The coffee was a disappointment — appearing to come from an automated machine given the speed of service. For a Sofitel in Melbourne, widely regarded as Australia’s coffee capital, this is a gap worth closing. Finally, dress code enforcement remains an issue. The smart casual policy is clearly communicated both at the entrance and in the welcome letter, yet active wear and flip flops were visible throughout. On one occasion a guest was observed helping themselves to the drinks fridge and reacted poorly when advised that service is table-side. Consistent enforcement would go a long way toward maintaining the standard that most guests come here expecting. The location is superb — we walked to dinner each evening without any difficulty and found excellent options nearby. With canapés and cocktails well accounted for, a light meal at a local Japanese restaurant suited us perfectly on both nights. Having now stayed at every Sofitel in Australia with the exception of Adelaide, Melbourne stands clearly above the rest. I will be returning.

Second stay at Sofitel, they did not dissapoint me. The staffs were friendly. The room was clean and quiet. The breakfast was highlight. Second stay at Sofitel, they did not dissapoint me. The staffs were friendly. The room was clean and quiet. The breakfast was highlight.

This was the first time I had stayed in a Sofitel but had stayed in a few Novotel hotels in the UK. The whole hotel was elegant, the bedroom was bigger than some city centre hotels I have stayed in. The view from 41st floor had views of the MCG, The Rob Laver Stadium as well as the AAMI Park and Melbourne Park stadium to the South East of the hotel. Also the Yarra river, Flinders Street Station as well as the building with the Edge in it on the 93rd floor to the South West. When we first arrived, our room was not ready yet but that fact we had arrived at 8.20am in the morning we weren't surprised. We dropped our bags off with the Concierge until our room was ready. We then went out for a walk to get rid of the cobwebs from our flights and went past the hotel we had stayed in the last time in 2013. By 11.20 am, our watches and phones were dying of power so we headed back to the hotel and sat in the reception area to charge our things. We went out again for lunch and finally got into our room around 2.30pm. As i say the room was bigger than i was expecting and very clean. There was two queen size beds with an armchair, a couple of chairs and a table as well as a wardrobe with the usual ironing board and iron. The bathroom had a bath with shower over it, toilet and sink with hair dryer. Once exploring the room, we took the lift to bar, which could be seen when you came out your room, this was on the 35th floor as well as the restaurant and a specialist restaurant for certain guests. This was table service only, which was excellent but could be slightly slow when busy. And due to licensing laws closed earlier than hotel bars in the UK. The whole hotel did had a nice relaxed atmosphere whether in the bar, restaurant or reception. We had headed to the Concierge to find out where we could find tickets for a Legends game that night at AAMI Park stadium and he told us the best places to find them. We went to get the tickets at a local shop before heading back to the hotel, thanking the Concierge and heading to the stadium. In the morning, after a very nice sleep, we headed for breakfast in the restaurant. The restaurant was set up with different sections for breakfast, with a bread/pastry section; fresh fruit/dried fruits/yogurts/granola; cold meats; and finally the cooked breakfast, which had your usual UK style things as well as omelettes and some Oriental dishes too. There was also a coffee station. The view was looking out over the Business area as well as the theatre area. We did not eat in the hotel apart from breakfast due to things organised by the tour company. We had our Welcome tour drink in the bar on the Friday before heading out for the event, we went back for a few drink after the event as well and did the same on the Saturday before and after the game. which was busier. We got to know one or two of the staff, who helped us with suggestions of things to do as well as pass on a message that someone had not paid a drink bill from the night before. The noise level throughout the hotel was always quiet, even when the bar was busy. I would stay at the hotel again if I had the chance as I had worked for Accor Group for a number of years and knew how they trained their staff to a very high performance.

Sofitel on Collins has become our favourite hotel in Australia. We normally stay in a Luxury Corner Room, which is a large comfortable suite with excellent views. There is a casual food and drinks area in the centre of level 35 called The Atrium, the hotel's restaurant, named Restaurant 35, is on one side of level 35, and the Club Sofitel is alongside the restaurant. The hotel's restaurant has fantastic people who always go out of their way to ensure we have a great meal, while also maintaining our dietary requirements. Club Sofitel, which we have access to due to our status, is superb for breakfast, afternoon tea, and for nightly aperitifs. The hotel's dietary chef, Chef Karen, is usually available in Club Sofitel to handle any dietary requirements, and she is absolutely spectacular. When you put all of these things together, what you have is a perfect stay, and hence the reason this is our favourite hotel in Australia. Highly recommended.