| Sofitel New York | |
|---|---|
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 Interactive map of Sofitel New York | |
| General information | |
| Location | 45 West 44th Street,New York City,United States |
| Coordinates | 40°45′20″N73°58′53″W / 40.75556°N 73.98139°W /40.75556; -73.98139 |
| Construction started | 1997 |
| Completed | 2000 |
| Owner | Sofitel corporation |
| Height | 109 m (358 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 30 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Brennan Beer Gorman |
| Structural engineer | DeSimone Consulting Engineers |
| Awards and prizes | 2000Emporis Skyscraper Award |
| Website | |
| www.sofitel.com | |
Sofitel New York is a boutiquehotel onWest 44th Street inMidtown Manhattan inNew York City, owned and managed by theSofitel corporation. It is two blocks north ofBryant Park and theNew York Public Library Main Branch and next to theNew York Yacht Club Building. The hotel is inspired by French traditions in furnishings and theme, and the hotel staff are bilingual in French and English. Completed in 2000, the limestone and glass building is 358 feet (109 m) tall with 30 stories and 398 guest rooms.
Construction on the hotel began in 1997, and it opened in 2000.[1] TheInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) was reportedly responsible for funding the project after a design by Brennan Beer Gorman was chosen in an architectural competition which included entries from architects such asMichael Graves & Associates.[2] After construction the building was awarded the 2000Emporis Skyscraper Award.[2][3]
On May 14, 2011, a 32-year-old housekeeper at the hotel, Nafissatou Diallo, an immigrant fromGuinea, alleged that IMF Managing DirectorDominique Strauss-Kahn raped her in his hotel room. She had walked into his room as he was having a shower although he had not yet checked out.[4][5][6] Strauss-Kahn was at a New York airport where his plane was ready to take off when airport police asked that the plane be stopped a few minutes before takeoff. He was escorted off the plane and placed under arrest. The criminal case was dismissed and he settled out of court with his accuser in a civil case.
The hotel is 358 feet (109 m) tall with 30 floors and has 398 luxury guest rooms including 52 suites.[2][7] The architectural design byBrennan Beer Gorman featureslimestone andglass, with a T-shaped base.[2][8] Thefacade was architecturally inspired byParisian Moderne limestone buildings.[9][10] The facade is bronze and depicts three flying geese above in a large portal.[7] DeSimone Consulting Engineers were the structural engineers for the building.[11]
The ground floor contains the French restaurantGaby and barMademoiselle Gaby.[9]Gaby isArt Deco inspired and is overlooked by head chefFabien Ludwig.The New York Times describes the hotel's front desk as being positioned on the opposite end of the lobby, "which gives the entrance a serene quality".[12] The hotel staff are bilingual in French and English.[12] The lobby contains a double-height rotunda at its center, which has a wooden sculpture, aCentral Park-themed mural, and a round staircase.[2] The hotel contains a 2,500 square feet (230 m2) Grand Ballroom with 2.5-story windows and 8 meeting rooms with a capacity of 10 to 60 people.[citation needed]
Frommer's describes the hotel rooms as "spacious and ultra-comfortable, adorned with art from New York and Paris".[13] The rooms also have king beds; bathrooms with showers and tubs; and soundproof walls and windows.[13] The majority of the beds are cream or white or white with maroon trimmings and feature large paintings above the headboards. The bathrooms haveRoger & Gallet bath amenities.[14]
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