The Polishing Ritual

The Sofitel Name Plate is positioned at the entrances of every Sofitel hotel worldwide. At 7am each morning a member of Concierge will complete the ‘Polishing Ritual’ of the Sofitel name plate. The daily polishing of the plaque is conducted to demonstrate to all passes by the Sofitel refinement and the hotels ambition and pleasure to strive constantly towards perfection.

The plate is polished anti clock wise reflecting the way the earth moves. After the ritual is completed the cloth is then folded five times representing the continents of the world.

In days gone by Concierge of medieval Europe were known as the ‘gatekeepers’ to all the royal palaces of Europe. In the modern day, a representative of the Les Clefs d’Or, distinctively known by his golden crossed keys continues on this fine tradition, wearing white gloves and utilising a special polishing cloth to perform the ritual.

The Candle Ritual

At 5pm each day Concierge will perform the candle lighting ritual in the hotel lobby.

Lanterns have been seen both as a quintessentially Parisian invention and as the mark of a modern city. In 1662, Paris earned its name as the "City of Light" because it was the first city anywhere ever to illuminate its streets after dark on a regular, permanent basis. It was an innovation of Louis XIV that made Paris the first city to glitter after sunset, allowing for night time outings to the theater, opera and lavish parties. Today, lanterns and candles symbolise celebration, mark romance, define ceremony, and accent décor.

Botanicals

The placement of beautiful flowers throughout the hotel is a way of embracing our French traditions while enhancing the guest experience. Life at Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach is sensation. Guests are invited to savour an infinite palate of delights during their stay: colours and fragrances, textures, a gentle grace that surrounds body and mind.

The French formal garden, also called jardin à la française, is a style of garden based on symmetry and the principle of imposing order over nature. It reached its apogee in the 17th century with the creation of the Gardens of Versailles, designed for Louis XIV by the landscape architect André Le Nôtre. The style was widely copied by other courts of Europe. It includes topiaries, art to cut garden trees as decoration with geometric forms as sculpture. Gardener Metal shears is main element for cutting boxwood, laurel, and ivy trees that are most used in French gardens.

The Bread Ritual (Le ritual du pain)

As important to the French as the dish itself, the best French baguette, as well as the best quality local bread, is featured with every meal.

Viennoiseries

The noble croissant, although maybe not French in origin but adopted as the star at breakfast, will add a touch of extra pleasure to the first meal of the day.

The Wine Ritual (Le ritual du vin)

Traditionally associated with the finest of the world’s wines, we will also feature the best each region has to offer.

The Cheese Ritual (le ritual des fromages)

With over 500 different registered cheeses, France offers an unmatched variety of tastes.

A cheese board available on every menu is an opportunity for guests to discover and appreciate this high point of French gastronomy.

The Patisserie Ritual (Le ritual des patisseries)

A selection of pastries is available for guests after the main course to give them the flavour of the famous Salons de Thes appreciated by Parisians for centuries.