We already figured out that the Sofitel London Heathrow T5 is pretty high on the high-tech side of hotel life, what with its complicated air-conditioner controls, referred to by tech-friendlier guests as "cool gizmos".
But now there is high-tech TV as well. The Acentic Panorama system just launched in the Heathrow Sofitel and this is meant to be a mix of on-demand and interactive TV services that should probably satisfy pretty much anyone. We're usually pretty fussy about this, but it certainly doesn't sound too bad to get this:
access to 500 international satellite TV channels and up to 250 movies - all available totally on demand and with the ability to pause, fast-forward and rewind the movies.
We were thinking that an airport hotel is not the place we're going to be spending a lot of time--mostly we just want to sleep there--but since many of the rooms at the Heathrow Sofitel include a TV in the bathroom, there's plenty of chance to watch the latest movie right to the end. Useful for some but not all, that's our final judgment.
We got curious when fashionable Aussie blogger Karen Cheng said that the Accor Hotels people were sending her to stay at the "brand new" Grand Hotel by Sofitel on Spencer Street in Melbourne--we didn't think it was new. But a quick investigation soon found that in some ways, it is a bit new: it's just joined the exclusive MGallery hotel collection.
As far as we can figure out, the whole MGallery thing is meant to be a fancy version of the Mercure brand, hence the "M". To kick off the collection Accor have chosen eight hotels from their Sofitel and Grand Hotel Mercure chains to become MGallery hotels, and the Grand in Melbourne is one of them. Get it? So it's new, but not new.
We came across these photos of Rihanna walking into her hotel yesterday -- and thanks to our supersharp eye (and embarrassingly high levels of hotel-geekiness), we think we know what hotel this is: The Sofitel LA.
Click the jump for the Rihanna pic to compare -- and let us know if you agree. Hmmm, wonder which suite she's staying in...eh eh eh?
Last week we told you about our experience checking into the Marriott Marco Island in Florida and our attempts to wrestle our luggage from the bellmen in order to make a clean getaway to our room for some much needed R&R.
Now we'd like to follow that up with an account of our ideal check-in experience at the Sofitel Lafayette Square in Washington D.C. last winter.
When our taxi pulled up in front of the hotel late one evening, two bellmen rushed over to open the door and alleviate us of our luggage--much as they did at the Marco Island Marriott.
Except, when we refused their assistant, they didn't push the issue, but simply told us where to find reception and then wished us a pleasant stay.
The Hills! A new season! Lauren, Heidi, Spencer, Audrina and Whitney are b-a-c-k and we couldn't be happier that our Monday evening guilty-pleasure has returned to us -- and we may have even felt so guilty that we DVRed CNN's entire coverage of the DNC to, er, alleviate some of the shame.
Natch, we get all excited whenever the gang hits up a Los Angeles hotel. You know, what Sex and the City did for NYC establishments, The Hills can do for LA hotspots. In our minds, at least. Anyone want to go halfsies on launching a The Hills bus tour for superfans? No?
It's early days in the life of the new Sofitel London Heathrow which is the only hotel that directly connects to the airport's Terminal 5. The hotel soft opened in July but should now be fully functioning. And it's not your average airport hotel either.
The concept architect was Stephen Williams (Conrad Hotel in Chelsea Harbour) with the interiors designed by Khuan Chew who worked on the Burj al Arab.
Themes of country and continent resonate throughout the hotel; in the entrance lobby ‘Antarctica’ takes central stage with a dramatic water fountain centrepiece commissioned from RHS Chelsea winner David Harber.
Khuan Chew’s also created one of the most swank suites we've heard about in an airport hotel yet--the hotel's Imperial Suite include the first Swarovski crystal bathrooms in a European.
So, the dollar is kind of weak right now. Perhaps you've heard.
We think Sofitel is taking pity on Americans and our poopy economy and our high gas prices and our Criss Angel fans. So, they're luring us off this continent with the promise of nice discounts over in some other places! Check it out:
The More Value For Your Dollar package offers a 15 percent discount on the premium rate at 50 Sofitel hotels located in Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Romania.
To take advantage of this offer, guests must stay a minimum of three consecutive nights and must be a US or Canadian resident (valid government ID required upon check-in).
Surely the folks behind you when you check in to your Sofitel of choice will not be annoyed at all when you're like, "uh, excuse me, I'm an American so I believe you owe me a fifteen percent discount."
On the bright side, at least now you'll have a legitimate excuse to act like you're entitled to special things just cause you're an American...yeah, we know how you roll.
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by amandak
A second installment of the 
