Accor showcases new era for Mercure, opens Novotel in Melbourne, unveils refreshed Sydney Sofitel

Accor showcases new era for Mercure, opens Novotel in Melbourne, unveils refreshed Sydney Sofitel
By Alexandra Coulton


It’s been a big week for Accor’s Aussie operations, with openings and unveilings left, right, and centre!

The French hotel giant has welcomed a new era of its Mercure Hotel brand with the opening of Mercure Melbourne Doncaster, introducing a new path of an upper midscale hotel in the region.

Doncaster is one of Melbourne’s key business districts, within close proximity of Eastern Health Hospitals and Box Hill TAFE, giving the hotel a prime location for business travellers seeking 24-hour personal service after a busy workday.

With design work by KREAT Studios, the hotel welcomes 183 contemporary styled guest rooms and suites along with six fully-equipped function spaces and expansive outdoor terraces, perfect for social gatherings, meetings and conventions.

“Creating jobs and investing in the future of the tourism and accommodation sector has never been more important,” Sarah Derry, CEO of Accor Pacific said.

“This hotel will play a key role in further elevating Doncaster’s profile and its importance as a leisure and business destination.”

Also in Melbourne, Accor has brought its Novotel brand to Melbourne’s inner-north, following a multi-million dollar refurb and rebrand.

Developed by GCP Hospitality and operated under Accor’s midscale Novotel brand, the new Novotel Melbourne Preston offers 383 guestrooms, suites and fully self-contained studio apartments across seven levels with views of the Dandenong and 16 meeting and events spaces.

“Novotel Melbourne Preston is a celebration of innovative interior design, thoughtful detail and, importantly for this location, will provide great food and beverage options for our loyal guests and the local community,” Derry said.

Melbourne-based architecture and design studio, Architectus, worked on spaces throughout the hotel, including re-designed guestrooms, a designer reception and lobby area, a brand-new café Stampton & Co and restaurant The Stampton.

All rooms also feature modern technology and facilities including a Smart TV, multiple USB hubs, work space, in-room safe and minibar on demand. 

The Stampton, when it opens in April 2022, will serve a simple all-day dining menu of fresh and local homestyle food with a bistro edge, carefully designed to marry the rustic charm of a farmhouse with Melbourne’s urban hospitality scene. 

Meanwhile, in Sydney, Accor has reopened its 5-star Sofitel Sydney Wentworth after having undergone a refresh of its 436 rooms with new Sofitel MyBed mattresses, new linen, pillows and soft furnishings, as well as sustainable bath amenities from French fashion house Balmain Paris.

In addition to the room refresh, the corridors and all of the hotel’s conference and event spaces now feature upgraded audio and visual technology, new carpets and wall-fabric for a luxurious look and feel throughout.

To celebrate of the hotel’s re-opening, from now until the end of April every guest will receive a complimentary glass of French Champagne from 5:30pm while a Sofitel Ambassador will perform a signature Candle Ritual ceremony in the lobby.

The hotel also has exciting plans for 2022, including continuing its partnerships with the Art Gallery of NSW, the Alliance French Film Festival, Opera Australia and more.

To mark the reopening of the hotel, ALL loyalty members booking at Sydney Sofitel Wentworth from the 28 March to 15 May for stays to 3 July 2022, will receive additional 4X Reward points.

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